Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Denton Tells JPs: "Prescott Can Meet Specific Needs

Walt Denton informed the Nevada County Quorum Court of Prescott's placement in the running for the Arkansas Department of Corrections' new prison facility.

"August 19 is the ADC's next board meeting and we should have a better picture of where we stand," Denton said.

Denton commented during the past week, his office and the Arkansas Department of Corrections were in daily contact working on the practical issues of the prison facility.

Nevada County Judge James Roy Brown questioned Denton as to Prescott's competition for the facility. One among many was Camden. Denton commented Camden is experiencing organized formal opposition to the facility.

One of Prescott's selling points, is the lack of any facility this size in the western part of the state, he said. "Prescott can meet their specific needs, we hope with the next board meeting to hear they have narrowed the field to the final three sites."

Justice of the Peace Willie Wilson said, "We all commend you on your efforts and an exceptionally good job."

Along with the ADC, Denton spoke to the court about a visit from Rip Griffin of Rip Griffin Truck Travel Centers of Lubbock, Texas. Griffin's company has owned land here for several years with the plans to build.

The possible business in Prescott will be the farthest east the company reaches, according to Denton.

The court approved the money the county extension office for area wide networking. Candace Carrie' of the Nevada County Extension office said the free computer was a first come first served basis from the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas.

"The court recognizes computers are the way things are going," she said. The court approved the spending for next years budget of $2,300, which will pay for the capability to use the Internet, e-mail, share data and print off the computer.

Michelle Glass of the Municipal Clerks' office was present to explain a computer problem their office is experiencing. "Our software is not Y2K compliant," expressed Glass. "It will cost $2,064 to upgrade to Windows '98 to fix it between now and the end of the year."

Glass expressed the offices' satisfaction with its current software service contract.

The court approved the expenditure, which will come from the year's remaining county general funds.

JP Gary Lewis said "Be diligent next time and be sure it works a year down the line."

The flood insurance issue was tabled to give everyone time to look at the flood maps that had just reached the court moments before the meeting.

The court discussed briefly the "Keep Arkansas Beautiful" campaign. Brown said an ordinance wasn't called for but a resolution of suggestions would be a good idea.

The program, Brown said doesn't tell what a county can't do, but does explain what the Keep Arkansas Beautiful campaign requires, with the information based primarily on common sense. The Keep Arkansas Beautiful issue was tabled until the court can examine the data provided more closely.

JP Lewis followed by expressing his distress with last minute information, "We need time to look over the information, do a little research and check some things out." Brown suggested automatic tabling of an issue, if they're given the information at the last minute.