Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

QC Meeting Goes Quickly

Short and sweet best describes Monday night's meeting of the Clark County Quorum Court.

Clark County Judge Grady Runyan said the county's governing body appointed a personnel committee to examine a request from Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan for an extra case worker for his office.

The equipment committee recommended, with the court granting approval, the purchase of a grader and additional employee for the road and bridge department. According to Runyan, this grader will be utilized primarily in the Amity area.

The court sent an ordinance asking for Act 803 money, for rural fire protection, back to the county's intergovernmental group, comprised of mayors.

The money would go to help fund a volunteer fire department in the Center Ridge community, which is currently outside the fire protection boundaries of all county departments.

At the time of the original request, it had been proposed to take funds from all rural departments with Gurdon and Arkadelphia not kicking in any money.

However, the mayors of the intergovernmental council disagreed with this formula, saying the two largest cities in the county should pay their fair share as well. Now, the formula will go back to the council for revision to include Gurdon and Arkadelphia.

Once this has been completed, it will be sent back to the court for approval.

A vacancy was also declared in District 11 due to the death of James Cox Jr. Procedures will be followed to find a replacement for the late justice of the peace.

Runyan only had two items for his report, one being a request for the panel to bring its personnel policy to the October meeting.

Changes need to be made, which will require the approval of the body.

The other item was asking if the justices had read their financial statements on grants.

Other business included an update from Gene Simmons with Twin Rivers Architects concerning renovations and the annexation of the courthouse.

Runyan said everything is now in place to get the projects started. Bids will be opened Nov. 15.

This information will then be presented to the court so the contracts can be let. A special session may be required to do this, however.

Runyan said once the contracts are let, actual construction should begin in late November.

Both projects, the renovation and annexation, should be completed in a year's time, Runyan said. The annexation alone will take between six and eight months, depending on weather.