The Jefferson County Quorum Court is scheduled to meet on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to address a range of financial and administrative matters, including several appropriation ordinances and budget transfers.
One significant item is an appropriation ordinance to create a new full-time teaching position for the Jack Jones Juvenile Justice Center. This request, submitted by Chief Deputy Santrice Kearney, seeks to align the center with the Arkansas Department of Education and meet emergency teaching permits.
The proposed changes would adjust teacher salaries to be more competitive with surrounding school districts and implement a year-round schedule. The total requested appropriation for this new position and related adjustments is $217,886.58.
At a special Quorum Court meeting held on Tuesday, immediately following the committee meeting, Kearney addressed concerns regarding an agenda item that had been omitted from the committee agenda proposed by the county judge’s office. That led to two distinct agendas being provided for Tuesday’s meeting: one from the county clerk’s office and another from the county judge’s office.
“What we are trying to get on the agenda and what we’re trying to do is bring in certified teachers,” said Kearney. She added on July 1 the Juvenile Justice Center had to transfer out the uncertified teachers and hire certified ones in order for the state Department of Education to continue to pay for teachers to be at Jack Jones.
“The money is reimbursable and we’re trying to get them paid; we would have to retro their money,” said Kearney, adding the teachers are working despite not being paid. “We need to pass this as soon as possible. That’s why we’ve been coming, trying to make sure you guys get these done so our teachers can get paid, so we will not lose them.”
Kearney stated that she did not submit her request to the judge’s office. This is because, under the procedural ordinance, the clerk’s office is responsible for generating the agenda.
The Juvenile Justice Center is also requesting a change in the 2025 budget for Fund 1851 and a new appropriation for Fund 1803. This involves transferring $95,000 from Fund 3017 M&O Fund to Fund 1803, line item 2005 for food, and adjusting the current food budget in Fund 1851 from $180,000 to $150,000.
Another major item on the agenda is a request from the Jefferson County Road Department to transfer $445,185.83 within its budget from salaries to maintenance and operations. The funds would be transferred from various lines, including salaries, Social Security matching, and retirement matching, to cover expenses for vehicles and lease interest.
The county judge’s office has also submitted an appropriation request for $571,664.29 within Fund 1000-County Judge to offset negative balance entries. This request details a number of line items, including food,fuel oil and lubricants, computer services and maintenance and service contracts.
Other appropriation ordinances on the agenda include:
• Providing an appropriation to Fund 1000 County General — County Judge;
• Providing an appropriation to Fund 1000-800 Veteran Services;
• Transferring funds from Fund 1006 County General Reserve to Fund 1804 Solid Waste Contract Fund;
• Transferring funds within Fund 2000 Road and Fund 3403-MECA;
• An ordinance related to retroactive pay beginning January 1, 2025;
• An ordinance to accept various grants for Fund 1809; and
• A resolution to approve the appointment of one member to the Port Authority Board.
The meeting will also include a report from various committees and a period for public comments. The Quorum Court will review and vote on these appropriation ordinances and resolutions to determine the allocation of county funds and resources.
Several JPs, including Alfred Carroll, Reginald Adams, Reginald Johnson, Margarette Williams, Melanie Dumas and Brenda Bishop-Gaddy, were absent from Tuesday’s Jefferson County Quorum Court committee meeting. However, these members, along with Richard Victorino and Cedric Jackson, attended a special Quorum Court meeting called by the majority of the court.
Ted Harden, Roy Agee and Patricia Royal-Johnson attended the committee meetings alongside Victorino and Jackson. Jimmy Fisher was absent.
The Human Resource Committee addressed agenda items to be sent to the full Quorum Court meeting, one including an appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from County General Reserve to the Solid Waste Contract. Sandra Graves, Road Department office manager, explained the need for the transfer.
“Last year we had waste management as our trash collector and they would go some time without picking up people’s trash, so therefore we were not making any money,” she said. “The contract was up, so the judge looked for another company, and he found one, and so every year, when we get to our budget, I don’t get enough money because of the projections.”
Following these committee reports, Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson addressed concerns about the special-called Quorum Court meeting. He stated that, as per the procedural ordinance, Quorum Court meetings are scheduled for the Monday following Tuesday’s committee meetings.
He further elaborated on concerns about “supersponsorship” and how it relates to items bypassing the committee process. Even with supersponsorship, the ordinance must still go through the committee, according to Robinson.
He stated that monetary appropriations require three readings. Following the adjournment of the committee meeting, the majority of the Quorum Court members reconvened for the special meeting, with Carroll presiding as chair.
“You know why we’re having to have these meetings is because they have to put it on this agenda, and none of the other justices show up according to the procedural ordinance,” said Carroll. “It’s not that we want to do extra means, we have to.”
