A previous segment in a look back at 2016 by KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot focused on the business community. This segment looks at highlights from local government entities.
BAXTER COUNTY QUORUM COURT TRANSFERS OWNERSHIP OF WOLF HOUSE TO STATE
Members of the Baxter County Quorum Court approved transferring ownership of the historic Wolf House property at Norfork to the Department of Arkansas Heritage at the court’s regular monthly meeting IN October.
The transfer to the Department of Arkansas Heritage will help ensure the upkeep of the structure and also holds out the promise of increasing visitation to the site. Judge Pendergrass said the type of arrangement being proposed is “something we have been wanting to do for many, many years”.
The deed to the property was turned over to the county by the Wolf House Memorial Foundation in 1999, and the county assumed the upkeep of the building and grounds. It reopened to the public in 2002.
The two-story log structure stands on a hillside overlooking the juncture of the White and North Fork Rivers. It was built in the 1800’s and was the first seat of government for what was then Izard County.
Izard County was created in 1825 and the next year, Jacob Wolf was elected representative to the General Assembly of the Arkansas Territory. In October 1828, he successfully passed legislation to locate the permanent government at what was then called Liberty, a settlement that had grown up around Wolf’s homestead.
Wolf is said to have donated land to the county for the courthouse site and then secured the contract for building the structure now known as the Wolf House.
According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture, Wolf built a two-story log house with a central breezeway on the first level — typically called a dogtrot — to serve as the courthouse. The large upper level room that extends over the breezeway served as the courtroom. Judges and lawyers traveled from distant parts of the territory to appear at the regularly scheduled county and territorial court sessions. The lower level housed the county clerk’s office. John P. Houston, brother of American legend Sam Houston, is said to have served as county clerk.
In the late 1930’s, the Wolf House came under public ownership and was maintained by local residents. In the 1960’s, the house was taken over by the Elna M. Smith Foundation. The foundation restored and furnished the house with a public dedication held in May 1966. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Baxter County took ownership of the historic structure in 1999 and obtained a grant from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program that permitted the building to be restored to its appearance when it served as a territorial courthouse.
COLLEGE STREET CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED
Mountain Home Mayor Joe Dillard, members of the community and students from Pinkston Middle School, Arkansas Highway Commission Chairman Dick Trammel officially reopened Highway 201 South in a ribbon cutting ceremony on College Street in late September.
The was completed in early August, prior to the first day of school in Mountain Home. Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department employees began work on the construction project, which widened over a mile of College Street by Pinkston Middle School, in 2015 at a cost just under $5 million.
The Arkansas Highway Transportation Department website says over 10,000 motorists use South College Street and the intersection of 201 South and the Sheid-Hopper Bypass every day.
NEW VA CLINIC OPENS IN MOUNTAIN HOME
The Department of Veteran Affairs new clinic in Mountain Home, located in Twin Lakes Plaza on Highway 62 East next to Goodwill, opened in early August.
Dr. Tina McClain Chief of Staff for Veteran Affairs in Little Rock says the VA will continue to strive to be the provider of choice for primary care and mental health services as well as internal medicine and surgery for veterans.
McClain said legislation plays a key role in how the VA manages care for veterans, but she expects the transition to the new clinic will be smooth.
Listen:
One physician and two APRN’s staff the clinic at all times with hours of operation Monday through Friday, 8 to 4:30.
CONTROVERSIAL TWIN LAKES RECOVERY CENTER IN COTTER CLOSES
Two months after opening its doors in April, the controversial Twin Lakes Recovery Center of Northern Arkansas in Cotter was closed in June. One of a wide series of community based re-entry centers designed to try and cut the recidivism rate of parolees returning to prison, the center, was licensed by the Arkansas Community Correction agency in January. It was to house state prison inmates who were in a six month program designed to prepare them for parole.
Cotter Mayor Peggy Hammack and other city officials were unaware the center, on Highway 62 near the Cotter School District campus and a senior apartment complex, had opened until mid-May when they were contacted by a reporter from KTLO, Classic Hits and the Boot News.
One of those expressing concern over the location of the facility was Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery.
Listen:
Following a series of meetings, investigations and work with the governor’s office and municipal league, the City of Cotter and their legal counsel, Roger Morgan, began the process to terminate the occupation tax permit in early June.
The Twin Lakes Recovery Center is currently discussing the possibility of relocating the facility to Flippin in Marion County with a public meeting held as recently as early December in Flippin.
STATE FUNDING RESTORED TO BAXTER COUNTY LIBRARY AND VAN MATRE SENIOR CENTER
The Baxter County Library and Van Matre Senior Center received good news in early May when the state legislature restored funds that had been cut last year from the state budget to offset tax reductions the legislature approved. The money comes from the state’s Rainy Day Fund and was approved by the state legislatlure and governor.
Library director Kim Crowe-Sheaner expressed her pleasure at the good news which enabled the library to restore Sunday hours that had been cut to compensate for the loss of state funds.
Listen:
Kimberly Traffer said the money will enable the senior center to continue to provide a number of services to seniors.
Listen:
Funding for public libraries was reduced last year from $5.6 million to $4.6 million and the Department of Human Services’ Aging and Adult Services Division was cut from $17.6 million to $16.5 million. State legislative leaders and the governor have agreed to put a portion of the state’s more than $50 million in surplus funds into the Rainy Day Fund which currently has about $31 million dollars.
TILTON NAMED NEW COTTER CHIEF OF POLICE
Yellville native and former Marion County law enforcement officer Clint Tilton was named Cotter Chief of Police in late February. Tilton replaced the former police chief, David Orsborn who resigned in late 2015.
Cotter Mayor Peggy Hammack says after an extended search, Tilton had all the qualities Cotter needs in a police chief.
Listen:
Hammack expressed confidence about where the Cotter Police Department stands after Tilton’s hiring.
The next segment in 2016 in Review from KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot News will focus on local schools.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI