Former Bull Shoals recorder/treasurer charged with theft of property
The former recorder/treasurer for the City of Bull Shoals, 48-year-old Kimberly Williams of Bull Shoals, has been arrested and charged with a felony count of theft of property.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Friday, in January Bull Shoals Mayor David Nixon reported possible stolen funds by Williams, who resigned from her position about July 5th, 2017.
At the time Williams resigned from office, she allegedly paid herself for time she was not able to accrue.
City Council member Marty Nickels was asked to sign the check to Williams, per the city’s policy requiring two signatures. Nickles told law enforcement Williams advised him the funds were a separation payment.
When questioned about the check by law enforcement, Williams allegedly did not deny having paid herself for accrued vacation time, saying she was only doing what all the other recorder/treasurers had done before her.
She said she had been told the position was like all other city employees, allowing for the accrued vacation time. However, she said she had not confirmed this information through state statute or city ordinance.
A review of the check stub shows Williams paid herself 116 hours at a rate of $20 per hour, for a total of $2,320.
The affidavit notes a second former recorder/treasurer who assumed the position after Williams was interviewed in late June. She told the officer she also accrued vacation time when she held the position, saying she did so at the direction of Williams. She, too, said she did not check this information with state statute or city ordinance. The affidavit does not indicate if the second recorder/treasurer received compensation for the vacation time.
Online jail records indicate Williams was booked into the Marion County Detention Center Thursday afternoon at 4:26 and released at 6:00 Thursday night on a bond of $2,600.
She is set to appear in Marion County Circuit Court later this month.
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Man who attacked relatives with knife rejects plea offer
Darrey Lynn Hart, charged with criminal attempt to commit murder after attacking his mother and stepfather, has again rejected a plea agreement offered by the state. The fact he was turning down the latest plea agreement was made in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The 45-year-old Hart is serving time in the North Central Unit of the state prison system at Calico Rock on an earlier conviction.
If he continues to turn down pleas, his trial date will come up later this month, unless a continuation is approved.
The charges against Hart stem from a violent incident in late November last year in which Hart is alleged to have attacked his mother and stepfather in their mobile home located along Big Pond Circle where Hart was also reported to be living.
Investigators from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Baxter Regional Medical Center’s emergency room where they interviewed the victims, both of whom were reported to be in their 60s.
The stepfather said he had gone to the residence for lunch shortly after noon on November 29th. He said he found Hart had been arguing with his mother, and confrontations between the two were frequent. The stepfather said he told Hart to leave his mother alone so the stepfather could go back to work and not have to worry about them fighting.
Hart, who had allegedly been drinking, and his stepfather became involved in an altercation. The stepfather told investigators he was able to grab Hart under the arms, and the two of them fell to the floor. The stepfather said he was able to get up and grab a closet dowel sitting by a door and told Hart he needed to stop being aggressive. He said Hart went into his bedroom and came out wielding a large knife with a blade of approximately 8 inches in length. The stepfather said Hart came at him brandishing the knife. He said Hart’s mother attempted to get between the two males and began to struggle for the knife as well.
When Hart saw the large amount of blood produced during the fight, he left the area. The stepfather suffered a deep cut to the left wrist and cuts to the right hand. The mother was said to have “skin tearing” to the left forearm, cuts to the right hand and a large wound to the chest.
Hart was found later in a Mountain Home hotel motel room and taken into custody. He told officers he had acted in self-defense and accused the stepfather of being the initial aggressor.
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Possible record turnout at Back-to-School Bazaar
Friday’s gathering of students at Nelson-Wilks-Herron Elementary School is believed to be a record turnout. The Bridges of Mountain Home held its third-annual Back-to-School Bazaar as kids of all ages were provided the necessities they will need for the upcoming school year.
Several students were given on a first-come, first-serve basis free school supplies, haircuts, dental screenings and other needs they may have. Mountain Home School District Superintendent Dr. Jake Long says an estimated 500 children were served, and several volunteers were able to make the bazaar possible.
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Long goes on to add the community support goes a long way to provide Mountain Home’s students more than just supplies for the upcoming school year.
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For anyone unable to attend the Back-to-School Bazaar, the state of Arkansas is holding its sales tax holiday allowing shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain school supplies and clothing free of state and local sales or use tax. The holiday began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and continues until 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The holiday period in Missouri began Friday and continues through Sunday.
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Free breakfast for K-2 in MH this year
When students return to class in Mountain Home next month, there will be something new for those in kindergarten, first and second grades. Mountain Home schools will be providing free breakfast each day. The Mountain Home School Board voted at its July meeting to approve the pilot program for the 2018-19 school year.
Superintendent Dr. Jake Long says they started running numbers to see if the program would work in Mountain Home after it’s been successful in other parts of the Twin Lakes Area.
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Long explains how the program won’t raise costs for the school district.
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Long says they will review the program after this school year and see if it will continue and/or be expanded to other grades.
Applications for the free breakfast for kindergarten, first and second grades in Mountain Home will be available at the open houses and back to school bazaar and they will also be sent home with students in their back to school packets.
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MH Council remains divided on wholesale water increase
For the second time this year the Mountain Home City Council has failed to pass an increase in the contracted water rates with its wholesale purchasers. The city has contracts for the wholesale purchase of water with the Northeast, Gassville/Cotter and Lakeview/Midway districts.
The proposed ordinance made it through three readings in the council’s Thursday evening meeting. However, passage of the ordinance failed to secure the vote of at least five council members. Members Jennifer Baker, Eva Frame, Carl Graves and Nancy Osmon voted in favor of the measure. Members Dave Almond, Rick Pierce and Don Webb voted against the measure. Councilman Wayne Almond was absent from the meeting.
The council first tried to increase wholesale water rates in April, along with two other ordinances that would have boosted water and sewer rates for residential and commercial customers in Mountain Home. All three ordinances resulted in a 4-4 tie.
City Clerk Brian Plumlee, acting as mayor pro tem, was given the option on all three ordinances to cast a vote to pass the ordinances. Plumlee elected not to cast a vote all three times. Baker, Graves, Osmon and Pierce voted in favor of the ordinances. Dave Almond, Wayne Almond, Eva Frame, and Don Webb voted against the ordinances.
In other business Thursday evening, the council unanimously approved auction items from both the water/wastewater and street departments.
An ordinance permitting municipal employees and officials to conduct business with the city was placed on its final reading, with no action taken. The proposal is set to come before the council at its next meeting on August 16th.
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