Anyone who’s traveled between Little Rock and Mountain Home knows very well the many twists and turns in the 150 miles separating the two communities. Distance isn’t the only thing separating a Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge’s decision and officials in the six counties comprising the membership of the Ozark Mountain Solid Waste District. Local officials are saddled with interpreting and carrying out the directive rendered last April by Judge Tim Fox. It approves the recommendation of a receiver appointed by his court to find a way to pay the debt incurred to purchase the NABORS waste hauling operation, including the local landfill.
The ruling set the stage for an $18 annual assessment against each residence and business parcel in Baxter County. The ruling impacts five other counties in North Central Arkansas, with the assessment to begin next year. In addition to Baxter County, Marion, Searcy, Boone, Newton and Carroll counties are included in the ruling.
In the more than four months since Judge Fox’s the ruling, there has been only limited contact between the receiver and local officials until a meeting last week.
Baxter County Attorney David Ethredge, who was among those attending the meeting, says the counties are struggling with implementing and following the court order. The ruling is unclear in defining a business parcel, meaning is the $18 assessment to be applied to a multi-unit residence or strip center collectively or towards each occupant.
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Ethredge says in addition to the interpretation of the judge’s ruling, there are other challenges with the directive.
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Ethredge says the receiver came with questions and ideas on what he wants to see accomplished.
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Ethredge says the collectors and assessors are very capable individuals who are attempting to follow and implement the judge’s ruling. However, they know the difficulty this action is going to place on their offices and the questions that will follow from taxpayers who will not understand the new assessment.
He says it was clear the receiver was surprised by the information he received from the assessors and collectors, with his responses indicating he had not thought of the challenges they presented.
Officials from across the six-county district, including assessors, collectors and county judges, came to the meeting with numerous questions and left believing the receiver will return within a week with suggestions to implement the court order.
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