The Baxter County Quorum Court breezed through its eight-item agenda in less than 15 minutes Tuesday night.
The justices first heard a 20-minute presentation from Gilbert Losurdo, managing director of the North Arkansas East West Corridor Association, on continuing efforts to improve U.S. Highway 412 to spur economic development.
Losurdo says an initiative authorized by the Arkansas State Highway Commission in 2017 to update a U.S. Highway 412 study should be completed early next year. The study is an analysis of what is necessary in funding and operations to continue improvements on the highway.
At the time the highway commission committed to the study, Losurdo told KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news the action is significant.
Listen:
There are approximately 252 road miles from east to west across northern Arkansas, with 140 miles still a two-lane road. U.S. Highway 412 runs across Tennessee, Missouri and Oklahoma, as well as Arkansas.
With justice Dirk Waldrop absent, the court gave unanimous approval with no questions asked to an ordinance that will cease billing and collecting fees from municipalities in Baxter County for the housing of prisoners.
The proposed ordinance notes voters passed a one-quarter percent sales tax in September 2017 for the operation of the county jail, including a provision to pay for the costs associated with the housing of prisoners.
An ordinance adopting revisions and additions to the county’s personnel policy manual adopted in February was placed on its second reading.
In addition to two housekeeping measures, the court approved four resolutions confirming County Judge Mickey Pendergrass’ reappointments to four fire departments.
Those reappointments to fire protection districts included Mike St. Romaine and Steven Obenauf to the Gamaliel board, Shannon Clements and Robert Martin to the Midway board, Will Gregory and Kevin Bodenhamer to the Mountain Home Rural board and Jim Scaman, Billy Hale and Patricia Slice to the Rodney-Jordan board.
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