County Judge Mark Glass with County Treasurer Karen Cobb and District 1 JP Suzie Key
Two Nevada County elected officials were honored during the Monday afternoon meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court. Outgoing Justice of the Peace District 1 Suzy Key was presented a plaque for her eight years of service. Key was elected as County Treasurer in the Democratic Primary Election and had no opposition in the General Election. Key will be replaced by Dennis Pruitt in 2012. County Treasurer Karen Cobb who was also honored during the meeting for her 14 years of service in the office. Cobb was told her plaque didn’t arrive in time for presentation during the meeting.
During the meeting the JP’s also approved the 2013 budgets. The budget total for County General is $1,464,438.98 with an expected revenue of $1,502,950.00. Sheriff Danny Martin had asked for a new patrol car in 2013. County Judge Mark Glass asked Sheriff Martin if he could wait until the end of the first quarter so the county could see how money is coming in before getting the new car. Sheriff Martin said they’d do their best.
The justices approved the Road and Bridge budget of $1,445,100.00 with expected revenue of $1,449,472.50. This amount doesn’t include the estimated $287,000 Nevada County should receive from the one-half cent state sales tax increase approved in the General Election. Judge Glass says that money should help the county black top some additional roads in the county.
The JP’s also approved the Solid Waste budget of $528,600.00 with expected revenue at $595,081.00.
This year’s budget committee included County Judge Mark Glass and Justices Bob Cummings, Robert Poole, Willie Wilson and Herbert Coleman.
The Quorum Court also heard from members of New Hope Church in the Falcon community who were upset that the main road leading to their church, County Road 7, had been closed by a state contractor replacing a bridge. The church members complained that they were having to travel an additional 10 to 15 miles to get to their church.
Judge Glass said he was led to believe the road would remain open while the bridge was being replaced. However, after construction had already started he said the contractor told him the road would need to be closed to protect motorists from a 17-foot drop-off at construction site. Glass told the church members he would contact the district office of the Arkansas Highway Department in Hope about their concerns and urged them to do the same.
