Quorum Court approves budget transfers, vehicle sale and grant application; health appropriation passes

The Van Buren County Quorum Court on Oct. 25 voted to adopt multiple ordinances and a resolution addressing budget corrections, asset sales and a grant application.

The court approved: an appropriation to cover volunteer firefighters' workers' compensation costs (Ordinance O2025-23); an internal transfer to correct OEM insurance and comp-time payments (Ordinance O2025-24); sale of two 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks to the City of Clinton for $7,000 each, with an amendment clarifying the items are personal property (Ordinance O2025-25); an emergency appropriation into the county health fund to cover the latter six months of employee health insurance claims (Ordinance O2025-26); and a resolution authorizing the county judge to apply to the Arkansas Community Assistance Grant Program to buy a new rock crusher with an estimated state grant request of $1,037,813 and county cash match of about $259,454.

Why it matters: the items adjust county budgets to cover unanticipated insurance and personnel costs, enable the sheriff's office to recycle fleet vehicles to a local city and position the county to pursue state funds for public works equipment that would increase road material production.

Key votes and outcomes

- O2025-23 (volunteer firefighters' workers' compensation appropriation): moved and seconded; adopted by roll call (all present voted yes).

- O2025-24 (OEM transfers to correct insurance and comp-time line items): moved and seconded; adopted by roll call (all present voted yes).

- O2025-25 (sale of two sheriff's office vehicles to City of Clinton, $7,000 each; emergency clause acknowledged; amendment struck the word "real" to reflect personal property): motion to adopt, amendment carried, emergency clause acknowledged; adopted by roll call (all present voted yes).

- O2025-26 (emergency appropriation into county health fund to cover six months of employee health insurance claims): moved and seconded; emergency clause acknowledged; adopted by roll call…