Pope County Quorum Court approves multiple appropriations, seeks state grant to rebuild courthouse parking

The Pope County Quorum Court on a July 2025 meeting approved a package of appropriations and administrative actions, including a $289,702.70 appropriation for the road department, a $37,000 appropriation from the treasurer’s automation fund, a $27,741.53 allocation from the general fund for building maintenance, a 9-1-1/OEM fund transfer to cover a retirement payout, authorization for the county judge to apply for a state grant to reconstruct the courthouse parking lot to meet ADA standards, and an appointment to the county ambulance board.

Why it matters: the appropriations enable immediate equipment upgrades, road work funded partly by state program revenues and municipal reimbursement, and courthouse repairs and security work; the grant application could fund a larger parking lot reconstruction but would require a local match if awarded. The actions were routine but affect county capital and operating budgets and pending capital projects downtown.

The court unanimously adopted an ordinance to appropriate $289,702.70 from the road fund to the road department. Justice Jamie Jackson said that most of the money came from Arkansas Game and Fish marine fuel tax receipts and that the remainder was reimbursement from the city of Pottsville. The ordinance passed on a recorded roll call.

Separately, the court approved an ordinance to appropriate $37,000 from the treasurer’s automation fund for the treasurer’s department; the funds were described to be used for computer/server upgrades. The court also approved an ordinance appropriating $27,741.53 from the general fund for grants and aid and for county building and maintenance, which the meeting record says will address plumbing repairs and finish the entryway work tied to courthouse security.

The court adopted an ordinance transferring previously appropriated funds in the 9-1-1 fund for the OEM department to cover a payout owed to Assistant OEM Director Bill Teeter, who retired effective June 30. The judge noted the transfer covers retirement benefits to which Teeter is entitled.

On a resolution, the court authorized the county judge to apply for an Arkansas Community Assistance Grant to demolish and reconstruct an ADA-accessible parking lot at the Pope County Courthouse. The county judge said the state grant program allows applications up to $1,500,000 and that the county was applying based on local estimates; the resolution specifies a local match of $70,000 if the grant is awarded. The judge also noted a separate downtown project will affect the outermost parking lot and the county will coordinate timing with that work.

The court approved a resolution appointing Steve Rogers to fill an unexpired term on the ambulance board previously held by Blake Wilson. The appointment was adopted on a recorded roll call.

The court also recorded a notification under state law 14-16-106 that certain old computers had been declared junk or destroyed by the county assessor. No public comments were offered on agenda items. The meeting concluded with announcements about a 4-H event and an August budget meeting and workshop, then adjourned.

Quotes in the meeting were brief and procedural. Justice Doug Skelton reported the budget committee met and referred items to the full court; the clerk recorded roll calls on each ordinance or resolution.

Votes at a glance: all ordinance and resolution items presented at the meeting were adopted by recorded voice/roll call votes.