Quorum Court approves 2026 budget amendment and PSAP pass-through payments

Faulkner County's Quorum Court on Wednesday voted to approve an amended 2026 operating budget and a related appropriation that forwards certain 9-1-1 revenues to the consolidated Public Safety Answering Point in Conway.

Justice Slechowski, sponsor of amended ordinance 25-33, told the court the amendment was needed to correct pay calculations tied to the county's 27th pay period so elected officials would not receive less in 2026 than in 2025. "They can't get paid less, in a year in their current term," Slechowski said, explaining the change is required by the state constitution and related statutes. The amendment also restores a $40,000 capital outlay amount for county maintenance that had been previously approved but was omitted from the final tally.

The court then considered proposed ordinance 25-34, described by the sponsor as an appropriation to amend and supplement ordinance 25-33 dated Nov. 18, 2025. The ordinance includes a high-dollar line that transfers recurring landline-derived emergency telephone service fees to the consolidated Conway 9-1-1 center. The sponsor said the $125,000 figure is a pass-through payment under the county's contract with Conway and not a net loss of county revenue. "It's a pass through," a justice confirmed during questions.

Court members asked whether the increases would require cuts elsewhere; the county administrator and finance staff said the adjustments use available, unappropriated carryover where applicable and that the net county-general impact is small. After discussion, the court approved both ordinances. The judge announced that ordinance 25-33 "passes" and later that ordinance 25-34 also passed following roll-call voting.

Budgetary details discussed at the meeting include the small increase to selected elected-official salary lines to account for the 27th pay period and the previously approved $40,000 allocation to county maintenance (identified as Fund 1000, Department 01/2008). The sponsor said the budget changes are technical corrections and align with earlier committee discussions.

The court did not record a detailed numeric roll-call tally for ordinance 25-33 in the public transcript; the clerk announced the motion carried. For ordinance 25-34 the court also recorded roll-call responses and the judge announced the motion carried. The clerk indicated these items were advanced after committee review and public discussion during the meeting.

The court next moved on to other agenda items, including a separate ordinance addressing the emergency squad's oversight and several routine appointments.