Quorum Court approves deputy retention bonuses, authorizes senior-center contract and awards road project resolution

Van Buren County's Quorum Court voted unanimously to adopt multiple ordinances and resolutions at its session, including an ordinance approving retention bonuses for deputies, an emergency amendment directing senior-center contract payments to Ozark Health Hospital, several small budget corrections and appropriations, and authorization for a road improvement contract.

The court passed an ordinance (sponsored from the floor) to move funds within the sheriff's office budget and to pay retention bonuses to deputies: $2,500 for full-time deputies and $1,000 for regular part-time deputies. The ordinance states the payments will be disbursed in two equal halves, one in April and the second in August, and sponsors told the court the money will come from existing budget lines and prior-year savings. A sponsor told members it is a "retention" bonus and described ongoing hiring pressures and the high cost of replacing and training officers.

The ordinance text was moved and seconded and passed on a roll-call vote (recorded as unanimous). The sponsor and backers clarified that the transfer uses existing salaries and vacancy savings; one sponsor said, "This is money from last year...we're not asking for more money." The court recorded the ordinance as O202603.

Other measures adopted (votes at a glance): - Emergency ordinance to amend line item 1000-804-3101 so contract payments for senior meals and building upkeep will be paid to Ozark Health Hospital; sponsor cited timing and the emergency clause was invoked to permit immediate collection and distribution of tax revenues (O202604). The court affirmed that the arrangement is already operating and clients have seen no change. - A pre-appropriation ordinance corrected a missed $1,500 circuit clerk line-item and formally appropriated the funds into the clerk's budget (O202605). - An appropriation ordinance accepted a $200 grant/donation from St. Jude Catholic Church for the juvenile court division 2 (Girls Book Club) and appropriated it into the juvenile court budget (O202606). - An ordinance converted four specific part-time library positions into a part-time allocation totaling the same dollars ($93,600) without changing the appropriation total (O202607). - A resolution confirmed the reappointment of Catherine Eisenhower to the Van Buren County Library Board (R202602). - The court adopted a resolution authorizing the county judge to enter a contract for the Oiler Road Improvement Project; the reported low bidder was Atlas Asphalt and the county expects paving to occur within roughly five to six weeks after plants resume production (R202603).

Ending: The court approved a set of small transfers, invited any public comments (none were recorded), and adjourned. Several items were described by sponsors as funded from existing appropriations rather than requiring new county dollars.

Votes and actions (selected): - Ordinance O202603 (deputy retention bonuses): Motion moved and seconded; roll-call votes recorded as "yes" by present members; outcome: approved. Funding: transfers within the sheriff's office budgets/previous-year balances (per sponsor statements). Payment schedule: half in April, half in August. - Ordinance O202604 (Ozark Health contract description change/emergency): Approved (emergency clause invoked). - Ordinance O202605 (circuit clerk appropriation $1,500): Approved. - Ordinance O202606 (juvenile court grant $200): Approved. - Ordinance O202607 (library part-time allocation): Approved. - Resolution R202602 (library board reappointment): Approved. - Resolution R202603 (Oiler Road Improvement Project contract authorization): Approved; Atlas Asphalt identified as the contractor bidder.

The court recorded motions, roll-call votes, and moved on after each item; no item in this package was tabled or defeated.