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Desha County judge seeks updated personnel policy, plans to sell hospital salvage and replace equipment
Summary
Judge Wayne Smith told the Quorum Court the county's 2011 personnel policy is outdated and will be reviewed; he also reported salvaging steel from the former Desha County Hospital to be sold into the general fund and urged replacing unreliable equipment rather than repeated repairs.
Desha County Judge Wayne Smith told the Quorum Court on May 21, 2026 that the county's personnel policy adopted in 2011 is outdated and that he has consulted the Arkansas Association of Counties for updated guidance. He said each elected official and their staff will review the suggested updates and recommend revisions to the Quorum Court for consideration.
Smith also reported that demolition of the former Desha County Hospital in Dumas is underway and that he is separating steel from the structure for sale, with proceeds to be deposited into the county general fund. He presented this as a way to recover funds and reduce demolition costs to taxpayers.
On equipment, Judge Smith said the trackhoe used for demolition had been in the shop for five weeks before he took office and was returned with unresolved maintenance issues. Given ongoing reliability concerns, Smith recommended purchasing two new trackhoes and retaining a third as backup rather than continuing costly repairs. The Quorum Court packet includes Ordinance No. 2026-3 to authorize the lease of a track hoe; the ordinance text in the packet leaves lessor, lease amount and lease term blank (not specified). The packet also contains Ordinance No. 2026-4 to buy two trucks for the landfill and indicates funds would be appropriated from the Landfill/Solid Waste Fund.
The transcript records these proposals and the judge's direction that officials review the personnel policy guide and evaluate equipment options; the segments provided do not record further debate, public comment or a recorded vote on the equipment ordinances.
Next steps: Elected officials and their staff will review the recommended personnel policy updates and return recommended revisions to the Quorum Court. Judge Smith will continue to evaluate options for the Syrene Church project and proceed with salvage operations at the former hospital as described in the packet.
