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Desha County moves to renegotiate regional library contract after 2026 funding request
Summary
Desha County judges voted Dec. 18 to negotiate a new contract with the Regional Library after the library asked for $310,000 for 2026 — about $60,000 more than Desha County paid in 2025. County leaders said they will seek a more equitable split and asked the library to offset local library utility costs.
Desha County judges voted Dec. 18 to open negotiations on the county’s contract with the Regional Library after county officials said the library requested $310,000 for 2026, an increase of roughly $60,000 over the county’s $250,000 contribution in 2025.
County Judge (transcript: Judge Smith) told the Quorum Court that the original contract — enacted in 1994 — requires counties to provide library buildings, insurance, maintenance and utilities. He said Desha County paid about $20,000 for utilities at its two local branches in 2025 and that utility costs are projected at $28,000–$30,000 for 2026. The county’s 2024 millage generated $272,000, Judge Smith said.
"The Regional Library has requested $310,000 for 2026," Judge Smith said, and he added that Desha County’s share has risen substantially while neighboring Drew County received a reduction of about $7,000, which Judge Smith described as an inequitable outcome for Desha County.
JP G. Lynn Weatherford (JP District 2) moved that the county negotiate a new contract more equitable for Desha County; JP Patricia Watkins seconded the motion. The court approved the motion unanimously.
The County Attorney advised the court that the contract requires one year’s notice to renegotiate or terminate; the court has sent that notice. Judge Smith said he invited representatives from the Regional Library and neighboring county judges to attend meetings to discuss the issue and indicated he wants any county payments to help offset utility costs for the Dumas and McGehee libraries.
Next steps: the county will enter negotiations with the Regional Library under the one-year notice timeline and hold meetings with library and neighboring-county representatives. The court did not set a formal timetable in the meeting record for concluding negotiations.
(Reporting note: the record refers to "Judge Smith" in the meeting text; a signature block later in the record lists "Wayne Antt" as approving officer. That inconsistency appears in the transcript and is noted in provenance and the audit.)
