Quorum Court approves appropriations, emergency distribution and two resolutions

The Van Buren County Quorum Court on June 18 approved multiple ordinances and resolutions, including an appropriation to continue a victim-witness coordinator position, a $900 payout to election commissioners, an emergency ordinance setting distributions of administration of justice funds, and two resolutions (a grant application and moving the July meeting date).

Ordinance correcting appropriation for victim witness coordinator (assigned reference printed as 0202612): Virgil presented an ordinance to appropriate $17,504.75 for the remainder of the year into specified salary and benefits line items for the victim-witness coordinator position. After motion and second, the court conducted a roll-call vote recorded as yes from Mays, Nicky, Sarah, Cole, Bradford, Robertson, Lemmings and Bass; the ordinance was adopted.

Ordinance adding $900 to the election commission budget (0202613): Bailey presented an amendment to the 2026 operating budget to appropriate $900 to election commission part-time salaries to pay three election commissioners $300 each (John Matthews, Rick Carrington and Janice Scott). Following a motion and second, a roll call recorded yes votes from Mays, Nikki, Sarah, Hall, Bradford, Robertson, Lemmings and Bass; the ordinance was adopted.

Emergency ordinance on distribution of administration of justice revenues (0202614): Nikki introduced an emergency ordinance to set the county's distribution percentages following Act 371 of 2025. The ordinance lists allocations (county general fund ~0.9205; law library 0.0714; victim witness 0.0081) and includes an emergency clause to make it effective immediately. Members moved to acknowledge the emergency clause and, by voice vote, the clause was acknowledged and the ordinance recorded as adopted.

Resolutions: The court approved a resolution authorizing the county judge to apply for a 50/50 recreational grant for the Allred community fun park (to be located at the old school site), and adopted an additional resolution to move the July 2026 Quorum Court meeting from the third Thursday to Tuesday, July 14, 2026, to allow the county judge to attend the National Association of Counties conference in New Orleans.

All formal actions were processed during the meeting with motions, seconds and recorded roll calls or voice votes as reflected in the court record. The court adjourned after completing business.

Why it matters: The ordinances secure funding for an existing victim-witness position and election workers, finalize how state justice-related revenues will be distributed locally under recent state changes, and authorize a local grant application and calendar change that affect county operations.

Votes at a glance: each recorded roll call appears in the court transcript; where names are recorded in that roll call, they are listed above.