BENTONVILLE — The Benton County Quorum Court on Thursday approved an agreement to establish a regional HIV clinic.
The Quorum Court heard the third and final reading of an ordinance establishing an interlocal agreement with Washington County setting up a board of directors to govern the Northwest Arkansas Regional HIV Clinic, formerly known as the Washington County HIV Clinic.
The Fayetteville clinic has been paid for by Benton and Washington counties and Washington Regional Medical Center for several years. The agreement formalizes the arrangement and sets up a board to oversee the clinic and raise money from other sources.
At A Glance
Northwest Arkansas HIV Clinic
Washington County provides 38 percent of the clinic’s money, Washington Regional Medical Center provides 36 percent and Benton County provides 16 percent. The rest of the clinic’s money is from other sources, such as insurance reimbursements and donations. Benton County’s share in 2010 was $34,000. Benton County residents accounted for 39 percent of the clinic’s caseload, according to a survey.
Source: Staff Report
The ordinance been on the Quorum Court’s agenda at the last three meetings. George Spence, county attorney, told justices of the peace in December they could vote to suspend the rules and read the ordinance three times at one meeting or read it at three meetings.
A proposal to read the ordinance three times at one meeting was made at the December meeting but did not garner the two-thirds majority required and so Thursday was the third and final reading required by law.
The Quorum Court rejected a resolution authorizing a grant application for election-related software. The resolution allowed the county judge to apply for a grant for a voting system pre-election logic and accuracy testing and post-election audit from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Amy Huston, county election coordinator, told the justices of the peace the software would help in record keeping and in testing of voting machines.
Justice of the Peace Dan Douglas said he opposed the request in part to save taxpayers money and in part because there was no assurance the county will benefit from the grant.
Action on an ordinance to provide for automatic cancellation of committee meetings when the county judge has closed the courthouse was delayed.
The proposal was amended Thursday to delete a reference to canceling meeting of the Quorum Court after Spence told the justices of the peace there is a pending request for an attorney general’s opinion on the question and also legislation on the subject being considered by the Legislature. The ordinance was read once and left on the Quorum Court’s agenda for its March meeting.
In its other business, the Quorum Court approved:
• Waiving the beginning pay rate for Gary Black, the county’s public service administrator.
• Adding and deleting job positions; changing the grades of certain positions; and changing job titles of certain positions. The changes were made to accommodate County Judge Bob Clinard’s organization of his administration.
• Appropriating $40,000 in the Road Department budget to buy 10 acres near Decatur for the planned westside road yard.
• Appropriating $29,000 for a new vehicle for the county judge.