Some County Schools to Get Outdoor Activity Money

— Thousands of dollars will go to schools in Washington County for outdoor activities from fines collected by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, the county’s Finance Committee learned Tuesday.

By the Numbers

Washington County’s Finance Committee approved distributing $12,535 collected by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

School Requested Received

County Juvenile Detention Center $2,352 $2,000

Fayetteville

Butterfield Trail Elementary School $1,554 $900

Vandergriff Elementary School $2,600 $1,000

McNair Elementary School $1,000 $277

Owl Creek School $1,372 $400

Fayetteville High School $5,000 $2,000

Springdale

Parson Hills Elementary School $1,900 $300

Bayyari Elementary School $1,375 $1,375

Southwest Junior High School $1,800 $1,083

Central Junior High School $2,250 $2,000

Lincoln

Lincoln Middle School $2,500 $900

Greenland

Greenland High School $1,076 $300

Source: Washington County

The committee also approved authorizing County Judge Marilyn Edwards’ staff to again try to assist the Lincoln Rural Fire Association by applying for a state grant to help pay for a new fire station in Summers, a community west of Lincoln.

Wayne Blankenship, grants administrator, told the committee schools would receive $12,535 from the state, however, he received $24,778 in requests. Blankenship said deciding how much each school would get was difficult.

“When we do this, we’re looking to use the money to buy real stuff, in other words bows, arrows, canoes and not T-shirts and trips,” Blankenship said. “This is for real stuff they can use.”

The committee approved sending $6,577 to Fayetteville schools, another $4,758 to schools in Springdale and another $1,200 to Greenland and Lincoln schools. The money is sent to the county treasurer who disperses it, if approved by the Quorum Court at Thursday’s meeting.

Every penny collected in fines from hunting and fishing violators stays in the county of the offense, according to the commission. In 2011, the commission collected $629,568 from 75 counties, according to an online report.

The county received about $36,000 in requests last year but only had $10,493 in fine money.

Justice of the Peace Candy Clark, committee chairwoman, said others should help schools that didn’t receive the full funding requests.

“These requests are for well-deserving school activities,” Clark said after the meeting. “This is a great opportunity for folks in the community and in business to step up and help.”

Willie Lemming, Lincoln fire chief, hopes the Lincoln Rural Fire Association will receive a $75,000 grant to build a volunteer fire station near the corner of U.S. 62 and Summers Mountain Road. The state Department of Rural Services administers the grant through its block grant program.

If approved, the program requires a 10 percent match, Blankenship said. The association would cover the $7,500, Lemming said.

The department denied an application last year for the same project because Lincoln was already receiving grant money for other emergency services, such as buying a rescue boat, both Lemming and Blankenship said.

Property owners within the fire department’s coverage area would receive lower insurance premiums by about $1,200 to $1,400 per year, if the station is built, Lemming said.

“We’re not bashful,” Blankenship said. “We’ll give it another try.”

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