The Washington County Quorum Court Thursday voted to create a Finance and Budget Committee of the Whole against County Judge Marilyn Edward's wishes.
The ordinance proposed by Justice of the Peace Eva Madison creates a committee consisting of all 15 justices of the peace to discuss the this year's financial issues and next year's budget.
The issue has been in contention since Jan. 3, when the Quorum Court voted in favor of a similar proposal.
Days later, Edwards chose to create a different finance committee consisting of five members.
The disagreement over the size of the committee and its leadership led to the cancellation of this month's Finance Committee.
The vote in January was made by a simple motion requiring a majority vote. Thursday's emergency ordinance, requiring a 3/5th vote, binds executive action, Madison said at the meeting.
In a bipartisan vote, 10 justices of the peace voted in favor of the proposal. Four justices of the peace voted against and one was absent.
After the vote, Edwards said she was waiting on an attorney general's opinion requested last month. She said she would disband the committee if the attorney general concludes a committee of the whole that meets on a regular basis is illegal.
See the Saturday newspaper or NWAonline for more details.