Benton County OKs Ambulance Funding Plan

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace have finalized plans to pay for rural ambulance service through the end of the year.

The Quorum Court approved taking $257,000 from reserve when needed and repay it with savings from personnel costs.

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Quorum Court Action

Benton County’s Quorum Court on Thursday approved:

• Appointing Brent Leas to the Benton County Rural Development Authority.

• Reappointing Chief Tom Jenkins of the Rogers Fire Department to the 911 Administration Board.

• Applying for the Arkansas State Police Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant.

• Spending $20,000 to replace the fire alarm system in the County Administration Building.

• Spending $9,650 for electronic equipment for the Sheriff’s Office.

• Spending $10,500 for the Information Systems Department for a new wireless controller.

• Spending a $15,271 grant for voting equipment.

Source: Staff Report

The county is paying seven cities to provide service to unincorporated areas about $942,000 this year. The justices of the peace already agreed to cut the Road Department budget $450,000, leaving $257,000 to come from other sources.

The justices of the peace approved waiting for savings from personnel to accumulate and make payments to the reserve at the end of the year. Some justices of the peace argued for transferring the money from saving back into the reserve as the money accumulated.

Mike Crandall, accounting manager, estimated the savings will reach at least $307,000. The county has netted $90,000 in savings and should have another $90,000 from May through December.

The measure passed 12-1, with Mike McKenzie of District 1 casting the lone dissenting vote. McKenzie objected to taking money from reserve now and repaying it from the savings later in the year.

"I don't see why we don't just change the appropriation to take the money out of there instead of taking it out of reserves," he said.

Tom Allen of District 4 said the money expected from savings is only a projection and shifting money throughout the year instead of waiting until the end of the year would be a complicated accounting task.

"It would take more than 100 journal entries to do that," Allen said, "and you can't do the journal entries for projections. They're not there yet."

Allen said the savings won't be spent on any other items without approval of the Quorum Court.

"That money is budgeted, it's in a line item and it's not going anywhere," Allen said. "The only way it could go anywhere is if they came to us with a request to transfer it and we approved it."

Changes to the pay policies should net another $127,000 once it's put into effect, according to Barb Ludwig, human resources manager. Ludwig told the Finance Committee on Tuesday the current policy essentially pays employees in the Sheriff's Office, County Jail, Juvenile Detention Center and Central Communications double time when they work holidays or are required to work during emergency closings.

Ludwig said the changes will begin with the Labor Day holiday.

The justices of the peace approved a request from the Sheriff's Office to transfer $5,000 from the machinery and equipment repair/maintenance budget to buy an armored personnel carrier. Chief Deputy Rob Holly told the committee the vehicle is available because of a reduced demand from the federal government. He said the vehicle has been refurbished with a new engine and transmission.

The justices of the peace also approved asking elected officials to "withhold all requests for additional personnel and/or significant expenditures." Kurt Moore of District 13 said the county needs to monitor its budget closely while working toward a solution for the ambulance issue.

The cost for the service in 2015 is expected to be more than $1 million.

The Quorum Court also approved the legal description of the Rocky Branch Fire Protection Association and called for a July 8 special election to place the association's annual dues in the property tax statements. The dues will remain at $75 per residence and $100 per business.

NW News on 04/25/2014

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