County officials hear federal theme

U.S. laws carry burden, national leader tells state gathering

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Counties across the country -- including in Arkansas -- face several national issues at a local level, such as the Endangered Species Act and the uncertain future of Highway Trust Fund money, the National Association of Counties' president-elect told Association of Arkansas Counties conference attendees Wednesday.

A National Association of Counties video that played before Sallie Clark's speech mentioned numerous matters that the organization characterized as unfunded federal mandates that it is lobbying against, such as requirements to provide insurance under Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and protections under the Clean Water Act.

Clark, who serves as a county commissioner in El Paso County, Colo., said her county has potentially lost out on development because of measures to protect habitat for greenback cutthroat trout, among other species.

She compared the situation to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposed critical habitat designation for two freshwater mussels in Arkansas and said that federal officials do not understand the potential economic value of land that has been designated for habitat protection.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has said the Neosho mucket and rabbitsfoot mussels that are found in more than 30 Arkansas counties "have been lost from more than 60 percent of their historical ranges." The agency said the proposed designation to protect them would have "no impact on landowner activities that do not require federal funding or federal permits."

Jerry Buck, a Clark County justice of the peace, said the habitat proposal is a "very critical" issue for Arkansas given the state's dependence on agriculture and agricultural land.

"At some point, it's going to affect our economy," he said.

Arkansas' six congressional delegates announced in July that they support a change in the Endangered Species Act that would require a broader study of the economic impact of species protection on local communities than what is done now.

Clark also mentioned the national Highway Trust Fund, which funds road projects across the country. On Aug. 1, Congress sent to President Barack Obama a measure to fill the fund with enough money for highway and transit programs at the levels promised through next May, which Clark called "kicking the can down the road."

Barry Ball, a justice of the peace in Mississippi County, said the county is trying to finish its blacktopping projects before next May so it wouldn't have to worry about not having the money later. The county has 1,200 miles of county roads, which are one of the biggest expenses in the largely rural area, Ball said.

Ball said his county faces other concerns from losing residents, a trend over the years in many Arkansas Delta counties.

"Our tax base in deteriorating," he said.

Oliver Thomas, a Columbia County justice of the peace, said requirements to provide insurance to county employees under the Affordable Care Act could cost his county thousands of dollars each month once it implements the mandate.

The Affordable Care Act requires employers to offer health insurance for employees working more than 29 hours per week.

Columbia County never previously offered health insurance to employees, full-time or part-time, Thomas said.

"It was too expensive," he said.

The Association of Arkansas Counties Conference continues through Friday in downtown Little Rock.

Metro on 08/21/2014