Benton County Ambulance Talks To Continue

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's rural ambulance plans were still alive Friday, but only if justices of the peace agree to meeting by Aug. 26.

Tom Allen of District 4 said he plans to raise the issue at the Aug. 5 meeting of the Finance Committee.

"Unless some other decision is reached before the Finance Committee, I will include that as a topic for discussion," Allen said Friday.

Two plans to pay for rural ambulance service were being considered, and an ordinance for each passed at Thursday's meeting.

One plan calls for an emergency medical services district with a $40 household fee. The district would cover the unincorporated areas of the county. The other plan is a millage increase of 0.2 mills. The tax would apply to rural and city residents.

After approving both ordinances, votes to move them to the November general election failed.

George Spence, county attorney, said Friday while the ordinances were approved, without a resolution putting them to a vote, they have no force. Spence said the Quorum Court could approve them being forwarded for an election at a special meeting if nine votes can be mustered.

County Clerk Tena O'Brien said both must be approved by Aug. 26 if the measures are to be on the Nov. 4 ballot. O'Brien said a special meeting can be called by the county judge, or by a majority of the justices of the peace. Spence said if the justices of the peace are interested in a special meeting, he would recommend they tell the County Clerk's Office and O'Brien's staff can canvas the court members to determine if a majority is interested.

County Judge Bob Clinard said Friday he has no plans for a special meeting.

"Not unless they call it," Clinard said. "I'm not calling it. I just don't think there would be any benefit. There were two JPs who weren't there last night and whose votes would probably, I say probably, have changed the outcome of the vote. But I don't know that for sure. At this time, today, I don't feel like I'm going to call for a special meeting."

Justices of the peace Patrick Carr and Steve Curry missed Thursday's vote. Curry was at the meeting, but was called away for a family emergency. Carr was traveling out of state on a long-planned family trip.

Carr said Friday he would have voted to send both on for a vote, and he didn't understand how both ordinances could be approved, but the resolutions failed.

"I'm at a loss for words, and that's rare," he said. "When I read the article this morning, I just said 'Wow! Why?' I'm confused."

He said he'd be interested in a special meeting if it seems likely the Quorum Court will act.

"If we can have a special meeting in time to get it on the ballot, I'd be in favor of that," Carr said. "The question we need to answer is if we're not willing to send it to the people, are we still willing to fund it?"

Carr said he still believes ambulance service for the rural areas is something the county must provide.

"We've got to have ambulance service," he said. "This all goes back to those guys and gals 30 or 40 years ago who got the cities to do this for free. Was that a service to the county or a disservice? Right now, I don't know. My trip was planned two years in advance, and I told everybody 'Guys, I'm not going to be there.' If we call a special meeting after I'm back, I'll be there to discuss it and see if we can't do something for the people of the county."

Kurt Moore of District 13, said he thinks the Quorum Court can still take action without having a special meeting, if justices of the peace are willing to move the date of the August meeting up a week, or even a few days. Moore said he doesn't know if the result would change in a second vote.

"Whether that will change anything, that's the $64 question," he said. "What transpired in people's minds between the two votes to cause them to vote against the resolutions I have no idea. I realize nobody is really happy with either proposal, but they are what we've got to work with."

While Moore said he's willing to see another vote, he doesn't see any need for lengthy debate or discussion.

"I can't imagine anybody on the court not having all the information they need," he said. "We've beat this to death in so many meetings, what more is there to learn? Somebody's going to have to step up and make a decision."