A new downtown Little Rock parking garage, a rebuild of a College Station park, and an overhaul of the juvenile detention system are just a few of the things Pulaski County officials hope to get going in 2017.
November's election left all incumbents in place, so the 15-member Quorum Court retains its two-to-one Democrat to Republican makeup after two Republican challengers were defeated by the Democratic incumbents.
In unison, with hands over their hearts, the officials recited their oaths at Thursday's inauguration ceremony.
County Treasurer Debra Buckner, Assessor Janet Ward, County Judge Barry Hyde and Clerk Larry Crane, along with constables Buster Lackey and Mike Graves, also were sworn in for their new terms after having run unopposed, along with Sheriff Doc Holladay, who handily defeated his Libertarian opponent in November.
In his second term, Hyde intends to guide county policies in much the same direction as his first term: further into the 21st century, he said.
"We've made a lot of progress, but we've got a lot more to go," Hyde said.
One project the Quorum Court will consider in the first quarter of this year is a downtown parking garage designated for county employees.
"We spend over $150,000 a year on parking for our employees downtown. We believe that the payback on the parking deck would be about 16 years," Hyde said, although no definitive cost has been released.
County officials also anticipate a review of the county's juvenile detention system. Last year, officials signed a contract with consultants who will help the county write an overhaul plan for the entire system. Consultants are to begin the review early this year, Hyde said.
"We're going to do a fair amount of work in the criminal justice system this year," Hyde said.
Hyde's 2017 State of the County Address, which will detail the nuts and bolts of his policy plans, will be released in late February, he said.
For District 2's Tyler Denton, D-Little Rock, an increase of crime in his Heights neighborhood has made public safety a paramount issue, he said.
"In many neighborhoods, like mine, we are seeing far too many repeat offenders breaking into homes, breaking into cars, stealing personal property and committing very serious crimes. Enough is enough," Denton said in an email. "I will continue working with the cities and with the judicial and law enforcement communities of Pulaski County, finding better ways to keep those criminals behind bars and behind bars for longer periods of time."
Denton also said the county should conduct a systemwide review of its bond and parole process, as well as ensuring the state continues to reduce the total number of state inmates housed in the county's jail.
Currently, the county jail holds 200 to 250 state inmates in a given day, according to the Pulaski County sheriff's office.
That's a modest number compared with 2013, when a crackdown on the state's parole system began to fill county jails with inmates awaiting beds to open up in already-crowded state prisons. In that year, the Pulaski County jail was housing about 500 state backlogged inmates.
According to District 13 Justice of the Peace Phil Stowers, today's levels are at least manageable.
"Something I've always supported is making more beds available in the jail. Something I've always opposed is making more beds available in the jail for the state, and the Pulaski County taxpayers paying for those beds," said Stowers, R-Maumelle.
"We would love for the state to get all of their people out, because they pay us less than what it costs us a day" to house the inmates, he said.
Another project the county hopes to wrap up this year is the reconstruction of the College Station ball park, which was destroyed by a tornado about two decades ago.
The $482,000 project will be paid for by an Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism grant that will match all funds raised by the county.
A request for proposals will be issued for a construction contract "in the coming months," county officials said.
District 6 Justice of the Peace Donna Massey, D-Little Rock, also hopes the county will make strides in upgrading county-owned buildings, as well as continue to expand the county's Youth Services program.
"I want to continue to strengthen prevention and intervention. I think we are really investing in our youth, but there is so much more that needs to be done considering everything that has happened in our community," Massey said.
"There's definitely room for improvement, because we want to break the recidivism rate in our jail -- that's always been my platform."
Metro on 01/09/2017