FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County's justices of the peace had no questions Tuesday during a final review of the 2019 budget.
The Finance and Budget Committee met for just 20 minutes Tuesday, which included hearing monthly reports from Treasurer Bobby Hill and Shannon Worthen, comptroller, on finances and approving an appropriation and six line items transfer requests.
What’s next
Washington County’s justices of the peace will consider the 2019 budget when the Quorum Court meets at 6 p.m. Dec. 20 in the County Courthouse, 280 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.
Source: Staff report
Bill Ussery, justice of the peace for District 4 and committee chairman, said he's satisfied with the budget and confident it will be approve when the Quorum Court meets Dec. 20.
"If there were going to be any questions I would have expected them to be brought up tonight," Ussery said. "That doesn't mean someone won't bring something up next week, but I'm confident it will be approved."
The budget review touched on a handful of changes made at the November Finance and Budget meeting, including raising the property tax millage from 3.9 mills to 4.4 mills. Hill said that will increase his revenue projection by about $1.75 million.
Eva Madison, justice of the peace for District 9, pointed out the budget will be on its second reading at the Dec. 20 Quorum Court meeting and all of the changes will have to be made at that meeting.
"We'll amend the budget when we get to Quorum Court," Ussery said. "I just wanted everybody to be aware of it ahead of time."
Sheriff Tim Helder said he's optimistic the budget will be approved and will include a step-pay plan he has asked the justices of the peace to approve for some of his deputies.
"I think it's a good sign," Helder said of the smooth final review. 'The budget passes and we move on."
The Quorum Court's County Services Committee also met Tuesday and spent nearly two hours hearing about the need for a new emergency radio system for the county.
John Luther, emergency services director, told the justices of the peace a committee including representatives of the county and rural police and fire departments has been studying how to replace the 15-year-old system the county is using.
Luther said the system is still working but is "one catastrophic event," such as a lightning strike on an essential component, away from failing.
"I don't think we have the ability to put it off," Luther said. "We're at a point where we have to do it."
Luther gave the committee a briefing on two options, going with Nexedge, which is an upgrade of the current system, or switching to a P25 system and linking to the statewide Arkansas Wireless Information Network. Luther said the Nexedge upgrade would probably cost less, but wouldn't address problems of agencies being unable to communicate directly. The state system is a network and is used by Fayetteville and Rogers, he said, with Benton County, Springdale and Siloam Springs expected to join soon. If Washington County joined the system all of the users of the county system would be able to communicate with all other users and the county would benefit from having access to the communication towers in place.
The committee heard a presentation from representatives of Motorola on a system compatible with the state's system. Joe Gordon told the justices of the peace the company, which worked with Fayetteville and Rogers to set up the systems they are using and is working with Benton County and the other new customers, will guarantee 95 percent coverage across the county, eliminating the problem with communication "dead spots."
Luther said he would recommend the county go with a single provider, after he was asked about having a hybrid system, citing the need for compatibility. He said a state system will be more costly, with much of the additional cost being for new towers and infrastructure.
NW News on 12/12/2018