CONWAY -- The Faulkner County Quorum Court will look and sound different and likely even see some voting changes when newly elected justices of the peace convene for the first time in January.
Though the general elections aren't until November, the primary elections last week decided a few winners because some face no opposition in the general election.
Two incumbent justices of the peace were among the Republican primary losers. Former Sheriff Andy Shock, 44, defeated Johnny Brady, while former county employee Tyler Lachowsky, 29, beat Daniel Thessing.
Shock, also a member of the state Parole Board, stayed on the ballot after Brady's daughter waged an unsuccessful court challenge over whether Shock could serve on the Quorum Court and the board at the same time.
Lachowsky was one of four former county employees who accused Shelia Bellott, the director of the Office of Emergency Management, of sexual harassment. He later resigned, as did two of the other employees, and took a job at the University of Central Arkansas as emergency-management coordinator. The two others who quit have filed a federal lawsuit.
Brady and Thessing have often parted with the Republican majority on the Quorum Court.
County Judge Jim Baker, a Democrat, has declined to fire Bellott despite a recommendation to do so by the county attorney and a second investigation, the findings of which were never publicly disclosed. Only the county judge can fire Bellott, but the Quorum Court can withhold funding for her salary if it chooses.
"What bothered me was when a JP called us, county employees, 'belligerent' when we brought forth problems we were having within our department," Lachowsky said in an email interview. "I think the people deserve a JP who will take these type of issues seriously, rather than one who feels like he's being 'bamboozled' by the matter."
During public discussions last year, Brady called the four employees who complained about Bellott "belligerent," and Thessing used the "bamboozled" term.
In an interview last week, Shock also criticized "some comments made [about the harassment issue] that were horrendous and extremely inappropriate ... when these concerns were brought to the county judge and it was discussed in a JP meeting."
"I'm concerned with these people coming with a well-documented complaint and being brutalized by a Quorum Court member," Shock said. "It's something that I know enough about to know that there is possibly a very very severe problem there. There's enough there that gave me great concern."
Brady countered that the problems were "not Shelia's fault." He said "the ladies" in the office "ganged up on her and thought the judge might fire her."
"It was just office trash talk," he said. "They were all involved in it."
Over the years, Brady and Thessing also were sometimes at odds with Shock when he was sheriff. And by Brady's own account, he and Sheriff Tim Ryals don't get along either.
Shock said he didn't believe Brady was "that supportive of law enforcement."
"With certain Quorum Court members, law enforcement and public safety were not a high priority," Shock said. "Obviously, with my background, I think that public safety should be the government's highest priority."
Brady defended his support of law enforcement and pointed to an event he had catered for sheriff's employees several years ago at his own expense and to a more recent effort to help Ryals find a gun range for deputies.
Lachowsky said the sheriff's office "must be equipped to do the job they're tasked with."
"The issues with our jail must be addressed," he said. "I want to prioritize the issues we face and adjust the funding to address them."
Thessing said, "Of course," when asked if he had been as supportive of law enforcement as he should have been.
Thessing said he did not recall details surrounding his use of the word "bamboozled" and said he wants to put the defeat behind him.
Another growing issue in recent years has been the need for a county animal shelter.
Since 2006, the county has collected a voluntary tax to finance a shelter and recently spent about $500,000 of that tax revenue to buy property for one. But the county instead leased the site out to the sheriff's office, which is renovating it for its own needs, and officials said a shelter was two years away. The development prompted a shelter task force to ask the Quorum Court to return the roughly $500,000 to the shelter fund, a move Lachowsky supports.
"The voluntary tax funds for the animal shelter were collected on the pretense that they would someday go to an animal shelter project. I believe that's how the funds should be expended," Lachowsky said.
Shock said he needs to look further into the issue and potential sources for funding operating costs after a shelter is established. "It's ridiculous that we do not have our very own animal shelter," he said.
Sheriff's deputies are now the ones handling calls about stray animals in the county, he said. "That's taking away from public safety because these guys could be out patrolling."
Of the 13 incumbent justices of the peace, three are definitely returning to the Quorum Court. They are Randy Higgins and Steve Goode, who have no Democratic opponents, and Democrat John Pickett.
Three justices of the peace did not seek re-election: Republicans Eric King and Spencer Hawks, a candidate for state representative, and Democrat LeRoy Hendricks. Justice of the Peace Tom Voegele was appointed to fill a vacancy and did not seek election.
Democrat Tyler Pearson and Republican Andy Faulkner are running for the seat Hendricks now holds.
One high-profile race has Democrat Jeff Stephens, a former tax assessor, facing Republican incumbent Jerry Boyer.
The current Quorum Court has no women and no blacks, but both groups will be represented in November. At least one woman will be on the new Quorum Court because Republican Rose Roland will face another woman, Democrat Jackie Wright.
Other female candidates include Democrat Jerrie Rene Henderson, who faces Republican incumbent Jim Houston, and Democrat Christi Berry, who opposes Republican Kris Kendrick.
Three candidates are black: Henderson, Wright and Democrat Wefus Tyus. Tyus, a former sheriff's candidate, faces Republican incumbent Justin Knight.
State Desk on 05/28/2018
*CORRECTION: Faulkner County Justice of the Peace LeRoy Hendricks is not seeking re-election. Candidates for his seat are Democrat Tyler Pearson and Republican Andy Faulkner. A previous version of this story incorrectly reported who is running for that seat.