It has been a roller coaster ride in Pope County since Arkansans decided casinos wouldn’t be the worst thing to bring to The Natural State. There have been local ordinances passed, signatures given but dismissed, and courting (both kinds). The journey isn’t finished yet. Now there’s word of shady business. Shady business! In the casino industry!
You may recall that Pope County as a whole said no to casinos. It’s the only one of four locations legalized by voters in 2018 that rejected the plan locally. Pope County voters took the issue a step further and passed an ordinance requiring a separate election to be held before a mayor or the county judge could issue the required letter of approval needed for a casino license.
But that hasn’t stopped out-of-state companies from trying to woo city and county leaders anyway. And those slick business types are free to lobby all they want, promising jobs, increased tourism and infrastructure investments. And, boy howdy, are they passing the money around. Just look at all the foundations, government districts and cities that were listed in Tuesday’s paper. They’re all in line for some serious cash, once the issue is settled.
And there’s the rub.
The papers say complaints have been made to the Pope County prosecutor about the county judge and some members of the county’s quorum court meeting over the last couple months. Here’s more from reporter Jeannie Roberts:
“Hans Stiritz, a Pope County resident, filed an affidavit on behalf of the anti-casino group Concerned Citizens of Pope County. In documents obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, dated Monday and directed to Jeff Phillips, Pope County prosecutor, Stiritz said the general subject of the ‘illegal meetings concern the issue of a Pope County casino license, with the outcome being a closed-door decision to award a letter of support to a casino operator absent the public discussion’ required under state law . . . . Violations of the law are a Class C misdemeanor.”
None of that sounds good. Pope County voters said no to a casino, and those same voters have a right to know about every single meeting of elected officials where the word “casino” is uttered even once. In fact, the public must be notified of all meetings between elected officials on decision-making bodies, such as the Quorum Court.
It’s the law. And a damned fine one. Thank you, Winthrop Rockefeller and all the members of his reform administration all those decades ago. The FOI Act was only part of the legacy that Gov. Rockefeller left Arkansas, and it’s proved a valuable one. As much as modern politicians might like to ignore it.
Arkies like transparency in government. (They’ve gotten used to it.) And you know there’s something amiss when a couple of quorum court members tell the papers that they didn’t go to “drinks and dinner” at a local park—none dare call it a meeting—because they were concerned that doing so with colleagues might violate the state FOI Act. Way to go, you two. There are those who not only know the law, but follow it.
Word around the campfire, and in an affidavit, says the Cherokee Nation hosted the shebang at the Old Bank Grill, and it was attended by several quorum court members.
We understand that Old Bank is a pretty cool hangout that makes decent grub. They even have a respectable band called The Leftovers that plays on some weekends. But it’s a lousy place to hold a secret meeting used to wine and dine elected officials without the public knowing. Then again, the Taj Mahal would be a lousy place to break the law.
The Pope County Quorum Court did indeed endorse the Cherokee Nation’s plan this week. At a public meeting, too. Miracles never cease.
And soon, perhaps, city clerks will be cashing checks. As soon as all the legal and administrative hassle is complete—what laymen call rules—the casino bosses promise to fill up the coffers. Pope County will get $27.6 million. Pottsville will get $3.3 million. Atkins will get $3.5 million. A couple of fire protection districts will get some cash. So will Arkansas Tech University’s foundation and local arts centers.
But there’s no telling how long it’ll take for that money to come home. For the county’s leadership has brought upon itself a cloud, and an official complaint, that could hold up all those millions. Whether anybody broke the law will be up to prosecutors and the system. But it doesn’t look promising.
The good news is there appear to be several gadflies in Russellville, and we mean that in the best way. They apparently keep an eye on these things, along with several inky wretches with bylines. When it comes to Pope County and the casinos doubtless to be opening there soon, we have but one piece of advice:
En garde!