With all 11 justices present, in addition to housekeeping matters, the court gave its unanimous approval to
– an ordinance allowing the county to conduct business with Benny Magness, who serves as a pilot for the sheriff’s department’s helicopter. The ordinance will allow for the purchase of used electronic equipment to be installed in one of the department’s two helicopters to make it compliant with Federal Aviation Administration regulations. The ordinance notes the request was made “due to the unusual circumstances, and difficult to find appropriate goods, services and commodities.” Sheriff John Montgomery told the court the step would save his department about $10,000 over its original plan.;
Meeting in a partially reconfigured courtroom Tuesday evening, the Baxter County Quorum Court quickly addressed its light agenda.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass told the members he had measured the square footage of the courtroom and determined the number of people who could attend the session to meet the Arkansas Department of Health’s recently enforced pandemic guidelines.
While the members of the court have been spread out for several months to allow for social distancing, on Tuesday evening, the audience section of the courtroom had been marked off to meet the guidelines.
Judge Pendergrass said he had been advised state officials did not have a sufficient amount of time to review submitted plans for the state’s almost 500 cities plus its 75 counties. So, he said he conducted his own calculations under the state formula and submitted the numbers and has heard nothing further.
The Baxter County Quorum Court is looking at a light agenda Tuesday evening for its regular monthly session at 6.In addition to a regular monthly housekeeping ordinance and a second one to appropriate an additional $2,700 to Baxter Regional Medical Center from a federal COVID-19 block grant, the court will consider four resolutions.
Three of the resolutions will be to consider an appointment and five reappointments from Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass to boards. The other one would authorize Judge Pendergrass to apply for a grant on behalf of the Clarkridge Volunteer Fire Protection District to purchase a used pumper truck.
Newly seated 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Johnnie Copeland administered the oath of office to 10 members of the Baxter County Quorum Court Tuesday evening to kick off the evening’s proceedings.
New members Dennis Frank, District 1, and Roger Steele, District 8, joined eight returning members of the quorum court for the first meeting of the new year. Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass told the justices that new District 2 member Angela DeGroote sent her regrets, as she was practicing COVID-19 protocols after having been exposed to an individual with the coronavirus.
The court then breezed through a nine-item agenda in about 20 minutes. Much of the items were routine housekeeping matters and confirmation of Judge Pendergrass’ appointments to fire protection boards.