COUNTY NEWS Chili-cookin’ kings of Sebastian County...


Each year the Sebastian County Assessor’s Office hosts a Holiday Open House, highlight- ed by a chili cook-off. “Maybe it’s my real estate background but I


started having a holiday open house six years ago,” said Becky Yandell, Sebastian County As- sessor. “It has escalated into a chili cook-off and has been a huge hit every year.” Te popular event was held Dec. 3 in the Fort Smith As- sessor’s Office.


“Tis has been a wonderful morale builder for our employees as well as a wonderful public relations event. We invite all county employees and elected officials, all school superintendents, all title and closing companies and all real estate offices. We also invite the members of the pub- lic who come to assess on the day of the event,” said Yandell.


Te chili judges were Sebastian County Quo-


rum Court members Leo Faulkner and Bob Schwartz; Circuit Clerk Cindy Gilmer; Coun- ty Judge’s Assistant Jerry Roberts; Circuit Judge David Saxon; real estate broker Bob Newbold; and Crawford County Assessor Dianna Fau- cher. “We appreciate the sacrifice of the judges’ vital organs in tasting all of that chili,” Yandell added. Tied for 1st place were Linda Sparks (“Braised


Woodchuck Au Pauve”) and Tammy Christy (“Deer Camp Chili”). Linda is the Ft. Smith


Jay Dooly hands over his 3-year-running championship to Tammy Christy (left) and Linda Sparks.


Assessor’s Office Manager, and Tammy is GIS Coordinator.


Second place winner for three


years running was Chief Deputy, Steve Burton with his Buffalo Pot Pie – “always a bridesmaid, never the bride”, and third place winner was Wayne Rogers, Wendy Roger’s husband, the department’s other GIS Coordinator, for his


“Upchuck Chili”. “Before the judges sampled the chili we had them sign a ‘hold harmless’ form and give us the name of their next of kin,” said Yandell. On this form


Chief Deputy Steve


Burton placed second – “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.”


were instructions like: “If your fore- head gets numb, we will issue a wet paper towel. If your eyes wa- ter excessively and be- gin to bulge, we have cold water available. If


you think your lips are missing, we will supply a piece of ice. When you can’t breathe, we will call 911.”


Te staff finds ways to mix a little business with all the fun. For the most recent event they had a PowerPoint presentation running during the party as they highlighted their Business Per- sonal Project using GIS to find new businesses.


Assessor Becky Yandell going over the “hold harmless form” with QC member Leo Faulkner. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2011 19


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