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In This Issue


Several counties are building new jails with funds from local sales taxes.


26


WINTER 2016


Features Governor ties highway funding to Arkansas Works ...............................................11


Lee County Courthouse: History on a Hill ................................................................30 Individual assistance available to residents of 11 flooded counties .................33


Inside Look AAC board profile: Cindy Walker ...............................................................................37


AAC, Drew County host meet and greet for local, county, state officials.


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County treasurers hold roundtable talks .................................................................38 Roads, levees, healthcare among topics for judges ..............................................39 Winter meeting of sheriffs held in Little Rock ........................................................40 Collectors hold December meeting in Conway ......................................................41 AAC hosts legislators at Governor’s Mansion .........................................................46 AAC, ACD offer legislative guidance to assessors .................................................46 AAC staff profile: Mark Harrell ...................................................................................48 AAC staff profile: Karen Bell ......................................................................................48


Departments From the Director’s Desk ..............................................................................................7


Students learn about county government on job shadow day at AAC.


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President’s Perspective ................................................................................................9 From the Governor .......................................................................................................11 Attorney General Opinions .........................................................................................12 Legislative Lines ...........................................................................................................13 Research Corner ..........................................................................................................14 Governmental Affairs ..................................................................................................16 Legal Corner ..................................................................................................................17 County Law Update ......................................................................................................19 Seems to Me .................................................................................................................20 Savings Times 2 ...........................................................................................................22 NACo News Updates ....................................................................................................50


Cover Notes: Raising the Roof


ail overcrowding and aged facilities that fail to meet state requirements have plagued several counties across the state in recent years. Crawford, Garland, Greene, Jackson and Lawrence counties are among those who have successfully sought new sales taxes to fund the construction of new jails. The new Jackson County Jail, featured on the cover, is about 65 percent com- plete now and is slated to open sometime late this summer.


J Read more about jail construction on page 26. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2016 “ (Photo by Chirsty L. Smith)


We have had an overcrowding issue and [have been] on probation for over 10 years. In 2011, we were inspected and [the jail stan- dards review committee] advised us that we had to come up with a plan for expansion and/ or to build a new jail or we would be closed. — Jeff Phillips


Jackson County Judge


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STORY


Raising the Roof


Local sales taxes fund new jail construction in several counties.


Story by Michael Dougherty For County Lines


Photos by Christy L. Smith


in the 1990s for such Arkansas criminal lockups. Another round of county facilities being threatened with closure by the state’s 26 criminal detention facility review committees (one committee serving each judi- cial district) has resulted in jails recently completed and a number of others at various stages in the construc- tion process. The need to meet the state’s jail standards, combined with the overcrowding caused in part by additional state prisoners being housed in county facilities, has forced


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t was a matter of time. Aging county jails and the conditions inside them were bound to eventually bump up against the state standards established


the issue in a number of counties. County officials say having their jails crowded with


violent offenders and Arkansas Department of Cor- rection inmates waiting on room at state prisons has kept some district judges from placing misdemeanor offenders and non-violent felony offenders in jail be- cause county facilities have no room for them. That, in turn, has kept counties from collecting fines and fees because some of the less serious offenders don’t pay what they owe because they know that police officers and deputies have nothing with which to threaten them, if the offenders don’t cough up the cash.


AAC F A M I L Y & F R I E N D S


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Top Left: AAC Executive Director Chris Villines welcomes Cleveland County Treasurer Jack Hopson to the community center.


Bottom Left: Drew County Clerk Lyna Gulledge and District Court Judge Sara M. Sawyer stop to pose for a photo.


AAC, Drew County host legislative meet and greet


60 people attended the event, including county officials from seven counties, incumbent state senators and representatives as well as challengers for the state house, city officials and state of- fice holders. “Tis regional concept is a part of AAC’s local outreach efforts


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he Association of Arkansas Counties along with Drew County hosted a legislative meet and greet Tuesday, Jan. 26 in Drew County at the Sadie T. Johnson Community Center in Monticello. About


as we aim to build on our stakeholders’ relationships and partner- ships with not only our association but also with state senators and representatives and state government in general,” said Scott Perkins, AAC legislative and communications director. Te AAC is in the process of planning its next legislative meet and


greet and plans to continue the project throughout the next year. “As the official voice for counties, the AAC understands the


importance of collaborating and communicating on the local level and spending face time in our various counties,” said Chris Villines, AAC executive director. “We sincerely appreciate all who made the time to attend and participate.” AAC extends a special thanks to the following people who helped make the meeting a wonderful success:


Lyna Gulledge, Drew County Clerk Robert Akin, Drew County Judge Pam Donaldson, Chicot County Clerk Beth Davis, Drew County Assessor Michelle Hammons, Drew County Deputy Clerk Cheri Adcock, Drew County Deputy Assessor


COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2016


AAC F A M I L Y & F R I E N D S


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Top Left: AAC Executive Director Chris Villines took a group of students from J.A. Fair High School on a tour of the state Capitol. Top Right: ACE Program Coordinator Karan Skarda helps a student fill out a voter registration form. Bottom Left: Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde, Pulaski County Sheriff Doc Holladay and Pulaski County Coroner Gerone Hobbs discussed their roles in county government. Bottom Right: Prairie County Election Commissioner Harvey Joe Sanner demonstrates how to use an electronic voting machine.


AAC partners with Jr. Achievement of Arkansas, hosts students on National Groundhog Job Shadow Day


A total of 280 students from the Little Rock School Dis- trict learned about career opportunities and how the skills they learn in school can be put into action in the fields of technology, finance, insurance, engineering, healthcare, telecommunications, energy and public service.


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or National Groundhog Job Shadow Day on Feb. 2, Junior Achivement of Arkansas partnered with seven businesses or organizations across Pulaski County. Te Association of Counties was one of them.


AAC hosted approximately 65 students in grades nine


through 12 from J.A. Fair and McClellan high schools. Te students visited the state Capitol, registered to vote, learned more about the voting process and listened as a panel of Pulaski County elected officials discussed the requirements of their jobs. During a working lunch of pizza, the students also gar-


nered resume-writing tips and had the opportunity to ask questions of the AAC staff.


COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2016


COVER


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