AAC
FEATURE
Left: Eddie A. Jones, a longtime Randolph County Treasurer, former AAC Executive Director, and current AAC consultant and liaison to the Arkansas County Treasurers’ Association, received the Inaugural 2017 Wes Fowler Advocacy Award. Right: Sherry Bell, who recently retired as Columbia County Clerk, was selected to receive the 2018 Wes Fowler Advocacy Award.
Wes Fowler Advocacy Award presented
to 2 longtime county officials at AAC conference The AAC Scholarship Committee will select the recipient of the award on an annual basis
Story by Christy L. Smith
Photos byHolland Doran AAC Communications Staff
Advocacy Award, while retired Columbia County Clerk Sherry Bell received the 2018 Wes Fowler Advocacy Award. Te awards recognize a county or district official who best embodies Fowler’s dedication to local government and dem- onstrates “tireless work in boldly advocating for the counties of Arkansas.” Jones was a longtime Randolph County treasurer and for-
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mer executive director of the AAC. He continues to serve county government in the role of consultant for the AAC and liaison to the Arkansas County Treasurers’ Association. “Winning the Inaugural Wes Fowler Advocacy Award caught me totally by surprise, but what a genuine honor,” Jones said. “Wes and I were good friends for many years and worked closely together on county issues right up to the time of his death. I have devoted 38 years of my life advocating
he Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) awarded its first two Wes Fowler Advocacy Awards during its 50th anniversary conference in August.
Eddie A. Jones received the Inaugural 2017 Wes Fowler
for county government. County government has a special place in my heart and so does this award given in honor of my good friend.”
Randolph County Circuit Clerk and AAC Board President
Debbie Wise presented the advocacy award to Jones, noting Jones was probably “the most obvious choice” to receive the inaugural award. “But because he is so unassuming and humble about his
work in county government he often does not get the credit he deserves. Once labeled ‘A Walking Encyclopedia of County Government’ in an AAC magazine, this man has truly forgot- ten more about county government than most of us will ever know,” Wise said. AAC Executive Director Chris Villines and Wise presented
the 2018 Wes Fowler Advocacy Award to Bell, who began her county government career in 1982 as an employee in the Co- lumbia County Assessor’s office. She became a Level 4 Ap- praiser during her 15-year tenure in that office. She was un- successful in a bid for county treasurer in 1996, but ran for county clerk in 1998 and was elected. Bell served as an AAC Board member, AAC Legislative Committee member, and as president of the Arkansas Associa- tion of County Clerks during her tenured career as an elected
COUNTY LINES, SUMMER 2018
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