AAC Staff Profile: Elizabeth Sullivan

Elizabeth Sullivan brings smile, positive attitude to receptionist position at AAC

Even though she has only been on the AAC staff since July, receptionist Elizabeth Sullivan is a critical part of the AAC family. She is most likely the friendly voice that is heard on the other line when one calls the AAC.

The caller hears, “Association of Arkansas Counties.”

But what isn’t known is that she is probably accomplishing numerous other tasks while she directs calls and assists on various projects with other AAC team members.

“This is the first job I have ever had where I actually look forward to Mondays. I work with wonderful people,” Sullivan said when asked to sum up her thoughts about her job.

Sullivan, who lives in Cabot, said she is first and foremost a proud mom to her 21-monthold daughter, Emersyn.

“I want to be the best example I can be for my daughter, and help her grow into a wellrounded young lady someday,” Sullivan said.

Her hobbies include playing with her tiny tot, photography and scrapbooking, watching football and listening to music.

Born in Kansas City, Mo., she said she plans to finish her education and focus on becoming an attorney in the future.

“I enjoy helping all the different county officials who contact the AAC, whether it concerns legal inquires or legislative insight or whatever they might need,” Sullivan said. “We have a great group of people who are focused on serving all Arkansas counties and it is nice to be a part of that effort.”

A Personal Look...

Elizabeth Sullivan

What time do you get up most mornings? Usually by 6:30

How do you like your steak? Medium well

What was the last film you saw at the cinema? “Avatar.”

What is your favorite TV show? “The First 48.”

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Italy.

What is your favorite cuisine? Not really a cuisine, but I have an obsession with boneless buffalo wings.

What foods do you dislike? Pepperoni pizza.

Where would you visit if you had the chance? I would like to see all the national monuments.

Cup half-empty or half-full? Half-full! Favorite time of day? 7:00 p.m., because that is when my baby girl is ready to cuddle with me.

What is your favorite sport to watch? Football and baseball.

Are you a morning person or a night person? Night.

What did you want to be when you were little? A singer/actress.

What is your best childhood memory? Having concerts in my front yard with my brothers and the neighborhood kids.

Any pet peeves? Selfish people.

Are you a cat person or a dog person? Puppy person.

Favorite ice cream? Mint chocolate chip

Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Babies R Us.

The hardest thing I ever did was? Lose my 21-year-old brother.

Greene County passes jail tax

By Joe Grove Paragould Daily Press

PARAGOULD — Greene County voters turned out Nov. 8 to overwhelmingly pass a sales tax and a bond for operation and maintenance and construction of new jail facilities.

There were two issues on the county ballot. One was the adoption of a .375 percent sales and use tax to fund maintenance and operation of the county jail facility. The second was authorization to issue bonds for new jail construction and .375 sales and use tax to last the duration of the bond.

The tax to fund jail operation and maintenance passed with 1,708 voting for it and 629 voting against it. The vote on the sales tax and bond for construction of the new facility was 1,742 for and 641 against.

The proposed addition to the jail will increase the jail’s total capacity to nearly 500 inmates and is projected to cost $16,323,960, and operation and maintenance of the facility will cost a little more than $2 million a year.

Dave Tierney, head of the Blue Ribbon Commission that pushed passage of the two county issues, said, “The people realize that we have been short at the jail and they have answered the call for a tax. That way it is equal in that everyone pays instead of just a millage [where only property owners pay]. This will benefit the entire county. It is a great day for Greene County Detention Center and the county itself.”

Jerry Shipman, county judge, said, “I just think it is super great for the people of Greene County to come forward It is really what I expected them to do because our jail was in such deplorable shape. It had us handicap and had the judicial system and law enforcement people tied up.”

Dan Langston, Greene County Sheriff, also praised the people of Greene County for their action in voting for the jail improvement.

County brief

Debra Lang is honored with Kenneth Eddy Award

The Kenneth Eddy Award is given each year to an outstanding assessor who is actively involved, is in good standing with the Arkansas Assessor’s Association, displays a willingness to listen to others, and has personally contributed to the betterment of the association as a whole. This year’s recipient was White County Asses- Debra Lang, White County sor Debra Lang. Assessor accepts the award Lang received for outstanding assessor the award Oct. Oct. 20 in Hot Springs. 20 at the Assessor’s fall conference at The Arlington in Hot Springs.

AAC is proud to announce a new interactive game designed for 6-12th graders and teachers that can be accessed on our Web site at www.arcounties.org. Think you can run your own County?

Look for the banner below on our Web site to play. If you earn re-election, be sure to share your experiences with us on Facebook. Players will learn about the various services provided by county departments and make tough budget decisions, handle resident complaints and concerns and face re-election.

www.arcounties.org Powered by

Above: Pictured is the first Cleveland County flag designed by Woodlawn art student Melanie Herring. A contest was held between art students at Rison and Woodlawn. The AAC judged the entries. Right: Cleveland County celebrated its courthouse centennial Nov. 5, 2011. Pictured is the program distributed at the ceremony.

Woodlawn art student designs Cleveland County’s first official flag

Cleveland County celebrated the courthouse’s centennial Nov. 5, 2011, with a special presentation on the front steps that included unveiling the county’s first flag, a historical presentation by Louise Mitchell on the three courthouses used by the county and the singing of a special ballad.

The quorum court passed a resolution declaring the flag to be the official Cleveland County flag and it was raised for the first time during the celebration. Melanie Herring, an art student at Woodlawn, designed the flag.

A contest was held between Woodlawn and Rison art students and the Association of Arkansas Counties judged the entries.

Not only was a new flag on display for the centennial, but a new county ballad also debuted.

Carroll Austin, husband to Deputy Assessor Delois Austin, wrote “The Ballad of the Cleveland County Courthouse” and performed it for residents in attendance. was a large wooden structure that was built in 1892 on the Rison Courthouse lawn. The grand jury reported to the county court in the July 1909 term that the courthouse that was constructed in 1892 was not fireproof and was in dilapidated condition which rendered it unsafe. The grand jury suggested a new building to safely house county government.

The county court appropriated $6,000 for the building and in October 1909 the county court levied a one and one-half mill tax to raise money for the new construction.

When the courthouse was completed, it measured 100 feet long, 70 feet wide and stood about 50 feet tall. The basement had windows allowing daylight to enter and could be entered by a staircase near the east entrance. The first floor was about three feet above ground and the foundation and walls were buff brick. The main entrance steps, pillars and window facings were of limestone. The tiled roof was crowned with a 20-foot belfry that framed the four-face clock. The main entrance was covered with a portico supported by two columns. The interior walls and ceilings were plastered.

Tile covered the hallway floors, office floors The new Cleveland County flag is raised for the first time at the courthouse. Sergeant Major Jimmy Cummings and veterans Bill Gray and George Fox perform the honors. The flag ceremony was part of the Cleveland County Courthouse’s centennial celebration.

were wood and concrete formed the basement and vault floors.

About Cleveland County

Cleveland County was formed in 1873 near the end of the Reconstruction era when the Republican influence on the Arkansas Congress was coming to an end. At that time nine new counties were formed. The county was first named Dorsey in honor of Republican Sen. Stephen Dorsey, who entered Congress that year. The county’s name was changed in 1885 to Cleveland to honor newly elected President Grover Cleveland.

A county government was organized by a board of supervisors including Joseph Gray, James H. Bridges and James R. McCullough. Also included in the board were the following officials: M.T. McGhee, treasurer; Stephen W. McLeod, sheriff; John Fawcett, clerk; James N. Marks, surveyor; C.B. Attwood, deputy clerk; William L. Frazier, deputy clerk; Jesse Harrison, constable; and E. Hobson, coroner.

In 1873 a temporary courthouse was rented and in 1874 a two-story frame house on 160 acres was purchased and then used as the main courthouse. Fire took that structure in 1889.

After fire destroyed the Toledo courthouse and the railroad bypassed the town, several towns in the county tried to become the new county seat. Rison was selected as the new county seat on April 11, 1891, but only after a contentious dispute between Kingsland and Rison.

Sources: “The Cleveland County Courthouse Centennial 1911-2011” journal. Above: On Nov. 5, 2011, Cleveland County residents celebrated the courthouse’s centennial, which included the unveiling of the county’s first flag.

Right: Carroll Austin, husband of Deputy Assessor Delois Austin, sings the “Ballad of the Cleveland County Courthouse.” Austin authored the lyrics for the ballad.

The Ballad of the Cleveland County Courthouse

In honor of the 100th anniversary of her existence (1911-2011), “The Ballad of the Cleveland County Courthouse” was sung to the tune of “Sink the Bismark” by Johnny Horton. Carroll Austin authored the lyrics.

In Cleveland County, Arkansas, one hundred years ago, To maintain order and the law, and help the county grow This courthouse was established, upon this very sod And she continues to this day, we thanks Almighty God.

Through World War I and World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, we answered Uncle Sam As brave young men and women, fought for our liberty To keep our homeland beautiful, from sea to shining sea. The courthouse folks were friendly then and they still are today They’re helpful and they’ll smile at you and send you on your way This building has seen ups and downs, yet she has stood the test Let’s pledge the next 100 years that we will do our best

This county’s like a mighty train, gliding straight and smooth The courthouse is the engine that makes the county move Each office does its duty to make the engine go Throughout the years it’s been that way and we want the world to know.

The courthouse folks were friendly then and they still are today They’re helpful and they’ll smile at you and send you on your way This building has seen ups and downs, yet she has stood the test Let’s pledge the next 100 years that we will do our best.

Final tax seminar conducted at AAC

Right: Kim Motherwell, Division of Legislative Audit senior auditor of Fayetteville, discusses suggested procedures for the preparation of the county final tax settlement with an audience of county clerks, treasurers and collectors at the James H. Baker Conference room at the Association of Arkansas Counties in Little Rock in midNovember. Keith Pettit, (right) field audit supervisor, manages the Powerpoint presentation. Left: County officials whose role covers tax settlements for their respective counties gathered at the Association of Arkansas Counties for a final tax settlement seminar in November.

County judges pave way at road seminar

Above: Darryl Gardner with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. and Kevin Smith, Howard County Judge, take a moment to discuss current challenges in road construction.

The County Judges Association of Arkansas organized the 2011 County Road Seminar on Oct. 17-20 at Norfork River Resort in Baxter County. Participants learned about and discussed an agenda ranging from flagging and signage for maintenance operations to asphalt shingles and from drainage procedures to bridge inspections.

The two-and-a-half day seminar also provided time for open roundtable discussions concerning snow and ice removal, compressed natural gas engines and best practices for maintenance.

Preston Scroggin, Faulkner County Judge, serves as the judges association president.