AAC
County Lines County Lines [(ISSN 2576-1137 (print) and ISSN 2576-1145 (online)] is the official publication of the Association of Arkansas Counties. It is published quarterly. For advertising inquiries, subscriptions or other information, please contact Christy L. Smith at 501.372.7550. Executive Director/Publisher Chris Villines Communications Director/ Managing Editor Christy L. Smith Communications Coordinator/ Editor Holland Doran
AAC Executive Board: Debbie Wise – President Brandon Ellison – Vice President Jimmy Hart – Secretary-Treasurer Tommy Young Terri Harrison Debra Buckner Sandra Cawyer Kevin Cleghorn Terry McNatt Debbie Cross Brenda DeShields Ellen Foote Doug Curtis Gerone Hobbs Marty Boyd John Montgomery Heather Stevens David Thompson National Association of Counties (NACo) Board Affiliations Debbie Wise: NACo board member. She is the Randolph County Circuit Clerk and president of the AAC Board of Directors. Brandon Ellison: NACo board member. He is the Polk County Judge and vice-president of the AAC Board of Directors. Ted Harden: Finance & Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee. He serves on the Jefferson County Quorum Court. David Hudson: Chair of NACo’s Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee. He is the Sebastian County Judge and member of the Rural Action Caucus Steering Committee and the IT Standing Committee. Kevin Smith: IT Standing Committee. He is the Sebastian County Director of Information Technology Services. Barry Hyde: Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee. He is the Pulaski County Judge. Gerone Hobbs: Membership Committee. He is the Pulaski County Coroner. Kade Holliday: Arts and Culture Committee and International Economic Development Task Force. He is the Craighead County Clerk. Paul Ellliot: Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee, vice-chair of law enforcement subcommittee. He serves on the Pulaski County Quorum Court. Ellen Foote: Community, Economic & Workforce Development Steering Committee. She is the Crittenden County Tax Collector. Tawanna Brown:Telecommunications & Technology Steering Committe. She is the Crittenden County Chief Computer Operator.
COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2020
DIRECTOR’S DESK
Now is time for publicly elected, responsive government to shine
W
e all never saw this coming. COVID-19 (an acronym for COronaVIrus Disease of 2019) was an obscure virus in Wuhan, Chris Villines AAC China in January that has since wreaked Executive Director havoc with lives and economies across the world. As I proofed the articles for this issue I realized that many were written just a few weeks ago, but still in a world where things were normal. Now we are anything but normal. Social media has gone mad-nuts, television is reporting breaking news every two to three minutes, and our days are filled with watching press conferences from the White House and Arkansas Department of Health. This is unlike any other disaster I’ve seen. I’m sure you would agree. We find ourselves in county government in a very unique situation. We have statutory duties to be responsive to the public — a constituent base that for the most part is home and practicing social distancing. In states that have advanced numbers of cases (and stay in place orders) it has been clear that local government must continue to operate. Should things get much worse in Arkansas we will likely have the same mandate. The stage doesn’t really need to be set on the issue. You all are familiar with how this is playing out, and it will change between when I begin writing this column and when I end. There are two things that stand out right now. First of all, the amazing value, knowledge, talent, energy and creativity of our coronavirus response team here at the AAC. Secondly, many who eschew government are now begging and pleading for government help, at all levels. There is a translation that needs to be made between federal and state laws or rules and the practical impact and recommended guidelines that we need in the trenches. This can sometimes be a difficult process, and the staff here at AAC is working around the clock to get you the most up-to-date pragmatic information on these issues. Locally you have to analyze your offices, evaluate the options and make moves that are balanced with laws, policy, constituent services and federal and state guidelines. Each office is different. Each county is different. Your needs are different from county to county. As I’ve said before … if you know one county, you know one county. We are here to help with the general, but where I think we can do the most good is when you have specific situations that we can help walk you through. No guidance proffered right now can truly take into account the individual circumstances you will find yourselves in. By email you should already know about the makeup of our coronavirus response team, but I want to remind you if you have specific questions email or call myself, Mark Whitmore, Lindsey French, Brandy >>> 7
