The Official Publication of the Association of Arkansas Counties
County Lines WINTER 2018
State of the State Page 11
2018 Fiscal Session in Review
Page 40
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In This Issue WINTER 2018
Features Sebastian County cuts ribbon on crisis stabilization unit.............23 AAC Board honors 2 outgoing directors....................................26 AAC Board of Directors elects new slate of officers................27 AAC Board Profile: Craighead County Treasurer Terry McNatt....28 AAC Board Profile: Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison..................29 Anne Baker: She always has a plan...............................................32 AACRMF ’safety guy’ Barry Burkett retires..................................34 County partners retire with combined 77 years experience.....35 State GIS office completes county mapping project.................36 Poinsett County Assessor’s office works with EAST program.....37 Izard County Courthouse: A proud monument............................38 Fiscal Session bills affect jails, CSUs, more.................................40 AAC Staff Profile: Law Clerk Richard Burke III............................50
Inside Look AAC Scholarship information and application............................30
Array of issues on agenda for county judges...............................42 DeGray site of circuit clerks’ winter meeting.................................43 Pulaski County is host to sheriffs..................................................44 AAC Risk Managment hosts human resources session............45 AAC honors legislators with reception..........................................46 More than 80 collectors, deputies attend meeting....................47
Departments From the Director’s Desk...................................................................7 President’s Perspective.....................................................................9 From the Governor............................................................................11 Research Corner...............................................................................13 Governmental Affairs.......................................................................16 Legal Corner.......................................................................................17 Seems to Me..................................................................................... 19 Litigation Lessons.............................................................................22 Savings Times 2................................................................................24 NACo News Update...........................................................................49
Cover Notes: Governor delivers State of the State
State Representatives and Senators, Constitutional Officers, Arkansas Supreme Court Justices and others gather in the House Chamber on Feb. 12, 2018, the opening day of the 2018 Fiscal Session, to hear Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s annual State of the State address.
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(Cover photo by Christy L. Smith)
ur cover photo shows Gov. Asa Hutchinson during his delivery of the annual State of the State address to both chambers of the State Legislature, State Constitutional officers, Arkansas Supreme Court Justices and others. In his address, the Governor championed additional tax cuts. His vision for the 2019 General Assembly includes a reduction in the marginal individual tax rate from 6.9 percent to 6 percent, he said. The Governor said the “state is stronger than ever,” citing a spirit of entrepreneurship among Arkansans, a strengthening education system and workforce, a low unemployment rate, and hundreds of expansion agreements with state, national and international companies. You may read the Governor’s State of State address in its entirety on page 11. Turn to page 40 for photos from and an update on the 2018 Fiscal Session. — Photo by Holland Doran
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AAC
CALENDAR Mission Statement: The Association of Arkansas Counties
2018 March 13-16 Assessors Mt. Magazine State Park, Paris
April 18-20 Collectors Wyndham, North Little Rock
March 25-27 County Clerks Benton Event Center, Benton
May 23-25 Coroners Wyndham, North Little Rock
March 28-30 Treasurers Benton Event Center, Benton
June 6-8 Judges Holiday Inn, Texarkana
April 14 75-Member Governing Body of the Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts AAC, Little Rock
Calendar activities also are posted on our website:
www.arcounties.org
Samantha Moore, Receptionist
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he Association of Arkansas Counties supports and promotes the idea that all elected officials must have the opportunity to act together in order to solve mutual problems as a unified group. To further this goal, the Association of Arkansas Counties is committed to providing a single source of cooperative support and information for all counties and county and district officials. The overall purpose of the Association of Arkansas Counties is to work for the improvement of county government in the state of Arkansas. The Association accomplishes this purpose by providing legislative representation, on-site assistance, general research, training, various publications and conferences to assist county officials in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of their office.
Debbie Lakey,Workers’ Comp Claims Manager
smoore@arcounties.org
CONTACT AAC
Karan Skarda, ACE Program Coordinator kskarda@arcounties.org
Mark Whitmore, Chief Legal Counsel mwhitmore@arcounties.org
Colin Jorgensen, Litigation Counsel cjorgensen@arcounties.org
Josh Curtis, Governmental Affairs Director jcurtis@arcounties.org
Association of Arkansas Counties 1415 West Third Street
Lindsey Bailey, Legal Counsel lbailey@arcounties.org
Christy L. Smith, Communications Director
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 372-7550 phone
Holland Doran, Communications Coordinator
(501) 372-0611 fax www.arcounties.org
csmith@arcounties.org
hdoran@arcounties.org
Cindy Posey, Accountant cposey@arcounties.org
Mark Harrell, IT Manager mharrell@arcounties.org
Risk Management / Chris Villines, Executive Director cvillines@arcounties.org
Anne Baker, Executive Assistant abaker@arcounties.org
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Workers’ Compensation Debbie Norman, Risk Management & Insurance Director, Risk Mgmt Services dnorman@aacrms.com
dlakey@aacrms.com
Cathy Perry, Administrative Assist./Claims Analyst cperry@aacrms.com
Kim Nash,Workers Comp Claims Adjuster knash@aacrms.com
Renee Turner,Workers Comp Claims Examiner rturner@aacrms.com
Riley Groover, Claims Analyst rgroover@aacrms.com
Greg Hunt, Claims Analyst ghunt@aacrms.com
Kim Mitchell,Administrative Assistant kmitchell@aacrms.com
Brandy McAllister, RMS Counsel bmcallister@arcounties.org
Johnna Hoffman, Litigation Support Specialist jhoffman@arcounties.org
Becky Comet, Member Benefits Manager bcomet@arcounties.org
Karen Bell,Administrative Assistant kbell@aacrms.com
Ellen Wood,Admininistrative Assist./Receptionist ewood@aacrms.com
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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 relating to the magazine, 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 Rhonda Cole – Secretary-Treasurer Jeanne Andrews Terri Harrison Debra Buckner Sandra Cawyer Kevin Cleghorn Terry McNatt Debbie Cross Brenda DeShields Ellen Foote Jimmy Hart Gerone Hobbs Bill Hollenbeck John Montgomery Heather Stevens David Thompson National Association of Counties (NACo) Board Affiliations Debbie Wise: NACo board member and member of the NACo Credentials Committee. She is the Randolph County Circuit Clerk and president of the AAC Board of Directors. Ted Harden: Finance & Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee. He serves on the Jefferson County Quorum Court. David Hudson: Vice 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. 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.
DIRECTOR’S DESK
A time to celebrate a half-century of accomplishments
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n 1968, a small group of county and district elected officials gathered together in downtown Little Rock at the first of what would become annual conferences of the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC). Chris Villines Dreaming big about this new and unique network across the AAC state was no doubt an exciting, yet daunting proposition. Executive Director Had they been able to look into the future, I have to think they would have been extremely satisfied with what this group has accomplished in the span of half a century. I have been told at one time the second largest political body in the world was the Pulaski County Quorum Court, with members numbering in the hundreds — second only to the Politburo in the U.S.S.R. To digress a bit, I remember always being chastised by elementary teachers for referring to it as Russia, as that was a state within the U.S.S.R., not the country. Ironic how things turn out sometimes. Whether we housed the second largest political gathering or not is unverified, but between insanely large legislative bodies that met only once a year and a fee system of county elected offices, county government in Arkansas was known for its inefficiencies and — because of a fee system — potential for abuse. The Association of Arkansas Counties was instrumental in the passage of Amendment 55 in 1974, which passed by a vote of 242,419 for and 230,014 against. This sweeping reform of county government created manageable sized quorum courts that met once a month instead of once per year to approve the annual budget prior to its passage. Amendment 55 eliminated much of the fee system, replacing it with salaried, non-commissioned elected positions in our counties. Amendment 55 could not have been passed without the AAC and the powerful networks that sprung from the organization and its annual meetings. Fast forwarding to recent years, Arkansas had the shortest terms in the United States for countywide offices at only two years. In the 2015 legislative session all of you worked hard alongside the AAC to send to the voters a constitutional amendment referral. Ultimately the voters approved that measure, and many of you are about to be elected to the first four-year terms for countywide office in our state’s history. As we move into the present and future, I believe the AAC is setting a gold standard across the country in how we are approaching the opioid epidemic. While the crux of this issue does not necessarily involve legislative pathways, we find ourselves with important partners in the Arkansas Municipal League (ARML) and the state of Arkansas. Many thanks to Mike Rainwater for pushing this issue to us in 2017. His vision and an extraordinary partnership with the Municipal League has positioned the counties of Arkansas well as we look to solve this scourge in our society. Under the city leadership from ARML Executive Director Don Zimmerman and Chief Coun>>>
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DIRECTOR’S DESK
sel Mark Hayes, the cities have signed more than 90 percent of our state’s city population in more than 200 cities and towns to the list of engaged parties, alongside an unprecedented 72 of 75 Arkansas counties, to join in investigation and litigation of the pharmaceutical companies responsible for creating the opioid epidemic.
free from addiction and resulting behavior that costs money.
So I tell you all this to lead into a time to celebrate what we have accomplished, what we are accomplishing, and what we will accomplish as an association. This summer marks our 50th annual conference. We have changed locations to accommodate his summer marks our 50th annual conference. what we expect to be our largest attendence We have changed locations to ... the spacious ever in the spacious Embassy Suites Hotel Embassy Suites Hotel and Convention Center in Rogand Convention Center ers, Arkansas. Save the dates and plan on attending this in Rogers, Arkansas. Save the dates and plan on attending this conconference when it takes place August 8-10. ference when it takes place August 8-10.
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Arkansas ranks second highest in the country in opioid prescriptions dispensed per capita. It is a remarkably bad thing to have this many addictive pills in our society, but what really makes this situation bad is the egregiously unethical marketing of these drugs by pharmaceutical companies who knew that, despite their assurances to the contrary, these pills were addictive and dangerous. I welcome the opportunity for the AAC, ARML and state of Arkansas to take the lead in cleaning up this problem and restoring our population to fulfilling relationships and lives
We are already working out details on spectacular programming, speakers and events for the 2018 conference — and soon the theme will be available and the room blocks will open up and be available. We will alert all of you by postcard and email when these rooms open up, and we hope to see many of our county friends in attendance.
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PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Humbled yet inspired and hopeful
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t has been my honor to serve on the Association of Arkansas Counties’ (AAC) Board of Directors since 2012. I served as chairman of the Board’s Legislative Committee for 10 years, and as AAC Board vice president for six years. The Board has gone through several changes this year. I now serve as president. Polk County Judge Brandon Ellison is vice president, and Clark County Clerk Rhonda Cole is secretary/ treasurer. With the retirement of former Clark County Treasurer Judy Beth Hutcherson and the impending retirement of Columbia County Clerk Sherry Bell, we welcome two new members — Craighead County Treasurer Terry McNatt, who will serve as chair of the Legislative Committee, and Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison. Serving on the AAC Board has afforded me the opportunity to represent the interests of Arkansas counties at many National Association of Counties (NACo) conferences. I am humbled by the trust county officials have placed in me. The most recent NACo conference I attended — the 2018 Legislative Conference — left me feeling energized and hopeful. Arkansas counties face a multitude of issues, but we aren’t alone. Counties across the country also struggle with jail overcrowding, inadequate road funding, budgeting during a time of cutbacks, and a devastating drug crisis, among other things. I was not the lone county official from Arkansas to attend the conference. Judge Ellison, Washington County Judge Joseph Wood, Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday, and Jefferson County Justice of the Peace Ted Harden also attended. AAC Executive Director Chris Villines and AAC Governmental Affairs Director Josh Curtis accompanied us. These conferences allow us to network and fellowship with county officials from around the country. I believe it is vital for county officials to come together, discuss their mutual challenges, and then help one another develop solutions. NACo conferences also are educational. This year’s Legislative Conference featured more than 136 workshops on issues critical to counties. One workshop that stood out featured a panel discussion about the status of opioid litigation around the country. Many counties or state associations are still exploring litigation against opioid drug manufacturers. Meanwhile, we in Arkansas have taken great strides on this issue. Seventy-two Arkansas counties have joined with municipalities representing about 90 percent
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of the state’s population to file suit against opioid drug manufacturers for their deceptive marketing practices, which led to an epidemic that has swept the country. Another issue of importance to Arkansas is the Payment in Lieu DEBBIE WISE of Taxes (PILT) program. Many AAC Board President; Randolph County Circuit Clerk times in the past, Arkansas counties have waited with bated breath to find out whether Congress would fund PILT, and this year is no exception. In 2017, 68 (or 91 percent of ) Arkansas counties received a total of just over $7 million to help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within their boundaries. Losing this funding would put many of our counties in dire financial straits. While in Washington, Judge Ellison and Josh attended a rally where county officials from all over the country voiced the need for continued funding of the PILT program. We also heard from some inspiring speakers during the general sessions — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Tim Scott, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long, and Retired Gen. Stan McChrystal. They spoke about topics including the Trump Administration’s infrastructure plan, disaster response and recovery strategies, bipartisanship, and strategic leadership in a changing world. Finally, I am grateful to the members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation for taking the time to sit down with us and sincerely consider the issues affecting counties. I walked away from those meetings inspired and hopeful for what is to come. I believe that if local, state and federal government officials continue to work together in tandem, then our communities, Arkansas, and our nation will be the better for it.
Debbie Wise Debbie Wise Randolph County Circuit Clerk / AAC Board President
Did an aspect of county government “make news” recently in your county? Did any of your county officials or staff get an award, appointment or pat on the back? Are you holding a ribbon cutting ceremony or grand opening? Please let us know about it. You may email any news items or photos to csmith@arcounties.org. 9
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FROM THE GOVERNOR
The State of our State
n Monday [Feb. 12, 2018], at the opening of the 91st General Assembly’s fiscal session, I proposed to legislators that when they convene next year, that we pass legislation that will cut the marginal individual tax rate in Arkansas from 6.9 percent to 6 percent. That will be a reduction of $180 million. This tax-cutting proposal is a continuation of my goal to reduce the tax burden on Arkansans. Over the first three years of my administration, we cut taxes by $150 million without reducing essential services. Last year, we passed Act 141, which exempts military veterans’ retirement pay from state income tax. My challenge for further tax cuts was part of my State of the State address, in which I proclaimed that the state is stronger than ever. Arkansas is booming, in fact. We have incredible entrepreneurs who take risks, invest capital, and create jobs and growth. Arkansas is competing successfully nationally and around the world thanks to the creative thinking, hard work and cooperation among the General Assembly, the state agencies and local economic leaders. We are strengthening our education system and workforce through reading initiatives in schools, computer science education, and enhanced training for trades such as welding, diesel repair, and nursing. We have changed the way we will fund universities so that our support is based on the achievements of students and not school enrollment. And we did all of this without reducing benefits or eliminating essential services. We are transforming government in bold and responsible ways that include combining agencies, targeted cuts and hiring freezes when appropriate, and eliminating unnecessary regulation. We can measure our success by the numbers: Our unemployment rate is 3.7 percent, down from 5.6 percent when I took office. More Arkansans are working than ever before. Our economy grew faster than three-fourths of the other states. Fewer people are on Medicaid than when I took office. This is all great news.
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Interactive @75arcounties
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We have signed more than 300 agreements with Arkansas-based companies, and national and international firms to expand or to move here. Our recruiting has brought in $7 billion in investments and created more than 11,000 jobs Hon. ASA in Arkansas; 60,000 jobs have been HuTCHINSON created in the past three years. Governor of Arkansas With a good wind at our back, this is not a time to rest. For all the progress we’ve made, we still have much work to accomplish, starting with the budget for next year. My proposed budget is conservative and cuts spending where necessary without cutting back on essential services. The reductions in spending that I propose in next year’s budget leave a projected surplus of $64 million. I have asked all agencies to redouble their efforts in increasing efficiencies without cutting the services that are essential. We accomplished that with the $150 million in tax cuts. Naysayers said then that we couldn’t do it. But we did it. My most important message to the legislators is that everything we do is for the benefit of all Arkansans. Their work matters. What happens in the state capitol makes a difference in the day-to-day lives of people. And we cannot rest in our work until everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed, whether you live in Gurdon or in Gravette; whether you were born in Tyronza or in Texarkana. The work before us is not easy, but I know we are up to the task.
Asa Hutchinson The Honorable Asa Hutchinson Governor of Arkansas
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AAC
RESEARCH CORNER
The AAC law clerk program: moving county government forward and developing attorneys
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he Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) provides information and advice to Arkansas’ 75 counties. The advice addresses inquiries as to the interpretation and application of laws and the navigation of legal challenges. AAC also lobbies the Arkansas General Assembly and Governor to adopt laws and funding necessary for more effective county government. As per Ark. Code § 14-20-107, the mission of AAC is to continually study ways and means to improve county government in Arkansas. In 2010, AAC Executive Director Chris Villines conceived and launched the AAC law clerk program. The program started with two law clerks, but it has now grown to five. The clerks have been helpful, both internally at AAC and for county officials. The program also is beneficial for the clerks because they receive broad base experience in county and state government. In their work, clerks are exposed to the legislative process, to litigation, and in the interpretation and application of laws, regulations and best practices. These developing law students are then able to discover where their passions and talents lie. Several former clerks have chosen to move into careers in county and state government. A law clerks’ main role is to provide legal research. Clerks are law students who work at AAC part time while attending law school. The work allows them to put their developing research skills into practice. Law clerks have been instrumental in researching numerous projects at AAC, including those related to elections laws, ambulance services, floodplain management, jail overcrowding, 911 emergency dispatch centers, fine collection, county special funds, legislative audit matters, and the day-today operations of county government. AAC law clerks have researched a litany of laws, identified issues and helped chart the legal options for decision-makers in county government. AAC hired Lindsey Bailey, who now serves as legal counsel, as a law clerk after her first year of law school. While a clerk, she helped prepare motions and briefs. She even presented an oral argument at a circuit court hearing as a Rule 15 certified law student. She also worked various subrogation cases for the AAC Risk Management Fund (AACRMF) seeking damages from wrongdoers. Impressively, she also acted as lead counsel in a jury trial while she had just recently passed the bar exam. She recently reflected on her experience. “Ultimately, I found that my passion was not with litigation or preparing court documents, but with the policy advocacy and education that the AAC offered. I enjoyed preparing educaCOUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
tional guidance and seminars for county officials, such as updating the County Fine Collection Guidebook, Jessica Fontenot and organizing a seminar to instruct AAC Law Clerk county officials on new, innovative ways to collect outstanding fines owed to the county and optimize their collections,” she said. “Another experience I enjoyed that few law clerks get the chance to practice was presenting a bill and testifying before legislative committees in order to help county government operate more efficiently. After discovering that county official education and policy advocacy was my passion, I was fortunate enough that the AAC Executive Director Chris Villines and my supervising attorney, Mark Whitmore, AAC Chief Counsel, believed in me enough to let me work on policy issues full time. Since then I have worked closely with the Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts, the Arkansas Assessors Association, and the Arkansas County Clerks Association, ensuring that their county office policies and implementations are as efficient, uniform, and fair as possible. I still enjoy that I learn something new every day, and that no two days are the same — county government is always evolving. Thanks to the law clerk program, I get to be a part of that.” AACRMF offers three separate lines of self-insurance coverage: property, auto and general liability. Under each of the separate self-insurance agreements, RMF provides the appropriate legal assistance, both as a matter of defending claims against member counties and subrogating claims to recover losses suffered by the county or by RMF. Additionally, RMF provides a number of member benefits, including codification of ordinances. Brandy McAllister serves as in-house counsel for AACRMF, but she started with AAC as a law clerk. Through that time and into the present, McAllister has worked on the codification of ordinances. Now, while she heads up legal issues for RMF, she also oversees two law clerks who aide the codification process by keeping a database of county ordinances up to date, as well as by typing ordinances into a format that is usable for the codification program. Their time spent helps to keep the codification program in constant motion. Additionally, they assist adjusters on restitution requests when applicable and provide legal research to general county questions See
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and to litigation specific inquiries. Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Emergency ManageThis year, the AAC hired Colin Jorgensen as litigation counment (ADEM) and the Office of Emergency Communications sel. Jorgenson, formerly of the state Attorney General’s Office, (OEC) assisted AAC in developing a plan to help Arkansas now represents some AACRMF counties in court. implement Next Generation 9-1-1 technology. This is a system Jorgensen is part of the litigation team assembled by the AAC that will be able to receive text messages, photos, and videos, to represent the AAC, the AACRMF, the AACWCT and the and also pinpoint the exact location of a 9-1-1 call. AAC is conmajority of Arkansas counties in opioid litigation. Various cases fident this new system will be more effective and cost efficient have been filed in state for the state of Arkansas. and federal court against Former law clerk Sarah opioid manufacturers Giammo helped to reand distributors. The form floodplain managelaw clerk’s main role is to provide legal research. objective of the litigament policy in Arkansas. tion is to seek damages Recent, record floods Clerks are law students who work at AAC part to mitigate the cost the have created loss of life opioid crisis has imposed and substantial proptime while attending law school. The work allows them on Arkansas and the onerty damage. She helped going cost to clean it up. study existing laws and to put their developing research skills into practice. Law This is by no means the the laws of other states, first government lawsuit and to provide viable clerks have been instrumental in researching numerous against opioid manufacsolutions for legislation. turers, but it is the first projects at AAC, including those related to election laws, The legislation Giammo of its kind. Dozens of helped create provides ambulance services, floodplain management, jail overcities, counties, and states county judges necessary have filed claims against legal authority to fill vacrowding, 9-1-1 emergency dispatch centers, fine collecthese corporations, cancies on levee boards. but the Arkansas MuGiammo also worked tion, county special funds, legislative audit matters, and nicipal League (ARML) with the County Judges’ and AAC are teaming Association of Arkansas the day-to-day operations of county government. up with litigators to (CJAA) to gain passage represent local governof legislation increasing ments across the state the minimum threshold of Arkansas. This tactic at which public improvewill ensure that county interests are not overlooked among the ment construction contracts must take bids. That threshold rose dozens of big-city lawsuits. The opioid crisis has taken a toll on from $20,000 to $35,000. House Bill 1595 sponsored by Rep. local governments. Law enforcement must now be prepared to Mike Holcomb and Sen. Ronald Caldwell, enacted as Act 725 respond to emergency overdose situations, including carrying of 2017, assists counties in efficiently accessing contractors for the expensive medication Naloxone, which is used to stop the small construction projects and reduces the costs of those projeffects of an opioid overdose. Courts and jails are busy addressects. The act increased the minimum bid level to be commensuing drug crimes, and jail space is being used for detox situations. rate with inflation and in line with surrounding states. With the Monetary damages recovered from this lawsuit will go directly implementation of Act 725, counties can contract with contracto address these problems by establishing treatment centers, tors for small projects faster and more efficiently. educating the public, and training law enforcement to recognize Former law clerk Kevin Liang joined the AAC as a part-time and respond to situations involving drugs. policy clerk in Spring 2014. Liang started his clerkship by Blake Gary, a law clerk on the policymaking side of AAC, has revising and editing multiple county procedural manuals. With contributed to several projects. He has worked on Amendment the experience he obtained from updating laws and researching 98, dealing with medical marijuana, and has been researchpolicies, Liang quickly learned about the legislative process and ing the current system of emergency preparedness in Arkansas. laws impacting county government. He eventually specialized Since September, he has worked with AAC Governmental in ethics for county government officials, emergency medical Affairs Director Josh Curtis to improve the 9-1-1 systems in services policy, and annexation for counties. Liang presented
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AAC his findings to the Judges’ Association on multiple occasions, helped compile the 2016 Arkansas County Compliance Guide, contributed in drafting the Index of County Government Acts, and drafted the 2016 Ambulance Services Guidebook and the 2016 Annexation Guidebook. Liang said he is thankful for the stellar clerkship program at the AAC, and he believes the skills and experiences obtained through the program continue to help him in his current role as counsel at the Auditor of State’s office. I started with AAC as a law clerk in August 2017. My first project has been to update legislation regarding the disposition of unclaimed bodies in Arkansas. The number of unclaimed bodies has grown in recent years, creating issues for both county coroners and the Department of Human Services (DHS), as many of these situations involve people in Adult Protective Custody. My research has involved comparing disposition procedures of other states to those of Arkansas, as well as meeting with coroners and DHS officials to determine the viability of solutions. One option we considered is to donate unclaimed bodies to a new Osteopathic medical school in Fayetteville. However, the law pertaining to the duties of parties when a body goes unclaimed is unclear. Therefore, my project has included drafting amending legislation to clarify the duties. I also have worked on enhancing training for coroners. Legis-
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lation for this issue is tricky because coroners are constitutional officers whose requirements cannot be changed without a constitutional amendment. Additional training will not only ensure coroners are current on techniques, but it also will help protect these public servants from potential lawsuits. It will protect the coroner system, as there is a national push toward more centralized statewide medical examiner systems. Another ongoing project has been to add qualifications for the position of sheriff. The only current requirement is a sheriff must be a qualified elector, and because this is a constitutional office, adding more qualifications will require a constitutional amendment. I started by comparing sheriffs’ qualifications in the other 49 states, and I drafted a resolution to amend the Arkansas Constitution to include these requirements, such as education and experience levels. These requirements will ensure all sheriffs are prepared for the job — and assure the public their sheriffs are ready to serve. This is an issue the sheriff’s will continue to explore and discuss. AAC is a tight-knit office that embodies the small-town spirit of Arkansas. The clerkship program has allowed me to explore my love for local government, and it has been a great supplement to my law school experience. I already have learned so much in the few months I have been here, and I am grateful that I get to stay a little longer.
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Half-cent sales tax to fund highways, roads is hardly a long-term plan
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orty million dollars is a good chunk of change. You may be wondering why I’m throwing out that number. I’m throwing it out because that is the amount of money counties received from the half-cent sales tax dedicated for road funding last year. Our counties have utilized this money to improve roads all across the state. County roads are vital for Arkansas’ diverse economy, particularly for farmers transporting product to market. Additionally, businesses and large industries that employ the great citizens of this state depend on safe and reliable county roads to earn a good living. At the beginning of the year, I was asked to speak before the Mississippi Association of Supervisors (MAS), which is the equivalent to the Association of Arkansas Counties. Prior to the state legislative session, MAS hosts a mid-winter conference focusing on legislative matters. Infrastructure funding seems to be priority for every state. MAS wanted to hear what Arkansas has done to fund the highway system, county roads and city streets. In 2009, the Arkansas Legislature created the Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance. This 19-member, independent panel was comprised of elected officials, business leaders, and civic leaders from around the state. The committee’s goal was to develop recommendations that could be considered by the General Assembly to help address Arkansas’ highway funding shortfall. During the 2011 legislative session, the Arkansas General Assembly referred to voters a proposed Constitutional Amendment to levy a temporary, 10-year, half-cent sales tax increase to fund highway improvements. What became Issue No. 1 on the November 2012 ballot was one of the Blue Ribbon Committee recommendations. Because an independent panel came up with the idea, and the voters would ultimately decide the outcome, the strongly anti-tax legislature was not much more than a passthrough entity in this process. The legislature did not actually propose the tax increase, nor did it have to vote on the proposal’s merits. The body let the people decide, and the measure passed with 58 percent voting in favor and 42 percent opposed. While driving to Jackson, Miss., I did not notice any orange barrels — except for those surrounding the burst water lines in downtown. I quickly realized Mississippi needs a lot more than a half-cent to fix its deteriorating roads. Mississippi has dug itself in a hole by not allocating adequate funding for its road
system. I would argue that if you ask Joe the Plumber to list the top three things the government is responsible for, roads would be in that top three. Most lawmakers I talk to agree we Josh Curtis need more money for roads in ArGovernmental Affairs kansas. The debate is how that can be Director accomplished. The legislature always has ideas on how it can appropriate more cash to infrastructure. However, legislators have not been able to reach an agreement over the last couple of sessions on how to increase funding for roads. This column is not meant to lobby for additional funding for roads in Arkansas, though I might get in trouble by a few county judges for saying that. I simply want to make readers aware the money generated by the sales tax sunsets in 2022. That means counties will no longer receive that $40 million a year it currently receives. On its agenda, MAS called my presentation, “LongTerm Infrastructure Plan: Arkansas Success Story.” I would argue they got the success story part right in this title because the maintenance program for county roads have been improved. But the more I think about this program, it’s not a long-term plan. Generally you can call a 10-year plan a long-term plan. However, when you are halfway through the program, you start to realize what happens when the money goes away. One thing Arkansas has going for it is the partnership between the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT), cities and counties. All dedicated road money is split 70/15/15 — 70 percent going to ArDOT, 15 percent to the counties, and 15 percent to the cities. This formula works, and we are fortunate that each entity agrees with this formula. So when the half-cent sales tax expires, the cities also stand to lose $40 million a year. ArDOT will lose close to $200 million a year. Maintaining the highway and road system is expensive, but going without this revenue for a few years would make the next “long-term plan” even more expensive. Everyone has to put oil in his or her car; it’s a maintenance expense. If you go without oil and stop doing the required maintenance, that small expense will turn into a catastrophic expense. It’s the same for our highway and road system.
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LEGAL CORNER
To open carry or not to open carry? That may no longer be the question
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he question of whether open carry is the law in person. In fact a true open carry bill Arkansas has been at issue for some time, but re- that had been filed was withdrawn by cent statements from constitutional officers seem to its sponsor shortly after the passage signal a turn towards its legality, as opposed to the of Act 746. However, the bill’s sponprevious administration. An attempt by the General Assembly sor and those who supported the bill in 2013 to make “technical corrections” to clarify when a person (28 Senators and 82 Representatives, LINDSEY BAILEY may openly carry a handgun “on a journey” did anything but with no votes cast) denied that Act General Counsel simplify the status of open carry in Arkansas. 746 was a backdoor attempt to allow Act 746 of 2013, sponsored by then-Rep. Denny Altes, and unfettered open carry in Arkansas. picking up numerous co-sponsors, was introduced as House Bill Then-Sen. Eddie Joe Williams re1700, “An Act Making Technical Corrections Concerning the quested an Attorney General Opinion to opine on whether “Act Possession of a Handgun and Other Weapons in Certain Places; 746 now permits a person to be able to carry a handgun, in plain and for Other Purposes.” Previously, the statute to be amended view or concealed, if they leave their county” so long as they do listed several defenses to prosecution for unlawfully carrying a not visit a prohibited location. Attorney General at the time, firearm, including when Dustin McDaniel, opined “The person is on a jourthat a person does not fall he question of whether open carry is the law ney” and at least 18 years within Act 746’s “journey” old. Members of the Gendefense to unlawfully carin Arkansas has been at issue for some time, rying a firearm “simply eral Assembly understandably viewed the “jourbecause the person has left but recent statements from constitutional officers ney” label as ambiguous the county in which he or and sought to clarify that lives.” He went on to seem to signal a turn towards its legality, as opposed she language. Undefined by explicitly state, “I do not statute, Attorney General interpret Act 746 as auto the previous administration. Opinion 2011-092 dethorizing so-called ‘open fined “journey” as a heavily carry.’ To the contrary, fact-dependent factor, but the journey exception apotherwise being “a distance from home sufficient to carry him plies only to ‘travel beyond the county in which a person lives’ beyond the circle of his neighbors and general acquaintances and — a narrow range of activity inconsistent with the concept of outside the routine of his daily business.” The courts had dif- [true, unfettered] ‘open carry.’” Therefore, post-Attorney Genficulties defining “journey” as well for this purpose. Act 746 was eral Opinion 2013-047, the consensus among most was that one an attempt to clarify this definition by defining a “journey” as could not open carry in Arkansas absent being on a journey outtraveling “beyond the county in which the person lives.” This, side of one’s county of residence. as a technical correction, or clarification, seemed simple enough. At least one court seemed to affirm that opinion when, in However, the act arguably appeared to go beyond mere tech- 2014, a man was arrested for and charged with, among other nical corrections or clarification with another change. Prior to things, unlawfully openly carrying a weapon in a White County Act 746, Ark. Code § 5-73-120 defined the offense of unlaw- Walmart store, resulting in a revocation of his concealed carry fully carrying a weapon as when a person possessed “a handgun, permit. Circuit Court Judge Wendell Griffen rejected as “senseknife, or club on or about his or her person” in a vehicle occupied less” the man’s argument that his permit should be restored beby the person “or otherwise readily available for use with a pur- cause open carry was now permitted so long as no unlawful inpose to employ the handgun, knife, or club as a weapon against tent was present to employ the weapon against a person. The case a person.” Section 2 of Act 746 added two short, but important was not appealed to a higher court. phrases: “... with a purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ the However, that consensus began to break down in 2015, when handgun, knife, or club as a weapon against a person.” Open newly elected Attorney General Leslie Rutledge began to publicly carry advocates began to tout the act as a victory, saying that the declare that, while she acknowledged legitimate confusion about Section 2 changes created a mens rea or intent requirement to the law, she personally believed true open carry was legal in Arcommit the offense of unlawfully carrying a firearm — that one must have the intent to unlawfully employ the weapon against a See “CARRY” on Page 18 > > >
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kansas after Act 746 of 2013. This opened the door for three lawmakers, former Sen. Jon Woods, Rep. Tim Lemons, and former Rep. Nate Bell to ask General Rutledge for an official opinion on the state of open carry in Arkansas to provide clarity to both citizens who choose to carry firearms as well as the law enforcement officers who are charged with enforcing the law. In Attorney General Opinion 2015-064, Rutledge opined: While I do not encourage “open carry,” it is my opinion that if a person does not have the intent to “attempt to unlawfully employ a handgun . . . as a weapon against [another],” he or she may “possess a handgun . . . on or about his or her person, in a vehicle occupied by him or her, or otherwise readily available for use,” without violating § 5-73-120(a) as amended by Act 746. General Rutledge went on to list there were still some caveats to open carry: law enforcement officers can freely question anyone carrying a weapon concerning their purpose; open carry does not apply to otherwise prohibited locations, such as the state Capitol; private property owners have the right to prohibit firearms on their property, with incompliance resulting in a charge of trespass; and concealed carry statutes were not changed and must be complied with when carrying a concealed weapon. While Attorney General opinions are not binding law per se, many Arkansans began to cite this opinion as confirmation that open carry was legal in Arkansas. However, there have been no court cases in the state since the opinion was issued, which would effectively solidify open carry as firm, concrete Arkansas law. Since the Attorney General Opinion 2015-064 was released, the issue of open carry has remained relatively quiet and void of public incidents covered by the media. However, after no official direction to state law enforcement agencies on the issue for two years, in December 2017, Gov. Asa Hutchinson issued a letter to the Arkansas State Police stating, “Act 746 of 2013 clarified that a person may open carry a handgun so long as there is no intent
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to unlawfully employ the handgun.” The Governor further states that in his view the language is clear and lawful. He notes that while local jurisdictions have differed on their interpretation of Act 746, “The State police is the lead law enforcement agency in Arkansas and sets the standard for enforcement policy across the state.” While he expresses doubt that the state police have cited any person for mere open carry, he thinks such a citation would be “both inappropriate and inconsistent with Arkansas state law.” The letter goes on to express surprise that the Arkansas Supreme Court has not ruled on the language of Act 746, which explains the Governor’s reluctance to make a statement to state police before now. However, no case on this issue has made its way before the Court. As a result, the Governor has directed all state police, “open carry of a handgun is protected and allowed, so long as there is no intent to unlawfully employee the handgun,” and that the act of open carry of a handgun alone should not be cause for revocation of an individual’s concealed carry license. However, a concealed carry license is still required to carry a concealed handgun. Three weeks after the Governor issued this instruction, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved a regulation change allowing open carry “for personal protection while on any wildlife management area or Commission-controlled property or lake.” Previously, unless it was hunting season, a person had to have a concealed carry permit to possess a handgun in these areas. A concealed carry license is still required to possess a concealed handgun on the properties. Finally, it is worth noting that in 2017, the General Assembly approved the issuance by Arkansas State Police of “enhanced concealed carry permits,” which would allow for permit holders to carry concealed handguns into some public buildings which were previously prohibited. Anticipated upcoming guidance from the Arkansas State Police about the extent of the enhanced concealed carry licenses’ application should be helpful to law enforcement officers attempting to enforce current concealed carry laws.
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What in the world does jazz have to do with public speaking?
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ne recent early morning I was listening to music, sipping hot coffee, and contemplating the day, specifically thinking about the topic of my next article for County Lines. Some mornings I listen to music, sip coffee and drift off to slumber land in my recliner. But not on this morning. I was listening to the Beegie Adair Jazz Trio. Jazz is one of my favorite music genres. My mind was actually moving in two directions that morning as I contemplated the topic of my article. I was thinking about the public speaking seminar that had just been held by the Association of Arkansas Counties and about music — jazz in particular. The next thing I knew, being a musician myself, I was tying the two together — thinking about what jazz can teach us about public speaking. Although I have written articles and given presentations on public speaking many times before, this article will look at public speaking for the county official in a different light. Back in November AAC conducted a public speaking seminar. Eighty or so county and district officials attended — 80 out of about 1,300 county and district officials. The AAC intends to hold a public speaking seminar occasionally for the benefit of county and district officials. Why? Because county officials are the voice of county government. Your constituents need to know and understand county government. We need more county officials willing to go to the podium and proclaim the message as the ministers of county government. We need people who can do it eloquently — but in their own way. That’s what jazz is — interpreting a piece of music in your own way, using improvisation. According to surveys, many people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of snakes. That doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, you don’t see someone walking through the desert, suddenly shouting, “Watch out! A podium!” Picture yourself in a living room having a chat with your friends. You would be relaxed and comfortable talking to them. The same applies when public speaking. You treat them like friends in your living room. Public speakers live some intense moments in the limelight, on stage or on a panel in front of an audience. And you know what it is to make mistakes. Mistakes can be looked at differently — and are. Some are so terrified of mistakes that it takes all the joy out of the moment. Others just view mistakes as a part of life, while still others believe mistakes are opportunities. If I had let mistakes stop me from speaking, I would have stopped long ago. Stefon Harris, an accomplished jazz performer on the vibraphone, gave a spirited explanation of what mistakes mean to jazz performers in a talk a few years ago. Harris says, “There are no mistakes in jazz”. You see, jazz is taking the music and giving it your own interpretation — improvisation or “improv” as they call it in COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
the music world. Those of us who live in the public speaking world, including those of you who need to begin or enhance your public speaking, should embrace his attitude. There are no mistakes. Eddie A. Jones In my studies of speech and public County Consultant speaking there have been any number of times when I was asked to give an “improv speech” — given a topic and a few minutes to collect my thoughts. Then, get ready, set, go! As soon as you let go of the idea of right and wrong, you start loosening up and getting good at improvisation. The attitude of “there are no mistakes” is liberating for public speakers. The audience doesn’t know what you haven’t said. So don’t get hung up about getting every word or phrase exactly right according to some text, or to some idea of perfection. Just deliver your message as best you can, with passion, to your audience. In the end, it’s about the audience anyway — not you. •
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It’s all about the present. Everyone tells us to be in the moment. Harris says jazz musicians have to be in the moment because there’s so much going on — they are all improvising — you can’t possibly worry about the past or stress about the future. Public speakers (county officials) take note, and focus on the moment. Leading is about influence, and influence is about listening. Harris demonstrated the difference between coming into a session and insisting on your musical ideas no matter what anyone else says, and listening. If you listen, then you’re inclined to pull ideas from people around you, and they’re far more likely to follow your lead — with enthusiasm — when the time comes. Public speakers, audiences need the same treatment. Good music comes from awareness and acceptance. When you’re playing jazz you’ve got to be aware of your fellow musicians and your audience, and you accept what comes at you so that you can turn it into music. The same attitude helps public speakers deal with the inevitable differences in the setting, the audience, and the moment.
Of course, county officials as public speakers have a road map in their heads about where they want their speeches to go. But if we can relax a little about the precise road we take and allow the moment to dictate direction to us, then, just like a jazz musician, See
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Jazz we can find serendipity or value in each unique occasion. And if you have done much public speaking you know each audience is somewhat different. Let’s go back to what I said a little earlier. Deliver your message as best you can. That’s not a copout phrase to just get up and shoot from the hip. I actually meant, “Do the best you can.” And no one does the best they can without preparation. It was Dale Carnegie, the great trainer of public speaking and interpersonal skills, who said, “Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” Mark Twain said, “It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Always know your material. Know more about your subject than you include in your speech or presentation. In other words, over prepare. You may need the additional information for questions that may be asked. Not only should you know your material, but convey the material in an interesting way so people retain some of what you said. Three ways to do that is use conversational language (it flows better); use humor; and use personal stories. Well-executed humor and stories hold the power to deliver messages in an entertaining fashion. Once you get people laughing — or at least lighten the mood — they’re listening and you can sell your points. Be sure to start and finish strong. Don’t start with a whimper — a start like the “dead-fish handshake.” Start with a bang! Give the audience something to remember like a startling statistic, an
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interesting quote, a news headline — something that will get their attention immediately. End with a memorable conclusion. The conclusion is the final component of your speech or presentation. A speech is structured with an introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The conclusion needs to serve as a review of your message. The audience tends to remember the last words they hear you say, so it is vital that your key message or messages are restated in your conclusion. As you put the final touches on your speech, make sure your presentation comes full circle by relating your conclusion back to your introduction. Tie it together. Close with a visual image of your message. Although your conclusion is short, its significance is important. This is your last chance to drive your message home and leave a lasting impression. Patricia Fripp made this very apropos statement, “The first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds have the most impact in a presentation.” So what in the world does jazz have to do with public speaking? Well, in addition to what I’ve already mentioned: •
Learn the tune. Don’t just memorize a speech, but really study your subject and consider the possible questions and challenges. That will make it easier for you to be on your toes, think on your feet, and adapt what you say to the situation. If I’m giving a speech
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or presenting a seminar for which I’ve been given time to prepare, I usually work from a written text to keep me on point. But I can and do stray from that text often to adapt to the audience and any situation that arises in the presentation. Listen to the band. If you are playing in a jazz band you must listen to the entire band because everyone is improvising, and you must listen in order to sound like a cohesive band. If you’re on a program with other speakers, listen to what they have to say and refer to it in your talk. If you’re on a panel, try to build on what the others are saying to turn the presentation into a conversation. Play with intent. Whatever you say, say it like you mean it. If you speak with conviction, your audience will pay attention. If you sound like you doubt yourself, the audience will doubt you. Don’t step on the soloist. When you’re on stage and not speaking, pay attention to the people who are and give them the space to shine. If you’re paying attention, the audience and your fellow speakers will too. I’ll never forget the time in the fall of 1988 when I was on the stage as one of the speakers at a conference. I had not slept well the night before and had driven several hours to arrive at this afternoon
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meeting. While sitting on stage and listening to a speaker before me — one who had not done a very good job of preparing — I kept falling asleep and almost falling out of my chair. Everyone was watching me instead of listening to the speaker. I was stepping on the soloist. I was young then and apparently not very wise. I should have excused myself from the stage and let the soloist shine (the best he could). Have fun and swing! Speaking in public should be fun for you and for your audience. If you’re relaxed and enjoying yourself, your audience will relax and enjoy themselves, and everyone can swing together.
There’s nothing quite like the sound of elegant tickling of the ivories and the accompanying upright bass and drums in a jazz band capturing the warmth of a familiar song, a room filled with close friends and an atmosphere of laughter, conversation and good cheer. That same atmosphere can be created with a good, well-prepared speech. County and district officials are the voice of county government. It is your job to tell the county government story. The single most important skill you must have to lead is the ability to tell your story — the county story. As author Fred Miller said, “The worst speech you’ll ever give, will be far better than the one you never give.”
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Updated AACRMF model county personnel policy released
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hen I joined the Association of Arkansas Counclasses announced in the future. ties (AAC) as a litigation attorney for the Risk • Anti-Harassment Policy (3D): Management Fund (RMF) in summer 2017, More robust to emphasize that we did not have a full litigation caseload for counties will not tolerate harassme to attack on day one. I quickly discovered that AACRMF and ment, and harassment should the Rainwater Holt and Sexton law firm agreed the AACRMF be promptly reported so it can Colin Jorgensen Risk Management Model County Personnel Policy was in need of a comprehenbe addressed. Litigation Counsel sive review and update. This sort of project takes a considerable • Genetic Information Nondisamount of time — each topic in a personnel policy requires recrimination Policy (3F): New; search and thoughtful crafting of language. required by law. After I completed a first draft, I sent the draft to Mike Rainwater • Political Activity (3H): New; Arkansas law prohiband his team at the Rainwater firm. We updated some more. AAC its political activity by government employees during Executive Director Chris Villines and I sat down with Rainwater work time. This is important to note both to ensure for several hours and combed through every section of the updated the county will not be accused of promoting or allowpolicy. We updated some more. I chased down a few final sources, ing political activity on the clock and to alert employand we updated some more. Finally, in October 2017, we arrived at ees about the prohibition. a new model policy that was updated to address changes in the law • Social Media Policy (3I): New; not required by law but and emerging employment a helpful policy in the trends, while retaining the age of social media, to basic outline of the former make clear that emn October 2017, we arrived at a new model policy for ease of transition ployees should refrain and practice. Most imporfrom improper conpolicy that was updated to address changes in tantly, everybody agreed the duct on the internet. new model policy was ready • Freedom of the law and emerging employment trends, while for release. Information Act I spoke about the new (3J): New; not reretaining the basic outline of hte former policy for policy and provided copquired by law but ies to the county judges at helpful to assist with ease of transition and practice. Lake DeGray in October. I FOIA compliance. spoke about the policy and • C o u n t y provided copies to county Property (3K): New; officials at the Human Resources Seminar held at the AAC in standard language addressing employer property. December. I cannot begin to estimate the number of phone calls • Background Investigations (4D): New; background and emails I have received from county officials with intelligent checks are not required, but if a county wishes to questions and comments as counties have commenced updatconduct background checks, we recommend limiting ing their personnel policies. Please keep the inquiries coming. them to certain positions, including governing lanAnd let me know if you’d like an electronic copy of the policy; guage in the county personnel policy, and adhering to I can even send it to you in Microsoft Word format for ease of the policy to ensure equal treatment. plagiarism. My email address is cjorgensen@arcounties.org. • Drug-Free and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy Below is a summary of the major changes in the updated (4E): Updated to comply with federal testing reguAACRMF Model County Personnel Policy, as compared to the lations and state laws such as the Arkansas Medical prior version of the model policy circulated among the counties Marijuana Amendment. for years. Topics not addressed below are substantively similar • Employee Classifications, Compensation, and Atto the prior model policy. tendance (5A-C): New sections outlining standard language for counties about topics typically ad• Equal Employment Opportunity (3C): Expanded dressed in personnel policies — counties should feel to include new protected classes required by law and free to adjust details about office hours, pay periods, language automatically incorporating any protected and the like.
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Group Insurance Programs, Holiday Leave, Vacation Leave, and Sick Leave (6A-D): New sections providing standard language about topics typically addressed in personnel policies — counties should feel free to adjust details about insurance benefits, leave accrual, carryover hours, and the like. Leave Without Pay (6F): New; if a county allows leave without pay, such as when an employee seeks leave but does not have paid leave available and does not qualify for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, this should be addressed in the personnel policy to ensure consistent and equal treatment of employees.
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Military Leave and Jury Duty Leave (6G-H): New; required by law. Mediator Role of County Judge (8F): The only significant change to the grievance procedure is this optional provision allowing a county judge to serve as mediator in an attempt to resolve disputes by agreement before a formal hearing. Issues Not Addressed in the Personnel Policy (10): No matter how great the personnel policy may be, you will encounter issues that are not addressed in the policy. This provision allows county elected officials to interpret the policy and issue memorandums to address questions/issues not covered by the policy.
Sebastian County cuts ribbon on crisis stabilization unit
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Top left: Sebastian County Judge David Hudson, Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce President Tim Allen, Sebastian County Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck, and Logan County Judge Ray Gack stop to talk during a tour of the CSU. Top right: Rain pushed the ribbon cutting inside. In this photo state Rep. George B. McGill (far left) and state Rep. Clarke Tucker (far right) hold either end of the ribbon while Judge Hudson does the honors. Above: Five West Sebastian County CSU Program Director Joey Potts gives Gov. Asa Hutchinson a tour of the facility. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
ov. Asa Hutchinson helped Sebastian County officials cut the ribbon for Arkansas’ first crisis stabilization unit (CSU) Feb. 28, 2018, in Fort Smith. Five West Sebastian County CSU will have 16 beds and be staffed by medical and therapeutic staff. The CSU will serve Sebastian, Crawford, Logan, Franklin, Scott and Polk counties and their cities. The ceremony drew a crowd that included state officials, such as state Rep. George B. McGill and state Rep. Clarke Tucker. Tucker served on a task force that recommended the opening of CSUs to alleviate jail overcrowding. With a CSU, a person suffering a mental or behavioral episode can be diverted from jail to the CSU for treatment. Three more CSUs will open this year in Craighead, Pulaski and Washington counties. Sebastian County Judge David Hudson and Sebastian County Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck spoke at the ceremony. The Governor was the featured speaker. “I commend Sebastian County officials for their extraordinary leadership on this important issue, as well as the tremendous support from the Fort Smith community,” Hutchinson said. “County Judge David Hudson and Sherriff Bill Hollenbeck were instrumental throughout this whole process, and their efforts will no doubt make a positive difference for many Arkansas families.” — Photos by Holland Doran 23
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SAVINGS TIMES 2
RMF counties enjoy healthy slate of benefits
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he list of benefits available to Association of Guardian RFID partners Arkansas Counties Risk Management Fund with AACRMF to improve jail operations at every level. Guardian (AACRMF) members is growing. Since 1986, the AACRMF has provided RFID is the global leader in automobile liability protection for county members. Fifty- inmate management systems and four counties, other county entities, and more than 400 solutions for jails, prisons, and volunteer fire departments participate in this pool. It is a trust juvenile detention facilities. This fund owned by member counties and governed by a board of system helps facilities maximize Becky Comet productivity, defensibility, and AAC Member seven trustees who are county officials. Benefits Manager The AACRMF general liability protection has been carefully compliance by leveraging radiocrafted to provide coverage that is not “insurance” so the frequency identification (RFID) + tort immunity counties enjoy by right is not waived by the Cloud + Mobile technologies. The purchase of “insurance.” This defense has been successfully most up-to-date technology, the Spartan handheld device, tested in federal court. Furthermore, the fund is not merely a is being deployed to member counties. Spartan has better connectivity and new features defense fund. The AACRMF that the original device did is prepared to pay damages in not offer. addition to defense costs. he AAC continuously looks for ways Another benefit as a In 1997, the AAC formed participant in the AACRMF a third party administrator to limit counties’ liability and to save property program is the Peace (TPA) and brought the claims of Mind (P.O.M.) partnership them money. Therefore, the AACRMF has management in house. When with Metro Disaster a county purchases insurance, Specialists. In the event of established partnerships that can provide that insurance company must a disaster involving county pay a fee or commission to property, AACRMF members member counties help in various areas. the carrier for services. Since are on a priority list and will the AACRMF manages receive immediate response. claims in house with the AAC The AACRMF’s newest as the TPA, funds stay in house, and additional services can member benefit is the Justice Bridge, which is a simple video/ be provided to member counties. That is why the AACRMF audio communication system for law enforcement, state is able to provide a host of benefits to member counties free prisons, and the judiciary. Inmate court appearances can be of charge. accomplished via video teleconference. The program provides One of the premier benefits is the codification of substantive potential advancements in parole and probation processes. county ordinances into a single bound volume. AAC Risk Justice Bridge was tested last year in three counties, seven Management Services Counsel Brandy McAllister leads the correctional facilities and four community correction facilities. team that codifies member counties’ ordinances. She has been The aim was to improve courtroom safety; to improve working to make searching for ordinances more efficient since communication among county officials, law enforcement, she was a law clerk in 2011. Now, she has taken codification to prosecutors and judges; and to address inefficiencies in and the next level. She is creating a searchable database of member liabilities associated with the transportation of inmates. The county ordinances. It is available to RMF member counties results were overwhelmingly positive. The pilot counties saw at www.arcounties.org. Codification is a costly endeavor, and a reduction in employee overtime, fuel expenditure, and AACRMF offers this service to members free of charge. vehicle maintenance costs. They also reduced their liability The AAC continuously looks for ways to limit counties’ for vehicular accidents, inmate escapes, inmate assaults and liability and to save them money. Therefore, the AACRMF inmate medical costs. has established partnerships that can provide member counties These benefits come free of charge to counties that are help in various areas. National MedTest Inc. performs drug members in the AAC Risk Management Fund. Get more and alcohol testing for counties in the RMF Auto Program. information about these benefits by calling me at (501) 372This service is available only for drivers with a commercial 7550 or Risk Management Fund Director Debbie Norman at (501) 375-8247. driver’s license (CDL).
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AAC
BOARD PROFILE
AAC Board honors 2 outgoing directors
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he AAC Board of Directors honored two outgoing members at their February meeting: retired Clark County Treasurer Judy Beth Hutcherson and Columbia County Clerk Sherry Bell, whose term on the Board expired at the end of 2017. The Board presented both with a Diamond Award to honor them for their years of service to county government. Hutcherson served 10 years as city clerk/treasurer for the city of Arkadelphia before running for Clark County treasurer. She was the first woman elected president of the AAC Board of Directors, having served in that role from 2015 to 2017. She succeeded former Johnson County Judge Mike Jacobs. Bell began her county government career in the Columbia County Assessor’s office in 1983. She has served as Columbia County Clerk since January 1999. She is a past president of the Arkansas Association of County Clerks. That association elected Bell to represent them on the AAC Board in 2010. She served on the Board of Directors from January 2011 to December 2017. Bell plans to retire from her elected position at the end of this year. 26
Top: Judy Beth Hutcherson, who retired from her position as Clark County treasurer in December 2017, and Columbia County Clerk Sherry Bell pose with their Diamond Awards. Hutcherson was the first woman elected president of the AAC Board of Directors, having been voted into that role in 2015. Bell has logged nearly 35 years in county government, first in the Columbia County assessor’s office, and then as Columbia County Clerk. She sat on the AAC Board of Directors from 2011 to 2017. Bottom: Hutcherson and Bell pose alongside Randolph County Circuit Clerk Debbie Wise, who is the current AAC Board president, and AAC Executive Director Chris Villines. — Photos by Holland Doran COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
AAC
BOARD PROFILE
From left to right: Clark County Clerk Rhonda Cole will serve as secretary-treasurer of the AAC Board of Directors; Randolph County Circuit Clerk Debbie Wise succeeds retired Clark County Treasurer Judy Beth Hutcherson as president of the Board; and Polk County Judge Brandon Ellison has been elected vice president of the AAC Board of Directors.
AAC Board of Directors elects new slate of officers
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Story by Christy L. Smith Photo by Holland Doran AAC Communications Department
he start of 2018 brought changes to the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) Board of Directors. Randolph County Circuit Clerk Debbie Wise has become president of the board, succeeding retired Clark County Treasurer Judy Beth Hutcherson. Polk County Judge Brandon Ellison has been elected vice president of the Board, and Clark County Clerk Rhonda Cole has been elected secretary/treasurer of the Board. Those elections took place at the February 2018 board meeting. In addition, Craighead County Treasurer Terry McNatt and Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison have joined the Board. (See their profiles on pages 28 and 29.) Wise has served on the AAC Board since 2012. She previously served as board vice president and as AAC Legislative Committee chairman. She is a National Association of Counties (NACO) board member. In 2017, she served as tally clerk for NACo’s Credential Committee. Wise was appointed to serve on the Credential Committee this year. “During my tenure on the AAC Board and as chair of the AAC Legislative Committee, I have learned much about other county elected positions and about the impact decisions made at the state Capitol have on local government. I embrace this opportunity to assume a larger role in serving all of Arkansas’ counties,” Wise said of her new AAC board president position. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
Ellison is entering his fourth year as an AAC Board member. He said he is “excited” to serve as vice president of the board. “I am excited about the opportunity to be in this position of responsibility because I believe that the best decisions for county government are made by people that are immersed in it, on a daily basis,” he said. “The AAC Board includes some of the best and most experienced elected county officials in the state, and I am humbled to serve as vice president of this very professional organization.” In addition to serving on the AAC Board, Ellison holds an elected seat on the seven-member AAC Risk Management Fund Board of Trustees, and he serves as 1st vice president of the County Judges’ Association of Arkansas. Cole began her career in county government March 1, 1990, in the Clark County Clerk’s office. She took office as Clark County clerk in January 1999. She has held various leadership roles in the Arkansas Association of County Clerks since being elected. She served as vice president and legislative chair from 2010 to 2011, and she served as president of the association from 2012 to 2013. Cole has served on various statewide boards and committees. She currently serves on the State Board of Election Commissioners. She is entering her fourth year as an AAC Board member. “I am appreciative of the Clark County voters that have allowed me to be their county clerk. I am honored that the Arkansas Association of County Clerks (AACC) voted for me to represent them on the AAC Board, and I am truly humbled that I am now secretary/treasurer of the AAC Board. I look forward to the goals this board sets and accomplishes in 2018,” Cole said. 27
AAC
BOARD PROFILE
Craighead County treasurer new to board, named legislative chair Story and Photo by Holland Doran AAC Communications Coordinator
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efore Craighead County Treasurer Terry McNatt was working with numbers in the treasurer’s office, he was chopping cotton on his family farm. It was a sweaty job, but one that McNatt’s father, Eugene McNatt, knew would help him one day. “My father said it helped build character and muscles,” he said. “All I know is that it was hot and, well, I never saw those muscles too much.” As county treasurer, legislative director for the Arkansas County Treasurers’ Association, a new member of the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) Board of Directors, and chairman of the AAC Legislative Committee, McNatt can say that his father’s decision to “set the bar high” for him, has paid off. “He expected a lot from us because he knew what God has given us the ability to do,” McNatt said. 28
After graduating from Brookland High School in Brookland, Ark., McNatt earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Arkansas State University. Though his sights were set on an accounting job, he was offered a job as deputy sheriff in Greene County. It was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. “I told my parents I would only do the job for a few years,” he said. “Twenty-one years later I retired. I think I owe my parents an apology over that timeline issue.” McNatt completed Arkansas Law Enforcement Training in 1992. He spent three years working at the Greene County Sheriff’s Department. In 1995, he became deputy sheriff in Craighead County. McNatt earned many certifications and awards during his time as a deputy sheriff. He was named the Jerry Suiter Law Enforcement Officer of the year in 1999 and the Jonesboro Optimist International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2000. When McNatt retired from law enforcement in 2012, the “burden” to run for Craighead County treasurer was placed in his heart. “The more I wanted to run from it, the more the door was opened to it,” he said. “It’s probably hard to comprehend, but it was hard for me to comprehend also.” McNatt took office in January 2013 and has found that his favorite thing about county government is the people. “When you put the people first, everything else will work out fine,” he said. “A lot of time we lose focus on that. People are truly our greatest asset.” As treasurer, McNatt has seen his office overcome obstacles and improve its work processes. The office’s most notable accomplishments are moving from manual bookkeeping to a Windowsbased software program and receiving a “perfect audit” with no written or verbal findings. Transparency is a priority for McNatt, who works with Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday to “push this issue to the forefront” in the county. “Every tax payer should be able to see every transaction that is occurring with their money,” he said. The Arkansas Treasurers’ Association elected McNatt to replace now-retired Clark County Treasurer Judy Beth Hutcherson as one of their two representatives on the AAC board. McNatt said he is honored to “continue the tradition of fair representation of ” the association. “I am humbled to be chosen to be on the AAC board,” he said. “There are so many other great people in these associations who are probably more qualified. It’s truly an honor that I do not take lightly.” McNatt also succeeds Randolph County Circuit Clerk and now-AAC Board President Debbie Wise as chairman of the AAC’s Legislative Committee. McNatt and his wife, Trudy, have been married 23 years and have a 9-year-old son, Layne. When he’s not in the office or spending time with family, McNatt is running, a hobby that has become a passion. He has competed in more than 100 races since 2013. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
AAC
Polk County’s Harrison is county clerks’ new representative on board Story and Photo by Holland Doran AAC Communications Coordinator
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olk County Clerk Terri Harrison has had to navigate a few debatable political issues over the years, such as voter ID law and same-sex marriage laws. But one thing is not debatable: she is passionate about her job. “I took an oath to serve, and I take that very seriously,” Harrison said. “I care about the people that have elected me to this position and being a voice for them is very important to me.” Harrison has not only been a voice for county residents, but she also has led her fellow county clerks in the Arkansas Association of County Clerks. She served as president from January 2014 to December 2015. Prior to that, she served as first vicepresident and second vice-president. She also spent four years on the association’s continuing education board, working with the COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
BOARD PROFILE
legislative committee on bills that affected county clerks. Harrison is now prepared to step into a new role on the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) Board of Directors this year. She will be one of two county clerks representing their peers from across the state. The Arkansas Association of County Clerks board elected her in 2017. Harrison is eager to collaborate with her fellow board members. “As county clerk, I have always been able to call on AAC for support and help when needed,” she said. “I look forward to serving and networking with fellow County Clerk Rhonda Cole and all the wonderful elected officials from the various associations. I believe AAC is an amazing support system for the counties, and I am very excited to be a part of it. This is just another way I can be a voice for the people.” Harrison is a native of Polk County. She graduated from Acorn High School in 1988 and attended community college in Mena for a couple of years before going to work in the county clerk’s office in 1994. She worked for former County Clerk Pat Meyers, who Harrison considers a “great county clerk and role model.” “I saw how hard she [Meyers] worked to serve the citizens of Polk County,” Harrison said. “She was a great teacher, and I loved being a part of her staff. When she decided to retire, I knew that is what I wanted to do.” After Meyers retired in 2000, Harrison announced she was running for the position. She had opposition in both the primary and general elections, but she bypassed the competition. She was elected that November and took office Jan. 1, 2001. After 24 years of organizing elections, Harrison still enjoys them. She is proud of the work her office did to move from paper ballots to electronic voting machines in 2006. “When I first started working for the county, and even when I first became clerk, all the voting was done by paper ballot,” she said. “We had a central tabulator at the courthouse. People in charge of the polling places would bring ballots to the courthouse.” This process changed when the Help America Vote Act passed in 2002. The law required states to update their election processes. Beginning in the 2006 elections, the county decided to use the new electronic voting machines, purchased by the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office. The change was a challenge at first and required “a lot of voter education,” but the public and her staff quickly warmed up to it. “It does save a lot of time on election night,” she said. “Before my time, poll workers would count ballots at the polling place before they brought them in. Now all they have to do is shut the machines down and turn them into us.” Harrison and her husband of 28 years, John, have two children, Jeremy and Brandie. Jeremy is a senior at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and Brandie is a freshman at the University of Arkansas – Rich Mountain in Mena. 29
Association of Arkansas Counties Scholarship Application The Association of Arkansas Counties established its Scholarship Trust in 1985 to provide college financial assistance to the children, stepchildren and grandchildren of Arkansas county and district officials and employees. AAC has since awarded more than $185,000 in scholarships. Along with AAC, the following county associations contribute to the scholarship trust annually: The County Judges Association of Arkansas, the Arkansas County Clerks Association, the Arkansas Circuit Clerks Association, the County Collectors Association of Arkansas, the Arkansas County Treasurers Association, the Assessors Association of Arkansas, the Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts and the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association.
Qualifications for those seeking scholarship: • • • • •
Applicants must plan to attend or already attend a college, graduate school, or other qualifying education institution. Applicant must have a financial need. Applicant must have a current grade point average of 3.0 or above and a minimum ACT score of 18. Applicant must be or will be a high school graduate of the state of Arkansas. Applicant must be a child, grandchild, adopted child, or stepchild of a current or retired county employee of Arkansas.
Instructions for completing application: • • • • •
Download the application at www.arcounties.org. Application is to be completed by applicant. All parts of the application must be completed in full. Please type or print in black or blue ink. Attach the following information to the completed application. Without the following information, application will not be processed: 1. Three (3) character reference letters, one from a county employee other than a relative. 2. An official transcript of courses taken along with ACT/SAT scores. 3. A biographical statement, including family and educational background, financial need, work history and other pertinent information about yourself.
Send completed application with attachments to: Scholarship Trust Association of Arkansas Counties 1415 W. Third Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Completed applications must be received between January 1 and May 1, 2018 in order to be considered for that year’s scholarship.
Association of Arkansas Counties Updated 2009 ASSOCIATION OF ARKANSAS COUNTIES Scholarship Application SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION Applicant’s Name: Permanent Address: City, State, Zip: Age: Marital Status: Number of Dependents: Home Phone Number: Are you currently employed? Yes No Name of current/last employer (if any)? Position: Salary/Wages: Are you a child, grandchild, adopted child or stepchild of a current or retired county employee of Arkansas? Yes: No: If yes, name of relative Which county? Department relative employed: Relationship to county employee: Source and amount of funds available for year in which scholarship is requested: REQUIRED INFORMATION Parents projected income: $ Own projected income: $ Scholarships (current or anticipated): $ Government Grants: $ Personal Savings: $ Other (i.e. spouse income): $ Have you previously received assistance from the Association of Arkansas Counties Scholarship Trust? Yes: No: Educational Institution Applicant is now Attending: Institution Name: City, State, Zip: Major: Grade Point (on a 4.0 scale): Highest ACT or SAT Score: Academic Classification (check one) High School Senior College Freshman College Sophomore
College Junior College Senior Graduate Student Other
Educational Institution in which enrollment is desired: Institution Name: City, State, Zip: Course of Study: Expected Date of Completion: Amount of tuition/fees per semester: $
Degree Sought:
By my signature, I hereby authorize the Association of Arkansas Counties or its agents to make inquiry as to my enrollment status at the educational institution noted above and to seek reimbursement of scholarship funds should I fail to attend a qualifying educational institution.
Signature
Date
AAC
PROFILE
She always has a plan New senior executive assistant/event manager brings diverse event planning experience to the association. Story and Photo by Holland Doran AAC Communications Coordinator
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rom planning galas and weddings to organizing state, national and international conferences, Anne Baker has a knack for making any event memorable. She’s bringing her event planning expertise to county government as AAC’s new senior executive assistant/event manager Baker is excited to contribute to AAC’s mission and to manage events such as AAC’s annual conference. “I hope to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to my new role here at AAC,” she said. “I have learned so much throughout my career, and I know that all of those skills will be helpful in my position.” Baker grew up wanting to be a teacher, but her dream was to plan weddings. Her dream became reality when she applied to be the social catering manager at The Peabody Hotel, formerly in Little Rock. “I never thought that would happen, but I stumbled across a job at The Peabody Hotel, and my dream of helping people plan their special day came true,” she said. “I have enjoyed event planning ever since I started at The Peabody.” During her seven years at the hotel planning hundreds of weddings, galas and events, she learned valuable lessons and skills she has used throughout her career, such as excellent customer service. “While working there I also learned the important skills of owning your mistakes, being extremely organized, important communication skills and being a team player,” she said. After working at The Peabody, she furthered her skills as senior coordinator of client services at the Angela Rogers Group. “I learned a lot from Angela, and she definitely taught me everything I know about conference planning,” she said. Baker planned conferences for state and 32
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AAC national associations that attracted anywhere from 500 to 2,500 attendees. One of her significant accomplishments at Angela Rogers Group was planning a conference for a national association in Puerto Rico. “I had never planned a conference overseas, and it brought a whole lot of unique challenges, but I definitely learned a lot from it,” she said. “You have to be extremely organized to pull that off, and our team at Angela Rogers Group nailed it.” Before coming to AAC, Baker worked directly with the clerk of court at the U.S. District Court in Little Rock. “The best part of my job at the court was that I helped plan the naturalization ceremonies for new U.S. citizens,” she said. “Those ceremonies always touched my heart.” Working with a diverse group of people, Baker has absorbed many life lessons — kindness being one of the most important to her. “If you are genuinely kind to people then I think you will go far in life,” she said. “I have a young daughter and that is the lesson that I am trying to already instill in her.” Baker has already fit right in as a part of the AAC team. “Everyone that I have met is so nice, and I feel like I am part of a great team of people,” she said. “I look forward to learning as much as I can, as fast as I can, so that I can be an integral part of this amazing organization.” Baker was born in St. Louis but moved to Little Rock when she was 4. She graduated from Mount St. Mary’s Academy High School in Little Rock. She then graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Her husband of nine years, Freddie, also attended the university, but the two did not meet until after they moved to Little Rock following college. They have a 1-year-old daughter, Addison. Baker loves spending time with family, crafting with her daughter, and traveling. Seagrove Beach, Fla. and Dallas are her favorite destinations. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
PROFILE
More about Anne Baker Family information: I have been married to my husband, Freddie, for nine years, and we have an 18-month-old daughter named Addison Marie. She is my everything. I was born in St. Louis, but my family moved to Little Rock in 1986. My favorite meal: Probably Mexican. I feel like we make tacos or go to a Mexican restaurant at least once a week. When I’m not working I’m: Spending quality time with my family or traveling. We love 30A in Florida and go once a year to recharge and relax. I also love reading but don’t find that I have much time to do that these days. The accomplishments of which I am most proud: I am so proud of my husband and me for raising such a wonderful little girl. She is so very happy and kind, and that makes me so proud. She is the first one in her class to offer a hug to a friend and is the welcoming committee at her school. She is my greatest accomplishment by far. The hardest thing I have ever done is: We had to put my Yorkie, Gus, down last year. He was my favorite little buddy. He fought for a year once he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, but we finally decided it was better for him to go to heaven … and I truly believe all dogs go to heaven. At the top of my bucket list is to: I have been lucky to be able to travel around the world, but I have always wanted to go to Maine. I am a huge fan of fall, and I would love to see how pretty it is in the Northeast during that time of the year. You might be surprised to learn that: I hate cleaning. I am a very organized person in all aspects of my life except for cleaning. I put it off as long as I can. I would love for my house to magically clean itself because there are too many other things I would rather do with that time. My pet peeve is: When things are hole punched wrong. I always will make a copy of it and re-hole punch something if it is not lined up just right in a binder. Motto or favorite quote: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” And, “Think and wonder, wonder and think.” Both by Dr. Seuss.
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AAC
FEATURE
AACRMF ‘safety guy’ retires after more than 11 years
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he Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) family celebrated Barry Burkett, the long-time loss control specialist for the Risk Management Fund (RMF), with a retirement party on Feb. 26. His last day was Feb. 28. AAC staff, former AAC staff, county officials, and others gave the “safety guy” a gentle roasting. Burkett, who had worked for the AAC for 11 years and three months, took the ribbing in stride. Of course, the roasting was tempered with serious moments. AAC Executive Director Chris Villines presented Burkett with a Diamond Award, recognizing him for “his years of service.” Risk Management Director Debbie Norman presented Burkett with his own Safety Award for no injuries while on the job. “We didn’t include home,” Norman said, referring to fall 2016 when Burkett fell at home and broke his leg. Burkett had earned the Approved Professional Safety Source designation through the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission’s Health and Safety Division. That designation allowed him, in his role as AACRMF loss control specialist, to provide assistance and direction to Arkansas’ counties for their safety plans and programs. Each year Burkett visited counties and met with county judges, road department superintendents, and Office of Emergency Management or safety directors, to help counties obtain points for AAC’s annual Safety Awards, which he presented to the judges at AAC’s annual summer conference. Burkett’s wife, Dianne, and daughter, Jennifer, attended the retirement party. Burkett thanked them for encouraging him to go back to college and earn his degree, which paved the way for him to be hired at the AAC. Then, to lighten the mood a bit, Burkett summed up his time at the AAC. “I’ve had a good time,” he said to laughter and applause. 34
Top left: Burkett, wearing a gag retirement hat with all manner of trinkets pinned to it, poses with his wife, Dianne, and his daughter, Jennifer. Top right: AAC Executive Director Chris Villines shakes Burkett’s hand after presenting him with a Diamond Award, recognizing him for his 11 years and three months of service to AACRMF. Bottom right: Burkett poses with Brenda Pruitt, a former AAC executive director who originally hired Burkett, and her husband, Buddy. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
AAC
FEATURE
Pictured are, from left to right, AAC Legal Counsel Lindsey Bailey, AAC Consultant Eddie Jones, retired Administrative Office of the Courts Staff Attorney Keith Caviness, County Judges’ Association of Arkansas President and Madison County Judge Frank Weaver, retired Arkansas Department of Transportation State Aid Director David Mayo, AAC Executive Director Chris Villines, and AAC Chief Legal Counsel Mark Whitmore.
County partners retire with combined 77 years of service
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Story by Christy L. Smith Photo by Holland Doran AAC Communications Department
he County Judges’ Association of Arkansas (CJAA) recently honored two longtime friends of county government: State Aid Director David Mayo and Attorney Keith Caviness. Both retired at the end of 2017. Mayo worked for the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) for 40 years. ArDOT’s State Aid Division administers the State Aid County Road Program. State Aid personnel determine the eligibility of road and bridge projects for federal and state funding, and then provide administrative and engineering assistance to counties. When presenting Mayo with an award for his “tireless work, outstanding contributions and dedicated service,” CJAA President and Madison County Judge Frank Weaver noted that he had used State Aid money on road projects every year for at least seven years. “David, I just want to tell you that you played an important part in my job. I really do appreciate that,” Weaver said. A humble Mayo took the podium and said he had enjoyed his job. “I had a passion for it, and I wanted to do everything I could to help the county judges and help the people of Arkansas — your citizens — to have a better lifestyle, safer roads, smoother roads, and paved roads,” Mayo said. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
The CJAA also recognized the contributions Caviness, an attorney who worked for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for 37 years, has made to county government. Eddie Jones, AAC consultant, former AAC executive director, and personal friend of Caviness, presented Caviness with his award. “Keith Caviness has been a friend to county government for many years. I have worked with Keith on numerous court issues that affected county government,” Jones said. Jones went on to share stories about Caviness, who went into private practive after graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock law school — now known as the William H. Bowen School of Law. Jones complimented Caviness’ persuasiveness. “It’s that persuasiveness that we needed and used on many occasions at the Capitol on bills dealing with the court system,” Jones said. When he took the podium, Caviness spoke of growing up in the unincorporated community of Gravelly in west Yell County. He said it’s hard to stand out in the legal profession, but he was proud to have accomplished what he did at the AOC. “I was able to be an agent of change and make a mark on state government and local government and the judiciary in the state of Arkansas,” he said. “But I fully understand that many, many of the accomplishments I was a part of would not have been possible without the vision, the trust, and the cooperation of county government and the AAC. This is a special award. I really deeply appreciate this recognition,” Caviness said. 35
AAC
FEATURE
The above photo is a screenshot of the state GIS office’s Arkansas Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI) Map Viewer. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a press release the 2017 aerial imagery, which shows new infrastructure and developments, as well as water, power and gas lines, and administrative boundaries, will “better prepare counties for future infrastructure and economic development.
State GIS office completes county mapping project Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the Jan. 3, 2018, issue of Talk Business & Politics. It is reprinted here with permission from Talk Business & Politics CEO Roby Brock.
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rkansas has completed an update of digital maps for each of its 75 counties, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office. County officials now have access to updated aerial maps, showing new infrastructure and developments, in addition to water, power and gas lines and administrative boundaries such as school districts and city boundaries. The new maps will “better prepare counties for future infrastructure and economic development projects, as well as provide for faster response times from local law enforcement and emergency personnel,” according to the release. Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the completion of the months-long mapping project at a news conference Dec. 27 at the Madison County Courthouse in Huntsville, where he delivered in a ceremony following the announcement the final set of maps to county officials. He was joined by Shelby Johnson, state geographic information officer. “The face of Arkansas is changing rapidly,” Hutchinson said in the release. “Counties all over the state are building new roads, 36
widening existing highways, adding businesses, homes and developing entirely new neighborhoods. Having an up-to-date, detailed map of our state is a key tool for economic development and expanding infrastructure as our state continues to grow. “Additionally, these updated maps will greatly assist first responders in emergency situations when a speedy response by lawenforcement agencies and rescue crews can mean the difference between life and death. This is a much-needed upgrade to our system of state maps, and I applaud Shelby and his team for completing the project in such a timely and efficient manner.” The maps can be viewed online at gis.arkansas.gov. Go to “Map Viewer.” Scroll to the bottom of the list of layers and click the box for “2017 aerial imagery.” The aerial images were captured with digital orthophotography, which encodes latitude and longitude coordinates into images for use in geographic imaging, according to the press release. “I’m proud this project came together so smoothly,” Johnson said in the release. “We know our partners in local and state government needed new imagery for their mapping purposes, and, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. It is especially rewarding for me to know this imagery will be put to work in 911 systems all over the state and save lives.” COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
AAC
FEATURE
Poinsett County assessor’s office partners with local EAST program on mapping projects Story by Holland Doran Photo by Christy L. Smith AAC Communications Staff
do something a little more challenging, so they contacted the assessor’s office to see if they had anything they needed,” Garrison said. Hutchison had just the project. Some of the assessor’s maps and geographic information were 20 to 30 years old. Many he concept of a geographic information system boundary lines, alleys and subdivisions were incorrect. He asked (GIS) would be lost on most adults. But it’s not lost the students to update the maps using the GIS. on Harrisburg Elementary School students Emily Navigating the intricacies of the GIS, ArcMap, is not for the faint Wigginton and Havanna Kocher. of heart, said Pruett, who trained the students on how to use the Through a partnership between the school’s Environmental and program to convert raster-based maps into vector files using a geoSpatial Technology, Inc. (EAST) program and the Poinsett Coun- referencing process to map out neighborhoods, blocks and lots. ty assessor’s office, Emily, a sixth grader, and Havanna, an eighth By correcting the maps, Emily and Havanna significantly grader, mapped out the city of Harrisburg using the GIS, ArcMap. helped the county, Miller said. EAST Facilitator Karla Garrison guided the students through “We now have a better mapping system for the office and for the the project, and Kevin Pruett, GIS analyst at Total Assessments public,” he said. “It will assist code enforcement officers in the cities.” Solutions Corp., provided technical training. Poinsett County The students also benefited from the project by gaining realAssessor John Hutchison, and Appraiser and GIS Technician world experience, Garrison said. “It has taught these girls that there is so much more than going Matt Miller served as the project support and local manager. The partnership between the assessor’s office and the EAST pro- to school and learning math and reading,” she said. “They are gram developed when Garrison assigned the students to choose a able to use all these skills and all subject areas for one project. This is where it matters.” community partner and improve something in their office. Hutchison is a strong proponent of involving students in com“The girls had worked with GIS in the past, and they wanted to munity work. “I want to encourage other assessors to connect with their EAST programs,” he said. Emily said she has gained confidence through the experience. “This project was extremely important to me,” she said. “It was very sophisticated and a huge accomplishment. I have always struggled with my confidence, but by doing this project it helped me to believe in myself.” Havanna said the project helped develop her presentation skills. “This project has taught me a whole new side to GIS,” she said. “I have learned so many new things that I can use in projects to come. Not only has this project helped me learn new things about GIS, but it also helped me with my presentation skills because I was able to share with so many at the assessors’ conference.” The students discussed their mapping work at the Arkansas County Assessor’s Association Conference in November 2017. Hutchison presented Emily, Havanna, Garrison, and Pruett plaques to Poinsett County Assessor John Hutchison (far right) recognizes during the honor their hard work. November 2017 conference of Arkansas County Assessors (from left to right) Emily and Havanna are planning on mapping Harrisburg Elementary School EAST Facilitator Karla Garrison, EAST students the city of Trumann, which is the largest city in Emily Wigginton and Havanna Kocher, and GIS Analyst Kevin Pruett of Total AsPoinsett County, for their next project. sessment Solutions Corp. for their work in remapping cities located in the county.
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AAC
FEATURE
The current Izard County Courthouse was completed in 1940. The Art Deco structure was built to be completely fireproof, as several former courthouse structures had burned, destroying county records.
A Proud Monument Izard County Courthouse built through New Deal efforts to combat effects of Great Depression. Story by Mark Christ s Photos by Holly Hope Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
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zard County has had an interesting array of county courthouses as the seat of justice moved from town to town in the 19th century, and the current courthouse on the Court Square in Melbourne stands as a proud monument to New Deal efforts to combat the Great Depression. The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program has worked with Izard County since 1995 to keep the 1940 courthouse in service to the people of the county through its County Courthouse Restoration Grant program. Izard County was created on Oct. 27, 1825, and named for Territorial Gov. George Izard. The original county received additions in 1827 and 1828, but the creation of subsequent counties trimmed it to its current size. The first county seat was established at the town of Liberty of the North Fork River near its junction with the White, now the town of Norfork in Baxter County. A sturdy, two-story log dogtrot building was erected in 1829 to serve as the new county’s courthouse. It survives today as the Jacob Wolf House Historic Site operated by the Department of Arkansas Heritage. In 1830 the county seat was moved to Athens, near today’s Calico Rock, and then to Mount Olive in 1836. While it is not known what buildings served as the courthouse in those towns, when the seat of justice moved to its permanent home in Melbourne on May 10, 1875, court was held in a large barn. That 38
humble structure served until a two-story wood-frame courthouse was constructed on the current Court Square in 1878. As often happened, that building and all of the records it held were consumed by fire on April 11, 1889. A new courthouse was built a year later, and then demolished in 1912. The seventh Izard County Courthouse, a handsome Neoclassical brick edifice, was built in 1914 at a cost of $50,000. Its most striking feature was a soaring four-sided clock tower, which a local newspaper humorist claimed showed a different time on each face. That building served until a fire broke out in the storied tower at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5, 1937. A bucket brigade formed to fight the inferno as other people rushed into the building to remove records and furniture. Having learned a lesson from the 1889 blaze, a pair of fireproof vaults in the 1914 building saved many of the county’s papers. In the aftermath of the fire, county offices were moved into W.H. Powell’s house on the southeast corner of the square and court was held in a nearby Baptist church. Izard County, in the throes of the Great Depression, did not have funds on hand to build a new courthouse, so Judge John W. Hammett contacted the National Youth Administration (NYA), the last of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal agencies formed to create jobs for the unemployed, to provide labor for the project. An election was held on Feb. 7, 1938, to float a $30,000 bond issue to buy materials for a new courthouse, which voters approved COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
AAC 742 to 239. NYA workers were soon at work removing the remains of the burned building to prepare the site for a new courthouse. Little Rock’s Erhart and Eichenbaum architectural firm was hired to design the new building, which would be completely fireproof and constructed of sturdy local materials. The architects chose the popular Art Deco style for the new courthouse, which is reflected in such details as the stylized geometric floral patterns above the casement windows, the stylized decorated frieze band, and the overall vertical emphasis of the rough-faced limestone building. Interior details included furniture built by NYA members and marble wainscoting. The final project cost was around $150,000. Construction began in 1938 and on June 13, 1940, more than 3,000 people attended the new building’s dedication. B.L. Harton of Newport, who served as the NYA’s district supervisor, presented the keys to the building to Judge C.C. Aylor. The principle speaker, Tom Alford of Little Rock, extolled the NYA’s work in Izard County, where projects in Melbourne, Calico Rock and Mount Pleasant had generated a quarter of a million dollars for the local economy. Brass bands from Batesville, Mountain View and Cotter entertained the crowd and a string band from Calico Rock played music for the evening street dance that closed out the festivities. Seventy-eight years later, the Art Deco courthouse remains the center of Izard County government. The grounds include a World War I doughboy monument that was placed around 1930 and a bandstand built in 1952 above the original courthouse square well. Izard County’s enthusiastic participation in the U.S. bicentennial in 1976 is evident in the American eagle painting by Shirley Jennings that adorns the second-floor landing and 10 additional paintings by local art students in the courtroom. The Izard County Courthouse remains an enduring icon and continues to serve the needs of the people into the 21st century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 30, 1993. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
FEATURE
Left: The World War I doughboy monument was placed on the courthouse grounds in 1930. Top right: Izard County participated in the U.S. bicentennial in 1976 by displaying paintings by local art students. This eagle painting by Shirley Jennings adorns the second-floor landing. Above: Interior details include furniture built by National Youth Administration members and marble wainscoting.
Among the many programs and services of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program is the County Courthouse Restoration Grant Program. Created in 1989, this grant program has helped to extend the lives of courthouses that hold vital links to community pride and local history. These grants are funded through the Real Estate Transfer Tax, administered by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council. Since the beginning of the program, the AHPP has awarded more than $22.9 million to 74 historic courthouses and courthouse annexes around the state for use in rehabilitating, preserving and protecting these important historic resources. Since 1995, Izard County has received nine grants totaling $656,609 for the Izard County Courthouse in Melbourne.
Arkansas Historic Preservation Program County Courthouse Restoration Grants awarded in Izard County FY1995 ADA Restroom $6,500 FY1997 Roof, Interior Restoration $30,000 FY2002 ADA Stairlift, Wiring $32,599 FY2003 Preservation Master Plan $40,000 FY2005 New Electrical Service $40,000 FY2007 HVAC Upgrade $142,000 FY2009 Steel Window Restoration $151,760 FY2012 Masonry Repointing $80,000 FY2014 Stone Restoration $133,750 TOTAL:
$656,609
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AAC
FEATURE
Fiscal Session bills affect county jails, CSUs, more
M
ore than 200 appropriation bills were filed prior to the 2018 Fiscal Session, which began Feb. 12. As of week three, Gov. Asa Hutchinson had signed 196 budget bills into law. As week four approached, legislators were preparing to address Arkansas Works. The program uses federal funds to purchase private insurance for the poor. It was crafted as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal health law. The fiscal session was slated to end March 12, with a special session to follow. Several bills of interest to counties have been passed. Among them was House Bill 1128 (now Act 196) to provide an additional $1.4 million for state’s four crisis stabilization units (CSUs). The initial $5 million in funding for CSUs in Craighead, Pulaski, Sebastian and Washington was passed in the 2017 regular session. The goal of the CSUs is to reduce jail overcrowding by offering mental and behavioral health treatment. The Sebastian County unit opened Feb. 28 (see Page 23). HB1134 (now Act 210) approved an appropriation of $4.5 million for the Department of Correction to reimburse county jails for holding inmates when there is insufficient space in state prisons. Senate Bill 115 (now Act 125) provides nearly $485,000 for the Assessment Coordination Department for assessor, assessor employee, and Equalization Board member training. The 2018 Fiscal Session is the fifth fiscal session to be held in Arkansas since the passage of Amendment 86. In November 2008, 69 percent of Arkansas voters passed the amendment requiring the General Assembly to meet in a fiscal session during even-numbered years. During a fiscal session, legislators can consider only appropriation bills. And the session cannot exceed 30 days, unless 3/4 of both the House and Senate vote to extend the session. An extension can last no longer than 15 days. 40
Top left: State Rep. Carlton Wing and Rep. David Fielding have a discussion while waiting for the Arkansas House of Representatives to convene on Feb. 12, 2018. First-term Rep. Wing’s District 38 includes part of North Little Rock and Pulaski County. Rep. Fielding, who is serving is fourth term, is a former Columbia County justice of the peace. His District 5 includes parts of Columbia, Ouachita, Lafayette, and Nevada counties. Top right: Members of the state Senate join state Representatives in the House Chamber to hear the State of the State address on the first day of the fiscal session. In this photo, Rep. John Walker welcomes Sen. Cecile Bledsoe and other senators. Above: President Pro Tempore Sen. Jonathan Dismang (right) consults with Speaker of the House Rep. Jeremy Gillam (left) prior to the beginning of the Governor’s address. Gillam, whose District 45 encompasses part of White County, is only the fifth person to serve two terms as Speaker. Dismang represents Senate District 28 — Prairie County and parts of Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe, White and Woodruff counties. He has been elected twice by his peers as the Senate President Pro Tempore. At 36, he was the youngest to hold the post in the state’s history and is currently the youngest serving Senate President in the nation. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
AAC AAC a m i l yo n f e rr ei enncdes »
F
C
&F
Association of Arkansas Counties Workers’ Compensation Trust
» » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » »
W
hen you participate in the A A C Wo r k e r s ’ C o m p e n s a tio n Tru s t, you can relax in the hands of professional staff members who are going to take care of your needs. The AAC team has decades of experience in handling county government claims – t h e y ’ r e s i m p l y t h e b e s t a t w h a t t h e y d o ! Did we mention that participants in our plan are accustomed to getting money back? Since we started paying dividends in 1997, the AAC Workers’ Compensation Trust has declared almost $ 2 7 MI L L I O N dollars in dividends, payable to members of the fund. In fact, we mailed $1,000,000 in savings back to member counties in August 2017.
The service is available for any size county government and other county government-related entities. We’ve got you
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Members enjoy dividends! $27 Million paid since 1997
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1415 West Third Street • Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
AAC
PHOTO RECAP Array of issues on agenda for county judges The County Judges Association of Arkansas (CJAA) convened for its winter meeting Feb. 7, 2018, at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock (Pulaski). A full agenda for the three-day meeting included discussions on regional jails, mosquito abatement, legislation, 9-1-1 services, opioid litigation, and more. Many state-elected officials dropped by during the meeting to visit with judges. Top: CJAA President Frank Weaver, Madision County judge, greets Gov. Asa Hutchinson as he arrives to deliver a message to judges on Friday morning. Middle: Washington County Judge Joseph Wood and Van Buren County Judge Roger Hooper chat between sessions. Bottom left: Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin shares a personal story about the effects of opioids on families and explores the responsibilities of different layers of government. Bottom middle: Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge speaks about her office’s investigation of opioid manufacturers. Bottom middle: State Sen. Jim Hendren, who is Senate Majority Leader, discusses an array of legislative issues.
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AAC
PHOTO RECAP
DeGray is site of circuit clerks’ winter meeting
County Circuit Clerks gathered for a continuing education seminar at DeGray Lake State Park Resort in Bismarck (Hot Spring/ Clark counties) Jan. 30, 2018, through Feb. 1, 2018. Topics covered include commissioner sales, juvenile courts, and juvenile transcripts, among others. Speakers included Jennifer Craun, juvenile director with the Administrative Office of the Courts; Danielle Fusco, special projects coordinator with the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office; and motivational speaker Charlotte Strickland. The E-Recording Commission met, as well. Top: Circuit Clerks and Deputy Circuit Clerks heard from a range of speakers during their winter continuing meeting. Middle left: Benton County Circuit Clerk Brenda DeShields (left) and Crawford County Circuit Clerk Sharon Blount Baker (right) discuss commissioner sales with their colleagues. Bottom left: Clark County Circuit Clerk Martha Jo Smith (left) and Howard County Circuit Clerk Angie Lewis (right) take a few moments during a break to catch up. Bottom right: Judge Charles “Chuck” Baker of Crawford County District Court delivers a presentation entitled “Recording 101.”
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AAC
PHOTO RECAP
Pulaski County is host to ASA membership
The Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association (ASA) held its winter meeting Jan. 28-30, 2018, at the Little Rock Marriott and Statehouse Convention Center. Sessions were tailored for sheriffs, jail administrators, and chaplains. Top: Perry County Sheriff and Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association (ASA) President Scott Montgomery presents an engraved Colt 911 to Crittenden County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Thomas, who has served on the ASA’s Honor Guard for more than 20 years. Middle: State Rep. Matthew Shepherd (middle) was the luncheon speaker on Tuesday, Jan. 30. In this photo, he interacts with Association of Arkansas Counties staff and meeting attendees before taking the podium. Bottom left: Gov. Asa Hutchinson delivers the keynote address during lunch on Monday, Jan. 29. Bottom middle: Arkansas State Drug Director Kirk Lane speaks about the state’s opioid epidemic and efforts by his office to secure Naloxone, a spray used by first responders to delay an overdose, for law enforcement officers across the state. Bottom right: ASA Executive Director Scott Bradley takes care of various points of business during the meeting.
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AAC
PHOTO RECAP
AAC Risk Management session looks at human resources The AAC Risk Management Fund (RMF) hosted a Human Resources Seminar on Dec. 18, 2017. The seminar, which drew more than 100 county officials, featured three sets of speakers whose presentations covered “FLSA and Overtime Laws,” “FMLA and Military Leave,” and “Do’s and Don’ts on Interview Questions.” In addition, AAC RMF staff distributed copies of a model employment policy. Top: Attorneys Regina Young and John Davis, both with the Wright Lindsey Jennings law firm in Little Rock, discuss interview questions. Their presentation included a list of sample questions, and county officials determined whether each question was a suitable interview question. Middle: More than 100 county officials spanning every office attended the half-day seminar on Dec. 18, 2017. Bottom left: AAC RMF Attorney Brandy McAllister focused on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a federal law that establishes overtime pay eligibility and recordkeeping, among other things. Bottom right: Kaylen Lewis, an attorney with the Little Rock-based firm Rainwater Holt and Sexton, covered the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Go to:
www.arcounties.org/media to view video of the discussions.
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AAC
PHOTO RECAP
AAC honors legislators with reception
The AAC hosted an evening reception on Dec. 14, 2017, to honor members of the 91st General Assembly ahead of their Fiscal Session, which began Feb. 12, 2018. In addition to legislators, invitations were extended to state Constitutional officers, state agency directors and others. The reception has become an annual event for the AAC. Top left: Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and her husband, Boyce Johnson, chat with state Supreme Court Chief Justice Dan Kemp and his wife, Susan. Top right: Arkansas Reps. Les Warren and Carol Dalby pose for a photo with the state Capitol visible in the background. Middle: Administrative Office of the Courts Director Marty Sullivan and state Reps. Mark Lowry and Bob Ballinger pause their conversation to take a photo. Bottom: State Reps. Kim Hammer, Jim Dotson and Mathew Pitsch attended the reception, which was held after a full day at the Capitol for the legislators. 46
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AAC
PHOTO RECAP
More than 80 tax collectors, deputies attend winter meeting in Pulaski County Top left: Bo Suiter demonstrates basic self defense techniques with volunteer, Cross County Chief Deputy Tax Collector Katie Blake. Top right: Crawford County Chief Deputy Tax Collector Tausha Lewis Treadway (left) and Clark County Deputy Tax Collector Tina Martin (right) share a laugh and a high-five. Also pictured is Betty Wiggins. Middle left: Arkansas County Tax Collectors Association President and Crittenden County Tax Collector Ellen Foote welcomes the more than 80 county tax collectors who attended the association’s winter conference Dec. 6-8, 2017, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Little Rock (Pulaski County). Middle right: David Coles with Arkansas Legislative Audit speaks to tax collectors on the types of backup methods collectors can use to protect data in the event of a disaster. Bottom right: Tax collectors line up to visit vendor booths during the conference. COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
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AACRMF benefits continue to strengthen program!
T
he AAC Risk Management Fund program offers General Liability, and Auto and Property Protection. The fund is managed by a board of trustees comprised of your county colleagues. As a member, you help develop the fund’s products to meet the needs of our unique and valued county resources and employees.
O
ur latest added benefit is the Justice Bridge video/audio communication system for law enforcement, prisons and the judiciary. The program allows inmate visits and hearings to be conducted via teleconference, provides advancements in parole and probation processes, and improves courtroom safety and efficiency.
Justice Bridge This innovative program is a simple video/audio communicaiton system for use in circuit and district courts, sheriff’s offices, inmate box portals, and state prisons. Benefits include: n Reduced inmate transports to court hearings. n Reduced liability due to vehicular accidents, inmate assaults and medical costs. n Reduced contraband in prisons. n Reduced escape potential; increased public safety.
Other AACRMF benefits Guardian Inmate tracking system n 20x faster and more defensible than barcode. n Exclusively endorsed by the National Sheriffs’ Association since 2008, the first product in the world to earn this distinction. n The only Inmate Management System in the world that exclusively leverages radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. n GUARDIAN RFID® Mobile™ is the most widely used mobile app in corrections, actively deployed in 25 states.
Codification of county ordinances n A single-bound volume of your substantive county ordinances gives you easy access.
Drug testing n Free CDL drug testing with participation in the RMF Auto Program.
Partnership with Metro to provide P.O.M Services n Your peace of mind partnership for emergency claim services. RMF members receive priority response with participation in the Property Program.
For information: Debbie Norman, Risk Management Fund Director, (501) 375-8247
Becky Comet, Member Benefits Manager, (501) 372-7550
AAC
www.naco.org
NEWS FROM NACo
About NACo – The Voice of America’s Counties National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the U.S. NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,068 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public’s understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.
U.S. Communities can be a key partner in fighting opioid crisis Story by Tiffany Anzalone McCasland
T
he opioid epidemic has been called the worst drug crisis in American history with more than 170 people estimated to die from overdoses every day in the United States. According to [national publication] STAT News, opioids could kill nearly 650,000 people across America in the next decade. The race to solve the unrelenting opioid crisis is a top priority in communities small and large. There is a broad consensus that increased access to overdosereversing drugs is a critical component of the emergency treatment of opioid overdose. New research by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that “improving access to the opioid overdose antidote naloxone hydrochloride is linked to a 9 to 11 percent reduction in opioid-related deaths,” potentially resulting in around 3,500 averted deaths nationwide each year. To help combat this national epidemic, the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, Premier, Inc. and Adapt Pharma partnered to offer the first and only FDA-approved potentially lifesaving opioid withdrawal medication, NARCAN Nasal Spray, a ready-to-use nasal spray version of naloxone hydrochloride. NARCAN temporarily reverses the effects of opioids, including heroin and pain medications like morphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone, and has become a staple for medical professionals, fire and police departments and even librarians since it does not require assembly or priming to use. This ready-to-use, needle-free device is used along with emergency medical treatment to reverse the life-threatening effects of opiate overdose. The discounted program is an effort to provide affordable ac-
cess to NARCAN for entities that serve the public interest with limited funding. Public interest pricing at a 40 percent discount, or $37.50 per dose ($75 for a two-pack carton) is offered through the purchasing power of U.S. Communities. Recently, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) directed the Florida surgeon general to issue a standing order for NARCAN to ensure that first responders across the state have immediate access to treat opioid overdoses. Similarly, in Arizona over the past four years, opioid overdose deaths increased 74 percent. James Fole, deputy chief procurement officer in Maricopa County, Ariz. said that the county will save an estimated $100,000 annually by purchasing NARCAN through U.S. Communities. U.S. Communities Purchasing Cooperative is the leading national cooperative purchasing program, providing world-class government procurement resources and solutions to local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education institutions and nonprofits. U.S. Communities participating agencies can purchase NARCAN Nasal Spray at public interest pricing. There is no cost or fee to use the program and cooperative purchasing can also deliver significant time efficiencies when every second counts. Affordable access to this medication will allow entities that serve the public interest with limited funding to combat the number of drug-related overdose deaths across the country. Learn more by visiting www.uscommunities.org/NARCAN, by calling (877) 981-3312 or by emailing uscommunities@premierinc.com.
Tiffany Anzalone McCasland is the founder and chief executive officer of Angelle Media, a communications and digital strategy consulting firm in Washington, D.C.
75 Counties - One Voice COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2018
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AAC
FEATURES Law Clerk — Richard Burke III
Family information: My family is originally from Memphis but moved to Hot Springs around the time I was born and have been there ever since. I have one sister, who has blamed everything on me for as long as I can remember. I am engaged to a woman who is way out of my league.
The hardest thing I have ever done is: Watch Tennessee lose to Arkansas in football. You might be surprised to learn that: I am a huge Tennessee Volunteer fan. My pet peeve is: When people drive below the speed limit in the fast lane.
My favorite meal: I have the taste buds of a 5-year old, so naturally my favorite food is chicken tenders. When I’m not working I’m: Watching sports, playing with my dog, or kind of helping my fiancé plan our wedding.
Motto or favorite quote: “Set your goals high, and don’t stop until you get there.” — Bo Jackson. Richard Burke III
The accomplishments of which I am most proud: Making it through my first year of law school alive. At the top of my bucket list is to: See the U.S. soccer team play in a World Cup game in Europe.
How long have you been at AAC and can you describe some of your successful projects? I started at the beginning of September, and now I am a professional ordinance scanner.
What do you like most about your position at AAC? Everyone I have worked with so far has been so kind and helpful.
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This publication was made possible with the support of these advertising partners who have helped to underwrite the cost of County Lines. They deserve your consideration and patronage when making your purchasing decisions. For more information on how to partner with County Lines, please call Christy L. Smith at (501) 372-7550.
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