Of the people, By the people, For the people
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Chuck Stansbery
TUESDAY, October 1, 2019 / Vol. 5 Issue 40 / 75 cents
County looks at cuts for 2020 Van Buren County needs to cut a half-million dollars from its 2020 budget. Budget committee Chairman Brian Tatum said Thursday evening that according to revenue projections, the county will have $4.7 million available, about $475,000 less than a year ago. “Last year was tough,” Tatum said, “this year will be tougher.” He noted that the county made
it through 2019 without having many layoffs. “I’m not sure we can do that this year.” “We knew this was coming,” said committee member Dell Holt. County Judge Dale James handed out some material he had gathered from surrounding counties to compare numbers of employees and other financial information. He said Van Buren County
has one of the lower millage rates at 3 percent while most counties are 5 percent. James said he is not advocating raising the millage, but noted that the rate was 5 percent when the Fayetteville Shale came into play and the rate was reduced. Holt said it may be time to think about increasing the millage rate. Also at the meeting:
- Justices of the peace are hearing some complaints about the proposal to close most polling places in the county. There will be polling places in the north, south, east and central parts of the county, but people in the western part of county feel “isolated” because there is no polling place there, Tatum said. - James will talk to Arkansas Telephone Co. to see
if they can give the county a better price for telephone and internet. County considering going with an out-of-county company at a substantial savings. - Discussed continuance of 1 cent sales tax, which sunsets on Nov. 1, 2020. The first year of the proposed 30-year sales tax would go to pay off the library, the next 29 years tax would be split among fire departments,
hospital, emergency services. Tatum said there is a lot of misunderstanding about the tax and said people should contact him if they have questions about it. Department budgets are due Oct. 1. “The department heads can tell us where they’re going to cut, but it all comes down” to the Quorum Court, James said. “You’ve got a tough, tough, tough job this year.”
Proposal sets rules establishing private clubs
Wildcats 57, Jackets 44 (above) Ethen Drake evades tacklers Friday night. The Yellow Jackets lost the conference home game to Harding Academy. Full coverage, Pages 6-7. (Photos by Robert R. Gaut)
(right) The Yellow Jacket cheerleaders entertain the crowd Friday night.
Calendar Chili King Cookoff is set for 11 a.m.3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in downtown Clinton. $5 for chili, music, games, arts and crafts, and jalapeño eating contest. The Little Red River Studio Tour in Clinton is Oct. 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Oct. 13 from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. The free self-guided tour features six art studios and opportunities to see work by 10 artists. For maps, visit Rock N Java Coffee Cafe, 230 Highway 65S. Oct. 11 and 12 are the dates for
the 70th Fall Festival Arkansas State Square Dance Federation. The event will be held at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds and will include the Grand March, tea cup auction, split the pot, and line dances. For more information contact Theresa at 501-238-2713. Still On The Hill returns to Fairfield Bay for a performance Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Conference Center. There is no charge for the concert, which begins at 2 p.m., or for parking. Donations for future events will be accepted. Sponsored by the North Central Arkansas Foundation for Arts and Education.
Search finds 8 grams of drugs Jail administrator Michael Shamoon stopped a speeding vehicle on the afternoon of Sept. 25 on Highway 65 in Clinton. Reporting that the driver was “nervous and disoriented,” Shamoon called for a drug-sniffing dog, according to the affidavit for arrest. Clinton Police officer Josh Patterson responded with his dog, Terry, and the dog alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics, according to the report. A search turned up approximately 8 grams of a crystal-like substance, according to the court document. Randy Scott Eoff, 29, of Little Rock has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony, and speeding. Two passengers in
Eoff the car also were arrested., Tiffany Trammell, 27, of Springfield was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony. Larry Robert Sims, 23, of North Little Rock, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony, and fleeing on foot, a misdemeanor.
2 charged in try to pass cigarettes
An attempt to pass cigarettes to an inmate at the Courthouse has
If you’re looking for an alcoholic beverage to enjoy with dinner at a restaurant, Fairfield Bay is the place to go. There are 10 private club licenses held by restaurants, the bowling alley, golf course and country clubs as well as one VFW, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. There is one in Clinton as well as a VFW. Justice of the Peace John Bradford introduced an ordinance at last month’s Quorum Court meeting outlining the procedures to request a private club license in unincorporated Van Buren County. His proposal states that an establishment serving alcohol must be at least 1,500 feet from any school, church, day car, assisted living center, alcoholic or narcotic dependency center, public park or. youth activity organization within the unincorporated area of
Van Buren County. It also restricts the number of private club permits allowed at a ratio of one to every 5,000 residents of the county. That would allow for three private club licenses to be issued in the county, which has a population of about 17,000. That would not affect the number of private licenses issued in the city limits. No ordinances could be found on how to request a permit in the city of Clinton. Bradford said he has not been approached by anyone asking to establish a private club but thinks the county should get ahead of the game and come up with a policy. The proposed ordinance received a first reading in September and should be on the agenda for October. The Quorum Court meets at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Courthouse Annex. The meetings are open to the public.
resulted in the arrest of two. Lauren Cates, 28, of Bee Branch has been accused of furnishing prohibited articles after Jail Administrator Michael Shamoon, who was assisting with security at the Courthouse said he observed what appeared to be signals between Cates and inmate Elmer William Hill during court, according to an affidavit for arrest. Hill, 31, of Bee Branch also was charged with furnishing prohibited articles.
stop on Highway 92 East, he said the driver appeared “very nervous, was shaking and couldn’t sit still,” according to the report. During a search of the vehicle, Beeson located a .45 caliber handgun with a loaded magazine next to it in the center console, a flashlight containing approximately 0.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and in a paper towel, the end bulb of a glass smoking device, according to the report. Michael Hill, 27, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony; and tampering with physical evidence, a misdemeanor. Plea and arraignment is set for Sept. 30 in Van Buren County Circuit Court.
Bee Branch man faces charges
A Bee Branch man faces drug charges after he was stopped Sept. 8 for driving a vehicle with no license plate, according to an affidavit. After Deputy Matthew Beeson made the