Quorum Court revisits Complex fund plans

By Tia Lyons

Staff Writer

EL DORADO — The Union County Quorum Court has agreed that a conversation is in order regarding the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex, though Justices of the Peace had already sent notice about the county’s intent to cap its contribution toward annual operation costs of the facility.

JP Mike Dumas set off the discussion during a Finance Committee meeting on July 21 by reporting on a meeting that was held a month earlier with the complex board of directors.

Dumas noted that JP Dean Storey and other county officials attended the June 20 meeting in City Hall.

Dumas told the complex board and Mayor Frank Hash on June 20 that the quorum court planned to decrease its portion of the complex’s annual budget.

The city and county share pro rata expenses for the facility, and the budget is set each year by the quorum court.

At the beginning of the year, complex board members noted that the facility’s budget was $173,258, having gone from $192,587 in 2014 and $184,539 in 2015.

“We need to have a meeting with (Mayor Frank Hash) and the complex board at some point,” Storey said last Thursday.

The June 20 meeting stemmed from concerns county officials previously expressed about some complex operations.

One of the issues at the center of the initial discussion by the quorum court was $13,000 in unappropriated funds that JPs had voted to move back into a complex line-item to pay umpires and scorekeepers for their work during games that are held at the complex.

Dumas explained then that the money had already been paid, but the line item had to be reimbursed to cover the payments.

League fees that had not yet been paid to the complex would replenish the line item.

Judge Mike Loftin explained then that he had removed the $13,000 from the 2016 complex budget because he disagreed with how the complex board conducts some of the business for the recreational facility.

Loftin said he was hoping the action would spark a conversation from the complex board.

“I thought that would get at least one of them to a quorum court meeting to find out what’s going on, but nobody showed up,” Loftin said at the time.

On July 21, JP Johnny Burson suggested that the quorum court dissolve the cost-sharing agreement with the city and place a cap on the yearly dollar figure for contributions to the complex.

“It would simplify things for the complex board to do its planning,” Burson said.

Dumas said board members are working to implement an improvement/expansion plan.

A two-phase, $1.7 million master plan that was completed in 2014 for the complex includes additional fields to help draw more tournaments there and help boost revenue for the facility en route to making it self-sustaining.

“Their mindset is to expand that complex, and in doing so, you’re going to expand your expenses,” Dumas said.

JP and former complex board member Cecil Polk noted that the complex board routinely applies for and receives grants to help cover the cost of improvement projects at the complex.

“But those grants come with a match,” Dumas said.

Polk said he was in favor dissolving the complex board and hiring a complex manager to oversee operations there and to help book tournaments.

“We can pick up half of his salary. I tell you I’m not going to do anything to penalize the kids,” Polk said.

“There have already been some discussions about hiring a manager. I have talked to Robert Edmonds (city director of public works), and there is one application in my office right now,” Loftin said.

Burson said the group should concentrate on maintaining the existing fields at the complex.

“Most of the expenses seem to be coming from the adult side, not the kids,” Storey said. “We still need, as a group, to get together and hash it out.”

“I still wouldn’t support it. We’ve got other problems in the county, and I’d like to put a cap on this thing,” Burson said. “I think we should stop right now and look at how we can get some raises for our employees.”

The discussion resumed later during a regular meeting later when the quorum court approved a resolution appointing JP William Crowder to the complex board of directors.

Crowder will fill the vacancy left by Polk.

Hash attended the regular quorum court meeting, and he said the complex is a strain on the city’s budget as well.

When Burson reiterated his statements about dissolving pro-rate cost-sharing agreement with the city, Hash said, “We need to have a part in the conversation because we have a contract.”

The mayor also said the complex has the potential to be an economic engine for the city and county, noting that the facility is also supported by the community and local industry.

“Clean Harbours is putting $60,000 into new playground equipment out there,” he said.

The mayor acknowledged that the issue has resulted in “a lot of ruffled a lot of feathers.”

“I think we’ve got a good plan to walk it into a great benefit … where we would have enough fields to make it into a regional play area for the city and county,” Hash said.

Other business

In other business, the quorum court adopted an ordinance moving $25,000 from unappropriated funds in the county jail and booking and administration fees to cover overtime pay and part-time salaries.

A sum of $27,000 was also moved within the county jail department fund to cover the same items.

During the Finance Committee meeting, the then proposed ordinance prompted a discussion about the viability of hiring two additional, full-time uniformed employees for the Union County Sheriff’s Office versus paying overtime and salaries for part-time help.

JP Benny Vestal said the matter has already been discussed by the Jail Committee, but the quorum court had not yet reached a resolution.

McGough agreed to convene a meeting with the Jail Committee to crunch some numbers and return with a recommendation to the full quorum court.

JPs also adopted ordinances to :

• Appropriate an anonymous grant of $30,278.28 from the county’s general funds to miscellaneous funds of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Dumas said the grant was intended for use by law enforcement.

• Move $5,000 from the county’s general fund. Loftin said the amount came from a grant that will be used to help install a new air conditioning unity on the roof of the American Red Cross - Union County building.

He said the grant was secured with help from area planning and development districts

• Move $24,826.37 from unappropriated county funds to the UCSO’s line item for vehicle insurance.

• Move $10,000 from unappropriated Recorder Cost Funds to cover part-time salaries in the Cost-Recorder Union County Circuit Clerk line item.

The quorum also passed resolutions authorizing Loftin to apply for a $15,000 grant from Arkansas Rural Development Commission on behalf of the Marysville community to build a fire substation in the Marysville community and to appoint Betty McGhee to the Union County Equalization Board.

Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.

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