SWA board member announces intent to resign

After a Hot Spring County Solid Waste Authority board member’s position was recently called into question, county officials announced that the board member plans to resign at the end of the month.

During a meeting of the Quorum Court’s SWA Committee Tuesday, County Judge Dennis Thornton announced SWA Board Member Jerry Dodd’s decision to resign.

The HSC SWA has been a hot topics during meetings of the court and JPs as well as other SWA members have proposed changes.

One change involved Dodd’s position on the board and the other changed involving the SWA’s budgeting process.

According to a resolution approved by the four SWA members, a law was passed in 2001 allowing the county to have an additional member on the board to represent the county’s Industrial Development Corporation. Since that time, the IDC has been dissolved and “a new entity with a similar name,” the Economic Development Corporation has been recommending a director to the board.

Dodd has been serving as the EDC recommended board member.

The JPs and other SWA members have proposed that the IDC position be replaced by a representative for the town of Midway.

During a recent meeting of the SWA board, Andrew Daily, chairman for the HSC Quorum Court’s SWA Committee, spoke the SWA board about the proposal. He mentioned that since the resolution was approved county officials have been able to do more research and have learned that the IDC is still in existence but representatives for the IDC have not met in more than a decade.

Both SWA members and those serving on the SWA board expressed concerns about the legal issues that could arise by keeping the IDC position in the law.

During the SWA board meeting Dodd and fellow board member Pat Carver, voted against the motion.

At the time, Dodd expressed his feelings that the EDC is a successor of the IDC and that all of the assets for the IDC were turned over the EDC.

While announcing Dodd’s intent to resign to the JPs Tuesday, Thornton noted that he and Dodd talked at length about the SWA and his board position. Thornton as well as County Attorney George Hopkins and other JPs spoke kindly of Dodd’s time on the board.

“He didn’t create any of these problems,” Hopkins said. “He

was appointed, serviced with strength and regularity… He should be given some support because he found himself in a position he didn’t create. Some times life does that.”

Another proposed changed involves the SWA’s budgeting process.

“The four member of the Solid Waste Authority provide a vast majority of the funding necessary for Solid Waste Authority operations,” according to a resolution approved by the members. “The four members currently have very little input in the Solid Waste Authority budget and it is important that the members funding the Solid Waste Authority have better input in the establishment of the annual Solid Waste Authority budgetary process.”

The members suggest the law be amended to include language that the SWA budget “be submitted to the members of the Solid Waste Authority for review and approval before each calendar year.”

Dodd and Carver voted against this change as well after expressing their concerns that the county is overstepping its authority.

Thornton told the JPs that he and Hopkins have been in contact with local legislators about these proposed changes. A bill has been drafted and is being reviewed, Thornton said.

In the current form of bill, the IDC director position is eliminated from the law and the SWA will be required to submit a budget to its members three months before the end of each year. The budget will have to be approved by all four members, Hopkins said.

State Rep. Ken Bragg is slated to serve as lead sponsor with state Rep. Rick McClure co-sponsoring it, Hopkins said.

If passed, Hopkins expects the bill will go into effect in August.

Daily mentioned during the committee meeting that he feels these changes are coming at the perfect time, since the SWA board is in the process of hiring a new administrator.

The board, as of press time, is scheduled to meet today to continue interviews for the position. Interviews will be done while in executive session, according to the meeting notice.

During the regular meeting of the court Tuesday, the JPs approved the third reading of ordinance to establish a new fund for the Magnet Cove Fire Protection District and an appropriation ordinance involving a grant for the Hot Spring County Fairgrounds.

JP Brian Coston told fellow JPs that $4,000 grant was awarded last year. The funding needed to be appropriated, so it could be spent before the deadline.

Boys

Following is the Overall Top 10 high school boys basketball teams in Arkansas and the top five in Classes 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending February 6. Ranking is given with firstplace votes received, records, total points and last week’s rankings:

OVERALL

1. Magnolia (13) 15-0 188

1

2. LR Central 17-4 164 2

3. Bentonville (5) 16-1 155 4

4. North Little Rock (1) 14-2 150 3

5. Bryant 15-3 98 5

6. Maumelle 14-2 88 6

7. LR Parkview (1) 14-2 76 7

(tie) Jonesboro 15-3 76 8

9. Marion 15-2 40 9

10. Sylvan Hills 16-3 12 – Others receiving votes:Fayetteville 17, Blytheville 15, LR Mills 5, Springdale Har-Ber 3, Dumas 1.

CLASS 6A

1. LR Central (8) 17-4 86

1

2. Bentonville (11) 16-1

78 3

3. North Little Rock (1) 14-2 71 2

4. Bryant 15-3 42 4

5. Fayetteville 17-4 17 5 Others receiving votes: Fort Smith Northside 4, Springdale Har-Ber 2.

CLASS 5A

1. Maumelle (12) 14-2 78 1

2. LR Parkview (4) 14-2 73 2

(tie) Jonesboro (3) 15-3 73 3

4. Marion (1) 15-2 41 4

5. Sylvan Hills 16-3 32 5 Others receiving votes: LR Christian 1, Pine Bluff 1, Russellville 1.

CLASS 4A

1. Magnolia (20) 15-0 100

1

2. Blytheville 22-2 76 2

3. LR Mills 15-4 55 3

4. Farmington 16-4 24 5

5. Fountain Lake 21-2 15 – Others receiving votes: Morrilton 10, Southside-Batesville 8, Berryville 5, Dardanelle 4, Brookland 3..

CLASS 3A

1. Dumas (17) 11-1 92 1

2. Osceola (2) 15-2 75 2

3. Mayflower 16-1 64 3

4. Bergman 24-4 40 5

5. Waldron 19-5 11 – Others receiving votes: Manila 8, Baptist Prep (1) 5, Clinton 4, Hardin Academy 1.

CLASS 2A

1. Marianna (17) 10-1 92 1

2. Earle 14-1 55 2

3. Dierks (2) 19-2 52 4

4. Flippin 25-4 47 2

5. Caddo Hills (1) 24-3 43

5

Others receiving votes: Tuckerman 3, Des Arc 2, Fordyce 2, Melbourne 2, Bigelow 1, Junction City 1.

CLASS 1A

1. West Side Greers Ferry (17) 20-4 91 1

2. Nevada 15-4 56 3

3. Izard County 22-5 40 4

4. Bradley (1) 15-2 36 2 (tie) Viola 25-5 36 5 (tie) Marvel (2) 17-1 36 – Others receiving votes: Ridgefield Christian 5.