Committee approves funds for improvements at museum

Members of the St. Francis County Quorum Court’s Budget Committee on Tuesday gathered to discuss updates on the American Rescue Plan Funds as well as the final cost for the county’s new jail.

Justices also approved the appropriation of funds to the St. Francis County Museum, along with the county’s road, solid waste and solid waste commercial accounts.

According to SFC Judge Gary Hughes, the county recently received the final payment from the American Rescue Plan.

"I want to give you an update on the American Rescue Plan," said Hughes. "We got our final payment in. We now have, in hand, the entire $4.8 million. I didn't think that we would have it before today’s meeting, but we received it at the end of last week.

“Now, according to how we used our money, from April of 2021 to April of 2022, our salaries and benefits for the majority of our employees equaled $4.8 million. This is what we chose to be reimbursed on. This is now extra money to be used on extra things within the county,” continued Hughes.

“I am asking you all tonight to approve the transfer of this money to special accounts and also to appropriate $30,575.70 to the St. Francis County Museum, $833,307.45 to the SFC Road Department, $265,292.01 to solid waste and $169,001.11 to solid waste commercial."

Hughes said he asked SFC Museum Curator Judy Sweet to attend the meeting in order to explain why the museum needs funds appropriated, if possible.

According to Sweet, after speaking with contractors in the area regarding repairs to the facility, she was told the repairs would cost about $75,000.

"I have talked to contractors to get bids for having the house scraped and painted with a quality paint instead of just sprayed over what is already there," said Sweet. "New paint was sprayed over cracked paint and now we are seeing water damage to the wood under the cracked paint. It is a job that has to be done well and has to be done right. The glaze in these antique windows is falling out. We can't replace these windows as they are poured glass. The contractors I talked to mentioned that it would be upwards of a $75,000 job."

The committee unanimously voted in favor of transferring the funds as well as appropriating funds.

Hughes said the county recently opened bids for the demolition of the current county jail on the courthouse property after the new jail is occupied.

"I am pleased to report that the final cost of the jail is approximately $10.2 million," said Hughes. "The original cost of the jail was projected to be $13.5 million. All of the contracts are finalized. Last week, we opened bids for the demolition of the old jail and the cost of that will be about $225,000. That will leave us with a flat surface that we can make into a green space or whatever we choose to do in the future."

Brodie Johnson • Times-Herald The Lindsey Family of St. Francis County has been named the East Central District Farm Family of the Year in addition to being the 2022 SFC Farm Family of the Year. Brothers Bubba, seated left holding grandson Neal Flowers, and Jay Lindsey, seated right, have been farming since they were young with their father. They grow cotton, sweet potatoes and soybeans on 3,700 acres. In addition to farming, they co-own and operate Lindsey Gin Company. The Lindsey family, standing from left, are: Cody and Sarah Flowers, Drew, Kenlee and Baxter Flowers, Susan Lindsey, Jenny Lindsey, Lisa and David Morris, Kasie Lindsey, and Kacie, Emersyn and Cody Morris. The Lindsey family will be saluted in a special section in the Times-Herald in July.