The Baxter County Quorum Court’s final regular session of 2024 lasted less than a half hour, but it ended with nearly half of the court being recognized for their service. Matt Sharp has the details.
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Tuesday’s meeting was the last for five of the county’s 11 justices of the peace. Angela DeGroote of District 2, Tink Albright of District 6, Roger Steele of District 8 and Ty Chapman of District 11 did not run for reelection this year. District 7 JP Dr. Charles Osgood was defeated in his reelection bid during the March primary. Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty thanked the outgoing JPs for their service, and they were applauded by the audience in attendance.
The first two ordinances decided on by the court were unanimously approved after their third and final readings. The court agreed to give Baxter County Animal Control a slight name change to Baxter County Animal Control/Shelter, and they also approved of revisions and additions to the Baxter County and sheriff’s office personnel policies.
The quorum court later approved a pair of appropriation ordinances. Over $8,200 in fees and reimbursements from October were moved into this year’s sheriff’s office budget. In addition, $39,775 received from the previous sale of equipment were appropriated from the road and bridge fund into this year’s road and bridge department budget for the purchase of a vehicle.
The court’s next vote was to amend an ordinance approved last month. As required by law, the JPs agreed to keep millage taxes on political subdivisions at the current rates, but that ordinance ended up with an error as it had listed the city of Gassville at 4.89 mills. The court unanimously approved the ordinance amending Gassville’s rate at five mills.
Another ordinance voted on in November by the court was unanimously repealed on Tuesday. The court had originally appropriated $75,000 from the general fund to the 2025 budget for the coroner’s office, but instead, that money will be included in the county’s overall budget.
The final ordinance was to obligate the remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act on the county’s books. The county has an obligation to expend nearly $2.4 million on or before Dec. 31, 2026, and the plan is to use the money toward the construction of the future Baxter County Health Unit. The ordinance was unanimously approved.
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