JASPER — Soaring material costs, a shortage of workers and last spring's heavy rains has Newton County Judge Warren Campbell and his road department just trying to keep up with regular maintenance of the county's network of roads and little else.
During the monthly meeting of the quorum court Tuesday night, July 6, he said there are many road projects he would like to do, but other than prioritized jobs pending FEMA funding other needs are going to have to wait.
Campbell made the comments after a resident appeared before the court during the public comment period of the meeting and asked for help restoring a low water bridge where county roads 2800 and 2900 join at a point about halfway between Erbie and Marble Falls. The man said he experienced a bad wreck there about a year ago and it is particularly dangerous if high water is present.
Campbell said a high bridge is needed there and plans call for one, but the money isn't available. It isn't eligible for FEMA funding right now. He said he has looked for contractors, but none are apparently willing to take on the job due to labor shortages. Campbell lamented that he would like to finish a project he started. Right now all that can be done is to clear the area when storm debris is present.
JPs asked if the county could direct American Rescue Plan funds to the project when the county receives its share from the state. The Association of Arkansas Counties estimated that Newton County will receive $1.5 million. The funds are to be used to offset the county's costs of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, rules for spending the money have not been laid out for counties and municipalities.
That brought up a discussion about budgeting the funds as they are supposed to be used for anything connected to responding to the virus.
Brad Brown, the court's solicitor, said he would think anything could be connected to the pandemic. It's a ripple effect, he reasoned. But how far out the ripples go that can be funded is still at question, he said.
JP Arlis Jones said he was contacted by David Thompson, a Boone County justice of the peace. Thompson told Jones the seven-county Northwest Arkansas District Fair which is held in September at the fairgrounds in Harrison is financially drained since it didn't produce any revenue last year due to the pandemic. Jones said Thompson is approaching counties and asking them to provide a share based on each county's population to meet the operation needs for the fair to be held this year. The idea is the money would come from the federal rescue funds since the revenue loss was solely COVID-related.
Jones said he understands the district fair board will need between $80,000 to $100,000 to hold a fair this year. He guessed Newton County would be expected to put up between $7,000 and $10,000.
It was quickly noted by Judge Campbell that the Newton County Fair suffered similarly and that money would go to it, first.
