Members of the Mississippi County Quorum Court Tuesday night approved an ordinance allowing County Judge Steve McGuire to take out a loan for up to $250,000 to build a maintenance building and buy a bulldozer and front-end loader for the county's landfill.
The ordinance mentions specifically the construction of a 40-by-60-foot maintenance building with an adjoining storage area and restroom.
The construction project was previously let for bids, but a misinterpretation of wording resulting in not all bids being equal. The court agreed to allow the specifications to be redone and the project let for bids again.
The ordinance calls for McGuire to find interest rates and terms as allowed by Amendment 78 of the Arkansas Constitution and Act 1808 of 2001, with payment terms not to exceed five years and interest rates not to exceed those allowed by law.
The court also approved ordinances amending the county's budgets for 2008 and 2009.
Justice Michael White, speaking on behalf of the finance committee, told justices that the ordinance for 2008 is merely the final "cleanup" budget to make sure county revenues and expenses are listed properly.
McGuire told justices that he appreciated all employees and citizens of the county for working together on the county's budgets.
A final budget revealed the county received almost $1 million in revenue that had not been anticipated. In spite of the additional revenues, the county had some $800,000 left in the 2008 budget for the year.
The second ordinance, amending the 2009 budget, reflects an additional $1,250 for gas and vehicle maintenance materials for a new vehicle purchased by the assessor's office.
White explained that County Assessor Harley Bradley had funds to purchase the vehicle under Amendment 79 funds, but did not have a line item in the budget for fuel, oil and other maintenance materials.
Justice Donnie McDaniel, chairman of the court's police, fire and safety committee, reported that the city of Blytheville had paid $51,000 on their past due jail bill of $68,000.
McDaniel also reported that his committee agreed to spend $7,000 on the purchase of bar lights for patrol cars of the sheriff's department.
The court also unanimously approved a resolution confirming the appointment of James Sanders to the office of Mississippi County Sheriff. His term will expire Dec. 31, 2010.
Before adjournment, Justice Emmanuel Lofton offered a prayer of support and comfort to Justice John Alan Nelson, whose son was killed in an automobile accident last weekend.