According to a document released by Mississippi County government, the city of Blytheville currently owes the county over $700,000 in back jail fees.
As of July 31 of this year, the total in unpaid fees is $737,211.94. The document states that the city owes $80,861.94 from the year of 2010, with 2011 and 2012 left out due to the agreement reached between the two government entities, and a total of $656,350 owed for the years 2013 and 2014 through the present.
Regular payments for the amounts due from 2011 and 2012 are documented, with those debts noted as "paid in full," but only one payment is listed in 2013 and none in 2014 or 2015.
County Judge Randy Carney has said that his office is in touch with the county's attorney dealing with the matter, Rainwater, Holt & Sexton of Little Rock, and he expects that the county will easily win in any final judgement.
Blytheville city attorney Mike Bearden said that he is not personally handling the matter, that in this case the city is being represented by Michael Mosley with the Arkansas Municipal League, but that he is advised on motion in the case.
"I have talked to him about it, and he feels like, and I have looked at the law myself, that there is a very legitimate question as to whether the city can be charged fees for anything but municipal offenses, because that's what the statue says. That's why we're doing this. If we win, we're in really good shape, and if we lose, we're right where we are," Bearden said.
sspears@couriernews.net