By DAVID PIERCE
NEA Town Courier
Six appropriation ordinances were on the June 25 Mississippi County Quorum Court agenda with three earmarked to provide funding in exchange for jobs.
Precision Field Services, Lexicon/Prospect Steel and Adams Gin each requested funds totaling more than $1 million dollars from the county’s economic development account. The funds are typically disbursed in exchange for the creation of jobs for county residents. The court readily approves such measures with little discussion but the wording in each brought questions regarding whether these were ‘new’ jobs.
All three companies were being rewarded retroactively for jobs already created.
Though Precision’s $400,000 request in exchange for a total of 45 jobs – 30 on the books and 15 new jobs - passed unanimously, discussion lingered for quite some time before the remaining two ordinances were passed.
After Lexicon’s $500,000 request was introduced, Justice Molly Jackson asked if any of the 300 jobs promised were “new jobs?”
Clif Chitwood, Great River Economic Development Foundation President, explained that Lexicon has invested “multimillions in this community,” and the intention for these economic development dollars was to offset capital expenditures. “In turn we grow Mississippi County,” he added.
“But where do we draw the line?” asked Jackson.
“Please understand,” replied Chitwood, “all three (ordinances) result in housing and families coming to Mississippi County. And if I understood the wishes of the court that is our priority.”
Motion was made and seconded but the measure passed only by a 5-4 margin with Jackson, and justices Rick Ash, Neil Burge and Reggie Cullom voting against the funding. Justices Betty Hepler, Cecil McDonald, Harbans Mangat, Melinda Martin and Michael White voted in favor. Justices Drake Brown and Tobye McClanahan were not present at the meeting.
The Adams Gin’s $125,000 appeal came into question as well. That disbursement is in exchange for 50 part-time seasonal jobs which equates to 12.5 full-time jobs.
Again, Jackson harkened to retroactive creation of jobs.
Chitwood continued to defend the program as well as the Work aHere-Live Here incentive which targets workers purchasing or building housing within the county in exchange for down payment assistance.
He mentioned that there have been 150 housing starts within the last 15 months, “more than the last 15 years,” and $21 million has been invested in new housing.
Justice Martin emphasized she “wasn’t against growth,” but just wanted to be a good steward of the county’s money.
Justice Burge agreed, but, too, questioned if this was the correct way to reward county dollars.
And Justice Ash asked if this would lead to “every company walking in here,” and requesting funds for jobs already created.
“This needs to be done the right way,” he added, “for expansion not retroactively.”
County Judge John Alan Nelson offered a solution which would amend the ordinance wording to exclude retroactive.
The court agreed and the measure passed unanimously.
Judge Nelson also recommended the court approve an ordinance creating a A.A. ‘Shug’ Banks Memorial Fund with $21,500, secured privately, added to the account. The money will be used to honor Banks, who served as county judge for 20 years, with a plaque. In his tenure, Banks, who passed away in 2001, served as president of the Arkansas County Judges' Association and was founder and first president of the Arkansas Association of Counties. He also served as a director of the National Association of County Officials.
“We are grateful for him and his family,” said Nelson, “and this is good way to memorialize him for his contributions to the county.”
In other business, the court:
• Approved an ordinance earmarking $250,000 for repair and maintenance of the courthouse annex in Blytheville as well the county EOC Head Start building in Osceola. The dollars will be transferred from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act fund.
• Passed an ordinance for allocation of the Opiod Settlement Grant Fund to the county’s Adult Drug Court. The $16,448 will be spread across five drug court accounts.
• Staff from the county office of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service addressed the court at the onset of the meeting. Alan Beach, the agriculture extension agent; Kamella Neeley, 4-H agent; and Pam Pruett, Family Consumer Services, each highlighted the activities of their respective departments.