Benton County Quorum Court approves federal money for requests

BENTONVILLE -- The Benton County Quorum Court on Thursday voted to use money from the American Rescue Plan to pay for a series of requests, but another will be back before the court next month for consideration.

The plan provides $350 billion in federal money for eligible state, local, territorial and tribal governments nationwide, according to the county.

The county will receive a combined $54 million -- $27 million over the next two years.

Justices of the peace approved premium payments of $2,000 for full-time employees and $1,000 for part-time employees by a vote of 13-0, with one member absent and one seat on the court open. The cost is $1.5 million, according to county documents.

Using federal money to pay staff with the Beaver Lake and Northeast Benton County volunteer fire departments also was approved 13-0. Beaver Lake has four full-time employees and 27 part-time staff; Northeast Benton County has three full-time positions and 40 part-time staff. The premium payout would be the same amounts that will go to county full-time and part-time workers. The total cost will be $90,000, according to county documents.

The two are the only non-municipal supported volunteer fire departments with some paid staff primarily, but not entirely, because they have ambulance service, according to County Judge Barry Moehring.

The county also will use $253,517 in rescue plan money for volunteer fire departments to match state money in connection with Act 833. The vote was 13-0. The departments do not receive any municipal support, Moehring said.

The State Fire Protection Services Program -- Act 833 of 1991 -- provides money for improvements to qualified fire departments and isn't intended to pay for the daily operation of fire departments. All expenditures using Act 833 money must be directly related to firefighting capabilities, according to the state.

The county jail will receive some upgrades via a 13-0 vote by the court. The county will use a little over $1 million in rescue plan money to replace the original heating and air-conditioning rooftop units at the jail that opened in 1999.

American Rescue Plan money can be used for "support for prevention, mitigation or other services in congregate living facilities (incarceration settings, homeless shelters, etc.)," according to information from the county.

A $113,000 appropriation ordinance for the Northwest Arkansas Council's covid-19 vaccination and public information campaign will go to a second reading next month after it failed to get the necessary 10 votes needed for such an ordinance. The vote was 9-4 in favor of the appropriation.

Justices of the Peace Carrie Perrien Smith, Brian Armas, Joseph Bollinger and Leigh Nogy voted no. Armas and Bollinger mentioned the marketing aspect of the campaign as a part of their reasoning.

Moehring backed the council and its efforts, saying it had been a leader in Northwest Arkansas since the covid-19 pandemic started last year, citing its ability to marshal different entities and get them to work as one during the crisis. He encouraged justices of the peace to think about the bigger picture before they voted.

Benton and Washington counties along with Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale were asked to be part of the campaign, Moehring said.

The Rogers City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution to partner with the council to help it continue the vaccination and public information campaign. The resolution appropriates up to $69,908 of city money from the rescue plan, according to Mayor Greg Hines. Springdale City Council pledged $87,176 from its rescue plan money to support the council's efforts.

Bentonville, Fayetteville and Washington County have not decided yet on funding the initiative.