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The Baxter County Quorum Court will take up a $5 million emergency appropriation for a new courthouse annex, a $46,000 aviation training appropriation for the sheriff’s office and four other measures when it meets Tuesday night.
The court is scheduled to convene at 5:30 p.m. June 2 in the second-floor courtroom of the Baxter County Courthouse, with County Judge Kevin Litty presiding. Treasurer Jenay Mize is set to deliver her monthly report, and Taylor Carmichael of the Baxter County Airport is scheduled to make a presentation.
The annex building measure is the largest dollar item. The emergency ordinance would establish a new Annex Building Fund on the county’s books and transfer $5 million from the County General Investment Fund to underwrite construction. Of that total, $260,000 would go to engineering and architect services and $4.24 million would be appropriated for construction in progress. The emergency clause allows the ordinance to take effect immediately upon passage.
A separate ordinance would rename the existing Aviation Reserve Fund as simply the Aviation Fund and appropriate $46,000 into its 2026 budget at the request of the sheriff’s office. The bulk of the appropriation, $30,000, would go to training and education. Another $6,000 is earmarked for fleet insurance, $4,000 for fuel and lubricants and $2,000 for meals and lodging. Smaller amounts would cover general supplies, small equipment, parts and repairs and other professional services. The Budget Committee is listed as the sponsor.
The court will also consider an appropriation ordinance accepting $18,660 in fees, reimbursements and donations the sheriff’s office collected in April beyond its anticipated budgeted revenue. The largest single line is an $11,442.04 reimbursement check that would be appropriated to the sheriff’s parts and repairs account. The $18,660 would be split across four funds: $14,346.63 to the County General Fund, $2,810.06 to the Sheriff’s Special Projects Fund, $1,125.31 to the County Jail Fund and $378 to the Animal Control Fund.
A third appropriation ordinance would move $7,248 from the County General Fund into the Building and Grounds 2026 budget’s parts and repairs line. The funds came from the sale of county vehicles at Walker’s Auction Service on May 5.
The court will also consider a resolution expressing support for an Automated Records System grant application by the Baxter County and Circuit Clerk’s office. The resolution notes the current land records management system is inadequate for long-term preservation, security and accessibility of county land records. Baxter County is a Class 4 county and is eligible to apply through the Automated Records System Fund managed by the Association of Arkansas Counties.
The court will also vote on an emergency ordinance establishing a Recycling Grant Fund and appropriating $180,000 for equipment and vehicles at the Baxter Day Service Center. The Observer is covering that measure separately.
Sheriff John Montgomery will close the meeting with a deputy recognition announcement. The meeting is open to the public.
