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It’s officially a new year, and that means its time for our newly elected representatives to take their seats in government.
To start the new year off, newly elected Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty will oversee Baxter County’s first Quorum Court session of the year tonight.
His agenda, while keeping things simple, will set up the rules by which the court conducts itself throughout the rest of the year.
Establishing procedures
The first order of business for tonight’s court will be an ordinance adopting the court’s rules of procedures as it begins to conduct its business for the year. Those procedures will be pulled from the Procedural Guide for Arkansas County Quorum Court Meetings as well as Robert’s Rules of Order.
The ordinance states that regular meetings shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the 2nd floor courtroom of the Baxter County Courthouse. If a meeting needs to be rescheduled, the ordinance authorizes Judge Litty to choose another date to meet. He will be required to notify the County Clerk of the date, who must then notify the court within four days of the new date.
The ordinances also detail the order of business for the court, beginning with its call to order and moving through silent prayers, the pledge, meeting minutes, committee reports and into new and unfinished business.
The court will also establish its various committees for the year. Judge Litty will be responsible for appointing members to those committees throughout the month.
Members of the court will also establish their per diem pay for the year, $375, for each meeting. Those sitting on committees can expect to earn an additional $50 per meeting.
Following the vote to establish procedures for the year, the court will take up several more ordinances.
The first of those ordinances will be to designate the Sheriff’s Office as the collector of all fines throughout the county’s circuit court and district court. Following that the court will address an ordinance appropriating fees and reimbursements received in November to the Sheriff’s 2022 budget.
The court will also discuss two ordinances appropriating $36,400 and $60,000 in revenue funds to the Sheriff’s Office.
Lastly, the court will vote on re-appointing Anita Knack to the Cotter/Gassville Rural Fire Protection District Board, and appointing Edward Holt to the Henderson Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners.
Baxter County Judge Litty
Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty has served as a Justice of the Peace for the Baxter County Quorum Court for the last six years. He has worked closely with each of the Elected Officials and has a good understanding of the challenges facing county government. During his campaign for the county’s top seat, he pledged to “keep moving Baxter County forward as a member of the Elected Officials team.”
Litty has a long history in Baxter County with a unique combination of business and law enforcement experience. He and his brother formed 2L Cattle Company in early 2000. He is most famously known for his time as a Mountain Home police officer, where he served for 28 years.
He defeated his opponent in last year’s race for county judge, Brian Plumlee, in a runoff election by 292 votes.
Litty’s Quorum Court experience includes committee work on the Budget, Personnel, and Building Committees. Litty is married to Brandee Litty and has two sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren.
