Ernest Pender has announced that he is a candidate for re-election to the office of District 6 Justice of the Peace.
Pender is currently chairman of the finance committee and the detention facility committee.
"When I was first elected to the Quorum Court in 1992, Miller County was in poor financial condition and had no reserves in the general fund balance. One of the primary responsibilities of the Quorum Court is to create a budget and make sure the county operates within that budget," Pender said.
"Miller County has an overall budget of about $16,700,000 with over $7,115,000 of that being the county general budget. Miller County finished fiscal year 2017 with a general fund balance of over $2,538,000 and an overall balance of funds of almost $6,851,000. General fund spending over the past few years has gradually risen to the point of almost overtaking general fund revenues. It has taken over 25 years of careful management to build up the general fund reserves to over 25 percent of the overall GF budget allowing Miller County to meet emergency needs as they arise. It is important to keep a tight rein on spending for Miller County to remain financially sound," he said.
Pender is the owner and president of Pender Water Wells, which has served the water needs of the Texarkana area since 1955. He was twice elected as the president of the Arkansas Water Well Contractors Association. He sat on the board of directors of the National Ground Water Association for 10 years, serving three years as the finance chairman, and was elected president of NGWA in 2003. Pender was originally appointed to the Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission by Gov. Mike Huckabee and is currently in his fourth five-year term on the commission.
"It has been a great honor to serve Miller County. I pledge to continue to use sound and conservative business practices to ensure that the taxpayer's moneys are wisely spent and that Miller County remains financially sound," Pender said.