TEXARKANA, Ark. -- Smith Park and the Miller County jail both receive beneficiary grant funding during the Miller County Quorum Court meeting Monday
With one proposed finance appropriation ordinance, the Court green lighted a combined total of $50,000 in Arkansas State Conservation grant funds to the park.
This will enable the park to not only receive plumbing and electrical materials for a restroom and shower building, but it will also pay for building materials and supplies needed for constructing walking trails, bridges, benches and picnic tables throughout the park.
Beyond Smith Park, the Quorum Court's 11 justices of peace also appropriated $8,000 in COVID-19 related American Rescue Plan grant funds for jail expansion construction machinery and equipment.
Justice of the Peace John Haltom, who chairs the Quorum Court's Jail Committee, said that during a recent meeting with the Collierville, Tennessee- base South Build construction firm officials, plans came together to build two structures that will get the county the 60 additional inmate beds that the current 285-bed jail is presently needing.
Haltom said that by March or April of next year, bids should start coming in for beginning construction work, and he added that another meeting to review construction could take place within six months.
"Hopefully, I tried to make sure that they understood that we have very limited budget to work with," he said.
In other business, court members said chances for buying a piece of property for $10,000, near the East Third Street and Pecan Street intersection look very promising. That's where the county would like to build its new Coroner's Office.