Judge briefs Quorum Court in aftermath of disaster

n During the first Miller County Quorum Court meeting since the courthouse flooding, the 11 members heard several updates on Monday evening.
n During the first Miller County Quorum Court meeting since the courthouse flooding, the 11 members heard several updates on Monday evening.

TEXARKANA, Ark. - In its first meeting since the courthouse flooding, the 11-member Miller County Quorum Court heard several updates on Monday evening.

Judge Cathy H. Harrison told the justices of the peace, who met at the Texarkana, Ark. City Hall, that she issued a verbal disaster declaration Feb. 21, the day after the flood, which she followed up on Feb. 22 with a written declaration. With both declarations she said, the Federal Emergency Management Administration should pay up to 75% above and beyond whatever the county's insurance will pay on the flood damage.

Harrison added that an asbestos abatement will need to be conducted in three rooms on the courthouse's upper floors. She said the abatement will be covered by the county's insurance and she went on to say that insurance claims adjusters were able to view the courthouse's interior for three days last week and did a room by room walk through.

Harrison said that while the county hasn't received any financial figures yet regarding building energy savings this year, she added that work on getting a solar farm in place, is still in progress.

Regarding county government office transition to the Landmark Building, Harrison said the offices and their personnel have settled in but telephone service still needs to be hooked up along with much of the Internet service.

As for the cost of county space being rented in the 400 block of Hazel Street, Harrison said the county's Budget and Finance Committee initially had information that it would be more then $2 per square foot, but it wound up being only 49 cents per square foot.

As for additional financial aid regarding personnel, Harrison said the federal government's most recent CARES ACT package of $1.9 trillion has passed the U.S. House and if it passes the U.S. Senate, it could mean up to $60 million collectively for all 75 of Arkansas' counties, with about $2 million to $3 million to Miller County.

In other other business, the JPs agreed to hold the rest of their monthly meetings in the Landmark Building, since most of their offices are there anyway.

Upcoming Events