Quorum court keeps meeting schedule unchanged for 2025-26

The Carroll County Quorum Court will continue to hold its regular meetings at 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the courtroom of the Eastern District Courthouse in Berryville.

The quorum court held a special meeting Thursday, Jan. 2, to choose the time, day and place for meetings for 2025 and 2026 as well as set guidelines for the meetings.

The Jan. 2 meeting was the first for District 8 Justice of the Peace Bobby James, District 9 JP Aaron Hall and District 11 JP Caroline Rogers.

James and Hall were elected to their seats without opposition in the November general election, while Rogers defeated longtime District 11 JP John Howerton in November.

At the Jan. 2 meeting, Rogers raised the topic of public comments. An outspoken opponent of Scout Clean Energy’s Nimbus Project that will involve the installation of 30 wind turbines in an area near Green Forest, Rogers had frequently addressed the quorum court regarding the issue during public comments dating back to March 2023.

The quorum court’s practice for more than a decade has been to allow comments from the public during a designated period near the beginning of each regular meeting, with the county judge using his or her discretion regarding the number of speakers and each speaker limited to three minutes.

At the Jan. 2 meeting, Rogers suggested that the public should be given an additional opportunity to comment on matters coming up for a vote by the quorum court.

“So we already have the comments from the public and we’ve got that on the agenda,” Rogers said. “I agree with that. The part that I need clarification on, in the JP handbook, it talks about what appears to be a second opportunity, and it says the public should be given a meaningful opportunity to comment before an item is voted on. What I observed in other quorum courts is that when an ordinance is … they’ve got the public comment in the beginning, like we’ve been doing and they do their business and then they read an ordinance. What I’ve seen happen is, then they ask: Is there any additional public comment on what we’re getting ready to vote on? So the public has another opportunity to comment.”

The Arkansas Association of Counties’ Arkansas County Justices of the Peace 2022 Procedures Manual outlines guidelines for public comments.

“Regular legislative sessions of the quorum court are to be distinguished from public hearings, which are held for the purpose of providing an opportunity for the public to express opinions on particular subjects,” the manual says. “However, since public interest and attendance are to be encouraged, it may be desired to include in the order of business a time for brief comments or questions from members of the public. The public should be given a meaningful opportunity to comment before an item is voted on. This would be appropriate near the end of the meeting, before or following announcements.”

Rogers’ comments came after District 1 JP Jack Deaton made a motion that the quorum court keep the same meeting day, time and location as it had in 2023 and 2024. District 5 JP Matt Phillips seconded the motion.

After Rogers’ remarks regarding public comments, Deaton responded: “That has nothing to do with the motion that’s on the table at this time.”

JPs then approved Deaton’s motion 11-0.

Rogers raised the issue of public comments again during the portion of the meeting designated for JPs’ comments.

“My comments is that we normally have our public comment for three minutes at the beginning of the meeting,” she said. “I’m fine with that. What it says in the JP manual is, ‘The public should be given a meaningful opportunity to comment before an item is voted on.’ Now, I notice in Boone County, they have their public comment in the beginning, then if they have an ordinance or something coming up later, the JPs discuss the ordinance. Before they vote on it, the judge asks: ‘Are there any additional comments from the public?’ about that particular ordinance before they vote on it. That’s what seems to be in alignment with the JP manual. So, I’m just bringing it to your attention.”

Rogers said she would like “some discussion and clarification” about the issue of public comments.

No JPs responded to Rogers’ comments.

The next regular meeting of the Carroll County Quorum Court is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the courtroom of the Eastern District Courthouse in Berryville.