Residents voice complaints over Nimbus traffic

The controversial Nimbus Project was back at the forefront of the Carroll County Quorum Court’s regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with residents speaking during public comments about traffic delays created by trucks hauling oversized loads carrying components for the project’s 30 wind turbines.

Richard Williams, a former county judge who lives on County Road 905 south of Green Forest, primary site of the project, recounted being stuck for nearly an hour behind an oversized load, arguing that state law limits such stoppages to just a few minutes. He also said that he had been advised by the Arkansas Highway Patrol that local law enforcement agencies have the authority to issue citations for violations of state and federal regulations such as overweight loads. He later provided copies of several warnings and citations written to drivers by the highway patrol.

Williams said he had been told by someone with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office that only the state highway patrol had authority over the transports.

Resident Arturo Calvillo, one of the landowners who has a lease agreement for the Nimbus Project, praised local law enforcement for managing traffic as best they could, arguing that the process generally worked smoothly and should not be overly disrupted. Resident Bobby Wilson said congestion remains a serious problem, affecting daily commutes, student travel and emergency access.

Sheriff Daniel Klatt acknowledged the frustration but stressed the department’s limited manpower and lack of training in specialized trucking and Department of Transportation regulations. Klatt said the sheriff’s office is working with the state highway patrol to clarify what local deputies can enforce and how best to manage future convoys.

MERCY UPDATE

Tom Guhr, administrator of Mercy hospital in Berryville provided an extensive update on the hospital, highlighting substantial financial and patient growth over the past year. Guhr said the hospital’s gross revenue rose by nearly 10 percent in its most recent fiscal year, while net operating income increased more than 100 percent. Patient visits also expanded across the board, with hundreds of additional inpatient days, thousands more outpatient visits and a sharp rise in emergency room visits.

Guhr said the hospital is pursuing a long-term goal of bringing “big city services” to a rural setting. Partnerships with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences have fueled a rural residency training program, the first of its kind in the state, aimed at training physicians in both clinical and hospital environments. The hospital hopes to retain some graduates locally to expand its physician base.

Behavioral health remains a focus, with the revival of the Senior Life Solutions program providing outpatient counseling for older adults. Surgical services are expanding as well, with a goal of offering joint replacement procedures in Berryville rather than requiring patients to travel elsewhere.

Hospital leaders are also seeking a permanent MRI machine, replacing the mobile unit now available only one and a half days per week. Guhr said U.S. Rep. Steve Womack secured more than $1.3 million in federal funds toward the estimated $4 million project, and additional fundraising is underway.

PERSON OF THE YEAR The court unanimously honored Oak Grove native Josh Arnold as Carroll County’s “Person of the Year” for 20252026, citing his lifetime of public service, including roles as firefighter, emergency medical technician, nurse, and community volunteer.

Arnold, a registered nurse at Mercy , disarmed an inmate from the county jail who took a service weapon from a deputy sheriff while being treated in the hospital on May 10 and fired two shots inside the facility. No one was injured in the incident. The inmate — William Kevin Rose of Little Rock, who had been arrested by Eureka Springs police officers for aggravated assault and resisting arrest — was charged after the incident with aggravated assault on an employee of a correctional facility, theft, resisting arrest, fleeing, battery, making terroristic threats and breaking or entering. On Aug. 7, Carroll County Circuit Judge Scott Jackson ordered that Rose undergo a forensic examination to determine his fitness to proceed to trial.

The Carroll County Quorum Court’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Berryville.