Pike County will be increasing the revenue budgeted to the Pike County Extension Office in 2016.
In a meeting held Monday, August, 20, Family Consumer Science Agent Eva Langley, who works in the Pike County Extension Office addressed the Pike County Quorum Court.
Langley explained that the University of Arkansas was asking that the counties raise their Professional Services Line Item in the budget to $30,000 per year. This would be an increase of $8,000, with $4,000 the first year and an additional $4,000 the second year, to come to a total of $30,000.
Langley told the court that the funds will help defray the cost of the two agents that work in Pike County. She also said that in two years, the county will be asked to pay 75% of the 4-H Specialist’s salary which will be around $16,000 in additional funds.
The Court discussed the issue and agreed that Pike County wanted to keep the program. They told Langley to ask for the additional funds in the 2016 budget.
The court then voted to lease a 2016 Mack Dump Truck after Pike County Judge Dewight Mack reported that the truck he had spoken about in a previous meeting needs to have an estimated $20,000 in repairs and that he did not think that the truck was worth investing that much money in to repair.
Judge Mack presented lease agreements on a 2015 and a 2016 Mack Dump Truck with a dump bed to the Court. After discussion of both vehicles the motion was made to lease the 2016 truck.
Judge Mack told the Court that he would meet with FEMA and that he had turned in claims for disaster assistance in the amount of $425,000, but expects that the true amount may exceed that. He explained that after all of the damage is assessed, FEMA will pay 75%, the state 12.5% and the county 12.5%.
An ordinance to rescind the county’s franchise agreement with Vyve Broadband A, LLC was tabled after discussion of who would be responsible for the clean-up involved. Judge Mack will be contacting the company and clarifying with them the clean up process.
