Committee Mulls ARP Funds for Infrastructure; OKs Ordinances

June’s Infrastructure Committee focused on proposed Ordinances 22-29 and 22-30, both dealing with ways to apportion the County’s ARP funds for water/wastewater projects across the County.

On June 7, after Chair JP Matt Brown (R, Dist. 8) distributed the Road Department report, the Committee spent about an hour kicking around the proposals — and new information brought forward by one JP — before first voting unanimously to send the two proposed Ordinances to the full Quorum Court.

After County Attorney Phil Murphy instructed the Committee to send the items to the Budget & Finance Committee, the Committee altered its unanimous motion to do so.

In an unusual move, JPs John Pickett (D, Dist. 11), Randy Higgins (R, Dist. 2), and Jerry Boyer (R, Dist. 12) attended the meeting, which was not held on the usual “all-in-one” Committee meeting night; however, Committee member JP Justin Knight (R, Dist. 1) was absent.

JP John Allison (R, Dist. 3) explained that Ordinance 22-29 allows $1,570,000 to each one of the projects previously submitted through the County Judge’s office, leaving the remainder of the funds “available for other projects that might benefit more County residents.” He emphasized equitable distribution and “saving money.”

Later, he urged action as soon as possible, saying

Inflation’s through the roof and there’s no end in sight. These are projects that I think will benefit the County. They’ll provide growth opportunities for the County which will make increased revenue….

I was talking to the Judge this week, and my philosophy on growing government revenues — by economic growth, I don’t want to see tax increases. I don’t want to write fines or license fees…. but I want to see economic growth and I think these projects will offer opportunities for economic growth that will increase revenues and allow us to do more to serve citizens.

JP Sam Strain (R, Dist. 4) had a similar approach; his Ordinance 22-30 appropriates up to $700,000 to each one of the projects. Strain emphasized “skin in the game” as he discussed a possible dollar-for-dollar match from each entity.

While Strain’s Ordinance caps the amount spent at about 30% of the total ARP funds and puts some target dates into the picture, both proposals contain language allowing for “multiyear contracts for the implementation and financial supervision” of the various water/wastewater projects.

Higgins, noting that he’d met with County Judge Jim Baker personally, gave more details from Baker on how to distribute the ARP funds.

The Committee took no formal action on Higgins’ remarks, nor was there any indication as to what happens next with Baker’s proposal, although Boyer said he’d also had a meeting with the Judge about “numbers and and how to affect the [JP] Districts” when appropriating the ARP funds.

Videos edited from original video on Faulkner County’s YouTube channel.)

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