Quorum Court Committees Pass All Ordinances
Faulkner County Quorum Court committees met on July 11 to consider the following ordinances. As usual, all issues passed the Committees, and will be brought to the July Quorum Court for approval.
Courts & Public Safety Committee:
Ordinance 23-20, (Cryptomining) AAC Data Center Noise Ordinance
Ordinance 23-21, APR Funds: County Volunteer Fire Department Radios
Ordinance 23-22, ARP Funds: Criminal Justice Counseling for Sheriff’s Department
Animal Shelter Again
Chair JP Maree Coats (R, Dist. 2) made a very brief mention of responding to an “entire list of questions, buried in detail .. so we can move forward on the construction drawings” for a proposed animal shelter on the property Faulkner County approved for purchase two years ago at Springhill; Faulkner County took possession of the property in February, 2022.
Cryptomining Noise Ordinance
Despite the heightened interest across Faulkner County in addressing the noise created by a Bono cryptomining site, a promised “noise ordinance” was not made available to JPs or the public until this meeting.
A new state law takes effect on August 1 that bans local jurisdictions from enacting such ordinances. Anticipating that deadline, many cities and counties in Arkansas quickly moved to approve a “template” data center noise ordinance created by the Association of Arkansas Counties to regulate sound levels.
Comparing Ordinance 23-20 that Coats sponsored with the AAC “template” ordinance reflects very few changes, notably the insertion of the word “cryptomining” in front of the words “data center,” plus a slight change in allowable daytime sound levels. The Ordinance calls for the Sheriff’s Department to measure sound levels.
Some County officials have opined that the AAC template ordinance “will not stand up in court” if challenged.
Personnel Committee:
Ordinance 23-19, Veterans Service Officer
Faulkner County was in line to lose funding for this needed service that provides a “one-stop shop” for some 7,400+ Faulkner County veterans who need help navigating governmental affairs. The now full-time Veterans Service Officer position is administered through the County Judge’s office.
Budget & Finance Committee:
Ordinance 23-17, Appropriations
Ordinance 23-18, Appropriations for Sheriff’s Department
Ordinance 23-19, Veterans Service Officer
Videos edited from original video on Faulkner County’s YouTube channel.)
Visit Faulkner County Reports on YouTube for more videos and video excerpts from this and other County meetings and events.
