The Garland County Quorum Court's Finance Committee approved the first appropriation of the year Monday night from the economic development fund administered by the Hot Springs Metro Partnership, honoring an agreement reached last fall that restored the nonprofit corporation's funding in return for county authority over spending requests.
The committee approved Metro Partnership President and CEO Jim Fram's request for $500 to send committee chairman and District 9 Justice of the Peace Matt McKee to a four-day economic development course in Little Rock. Fram, who said he instructs a section of the course, told the committee it will be a primer for McKee, as elected officials from across the state plan to attend the April 4-7 Midsouth Basic Economic Development Course at the state chamber of commerce.
"It's the beginning step in economic development," Fram told JPs, explaining that the curriculum includes the opportunity to interact with a panel of corporate site selectors. "I went through the same course, and everybody on our staff's been through it. I think it would be valuable to you as a committee and the quorum court to have a member with that background."
The quorum court appropriated $75,000 in 2016 Partnership funding after withdrawing its 2015 appropriation amid skepticism of the group's ability to recruit industry to unincorporated areas the city won't connect water to. County officials questioned why the Partnership didn't lobby the city to loosen its connection policy, but Fram explained that its acceptance of public funds forbids the Partnership from engaging in issue advocacy.
Fram suggested before last fall's budget hearings that instead of paying a quarterly fee to the Partnership the county could appropriate money into an economic development fund and release it at its discretion. The arrangement requires county approval for all spending requests.
The city pays the Partnership a $100,000 annual economic development fee, and contributions from area businesses make up the balance of its funding. The group is an adjunct of The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, which processes the Partnership's payroll and other administrative expenses.
McKee was initially opposed to the arrangement, telling the Finance Committee last fall that, "Until Metro Partnership and or the chamber decides to put themselves in a position to help business development in Garland County, I don't see why on earth we'd do that."
County Judge Rick Davis, who sits on the Partnership's board, ultimately convinced the committee to unanimously approve the appropriation, saying private dollars wouldn't flow into Garland County without being enabled by public funds.
Fram said the $500 will pay for McKee's tuition, and that the course includes instruction on community, neighborhood and workforce development and strategic planning. The course is accredited by the International Economic Development Council.
The Finance Committee also gave do-pass recommendations to the following ordinances:
ā¢ A $30,000 appropriation to Division 2 Circuit Court. The money comes from a specialty court grant awarded to the Helping Each Other Reach Our Sobriety program affiliated with Division 2's juvenile drug court.
ā¢ A $23,000 appropriation of a General Improvement Fund grant to help pay for a new roof at the sheriff's department.
ā¢ A $30,000 appropriation of a GIF grant to help pay for a firearms training facility at the county detention center.
ā¢ A $7,500 appropriation of a GIF grant to help pay for facility improvements at the Lake Hamilton Optimist Club.
ā¢ A $9,140 appropriation of National School Lunch Program money to the juvenile detention center budget.
Local on 02/04/2016