The Garland County Quorum Court appropriated a $30,000 General Improvement Fund grant Monday night for a shooting range the sheriff's department is building adjacent to the detention center.
Dirt work is complete, but Sheriff Mike McCormick told justices of the peace the 50-yard range for pistol and shotgun training won't be completed for another six months. The department currently conducts firearms training and qualification at the Hot Springs Police Department's range near DeSoto Park.
McCormick said the 13-foot high berm at the end of the range will protect nearby residences in the Crystal Hill Road area. He said the 9-foot high berms that flank the range and a roof that will be sprayed with noise-insulating material will absorb most of the sound.
"We're going to be very attentive to the public's concerns," McCormick assured justices of the peace, adding that the department doesn't plan to use the range for night training.
County Judge Rick Davis told JPs the department will be subject to the county noise ordinance that was amended in 2008 to prohibit "unreasonably loud and disturbing noises" from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. He said the federal standards the range will be built in compliance with makes an endorsement from the quorum court's Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee unnecessary.
The range is located near the middle of the main 41-acre parcel that, according to property records, the county purchased for $1 million from Double B Properties Inc. in 2012 as the site for the current detention center. The grant money awarded to the department comes primarily from state general revenue surpluses and interest earned on state treasury holdings.
Monday night's meeting began with sheriff's Reserve Deputy Richard Green presenting McCormick with an Arkansas Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award in recognition of his support for Reserve Deputy Jerry Cunningham, a staff sergeant in the 296 Medical Company of the Arkansas Army National Guard.
The quorum court also adopted the following resolutions:
• The appointment of retired Maj. Gen. Thomas Arwood, Don Gooch, David York, Tom Bryant and Charles Alvord to the Garland County Waterworks and Sewer Facilities Board.
• The reappointment of Anita Bogard as a commissioner of the Royal Water Public Facilities Board. Bogard's current term expires March 18.
The quorum court adopted the following ordinances:
• An official recognition and establishment of the Garland County Financial Management Office.
• The removal of $248,117 in personnel services, supplies and other expenses from the county judge, county clerk, county general services, sheriff's department and detention facility budgets for the purpose of funding the financial management office.
• A $4,148 appropriation for salary adjustments omitted during preparation of the county's 2016 budget.
• A $2,376 appropriation to raise the pay of a county maintenance repair technician that serves the county building complex.
• A $23,000 appropriation of a GIF grant to help pay for a new roof at the sheriff's department.
• A $7,500 appropriation of a GIF grant to the county parks and recreation budget for improvements to the Lake Hamilton Optimist Club baseball field and dugouts.
• A $9,140 appropriation of a National School Lunch Program reimbursement for July through November 2015 to the juvenile detention center budget.
• Transfers totaling $188,226 to fund the financial management office.
• A $30,000 appropriation of a specialty court grant awarded to the Helping Each Other Reach Our Sobriety program affiliated with Division 2 Circuit Court's juvenile drug court.
• A $4,438 appropriation to the sheriff's budget to account for the salary difference between the civil warrant officer position that's been removed from the payroll and the office manager position approved earlier this month.
Local on 02/11/2016