Tammy Curtis, Publisher
Fulton County justices discussed improvements to the county’s emergency communications system and debated additional funding for road repairs during the August meeting of the Fulton County Quorum Court.
Treasurer Barry Abney also presented the treasurer’s report. During a discussion of county finances, officials said FEMA funds designated for road work remain in the county road fund. County Judge Kenneth Crow said the county also has approximately $4.03 million in certificates of deposit.
Emergency communications
Adam Fugate of Communications Associates addressed justices about ongoing radio communication problems affecting first responders, particularly in the Nine Mile Ridge area.
Fugate said discussions with area fire chiefs about inadequate radio coverage began in 2018, with improvements eventually implemented in 2024.
Under the previous system, a repeater at Wallace Knob left large portions of Fulton County without adequate radio coverage for fire departments, ambulances and other emergency responders.
Communications Associates later linked four existing repeaters that had previously operated independently, significantly expanding coverage and essentially creating a countywide radio channel.
However, the Nine Mile Ridge area remained problematic. Fugate said that when the system became fully digital, the Nine Mile Ridge Fire Department lost its ability to communicate directly with dispatch.
That has created complications for emergency calls originating in the area. According to the discussion, some 911 calls are received by Salem dispatch but must be transferred to Sharp County for dispatching.
Fugate said officials are considering either relocating an existing repeater at Saddle or adding a fifth repeater site.
One proposal would place an approximately 80-foot tower and repeater at the Nine Mile Ridge Fire Department. Fugate said the additional site could improve public safety communications around Nine Mile Ridge and the nearby Spring River, an area he said the sheriff has described as a communications dead zone.
The additional coverage could also extend into portions of Sharp County where agencies routinely provide mutual aid.
Fugate cautioned against relocating the existing Saddle repeater because it is difficult to predict what current coverage could be lost.
“If you relocate something, I can’t tell who you are impacting,” Fugate said. “In general, it’s better to add sites than take away.”
Dale Goodwin of the Agnos-Glencoe Fire Department agreed, saying he was concerned moving the Saddle repeater could reduce coverage in Agnos, Glencoe and portions of western Fulton County.
“I just don’t think you should move Saddle,” Goodwin said. “I think you ought to add one.”
Costs discussed ranged from approximately $32,750 to $52,750, depending on the option. Fugate said adding a site would require a new tower, reprogramming county radios to accommodate an additional frequency, and meeting FCC licensing requirements.
Crow later asked for a more definitive estimate. Discussion indicated that relocating the existing equipment could cost approximately $30,000 to $35,000, while constructing a new site and completing the necessary equipment and radio programming could cost up to $60,000.
JP Al Roork stressed that the quorum court needs firm numbers before appropriating money.
“What we do here is not ballpark,” Roork said, adding that the county nevertheless needs to restore communications to the Nine Mile Ridge area as quickly as possible.
Fugate said he plans to return at the September meeting with estimates for both options.
Road funding sparks debate
Crow also requested a $550,000 appropriation for the county road department as Fulton County continues repairing flood-related damage and FEMA projects.
Crow said spending the money would allow the county to seek approximately $3.6 million in FEMA reimbursements after eligible projects are completed.
The county has already received more than $1.08 million in FEMA funds, according to figures presented during the meeting. Crow said emergency work must be completed before nonemergency road projects can begin.
He said the county has received several positive calls about road improvements.
“We need this appropriation so we can continue,” Crow said.
Justices questioned the requested amount and discussed the daily costs of operating county dump trucks and other equipment, as well as the frequency of FEMA reimbursements.
Some justices said they wanted more detailed information before approving the full $550,000.
The discussion became contentious as Crow defended the road department’s financial needs and the extent of damage caused by flooding.
One justice questioned the amount of additional funding requested, noting that Crow already had remaining funds in his budget and expressing concern about the figures presented.
Crow countered that his road budget was among the lowest provided to a Fulton County judge and said inflation and catastrophic flooding had substantially increased expenses.
He also noted the road department provides the quorum court with monthly expenditure reports.
JP Dennis Kinder ultimately moved to appropriate $360,000 instead of the requested $550,000, allowing the road department to continue work before returning to the quorum court for additional funding.
“My motion is $360,000 so he can fix the roads for another month,” Kinder said. “What’s the problem with waiting another month to give him some more?”
$360,000 appropriation passed.
Crow said the county would likely need to return to the funding issue at the September meeting.
“We need to show FEMA we are serious about fixing roads,” Crow said. “If we aren’t serious about fixing them, we don’t need the money.”
Public raises concern over possible FOIA violation
During public comments, Carolyn Lewis addressed funding for contract labor and appropriations for the Fulton County Fair. Lewis said she wanted to ensure the money was spent for its intended purpose and offered to answer questions about the fair.
Dale Goodwin then addressed the court about an interaction he said he witnessed among justices outside the courthouse before the meeting.
Goodwin identified himself as a Democrat and said he had not voted for the Republican officials involved, but said his concern was about what he believed had occurred before the meeting.
“I witnessed something a while ago that was as illegal as hell,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin alleged that quorum court members had gathered outside the building and discussed matters that would later come before them during the public meeting.
“We had a quorum court meeting right outside here on the northwest corner, and all of this stuff was decided before they got here about what they was going to do,” Goodwin alleged.
He accused some members of allowing personal disagreements with the county judge to interfere with their responsibilities to the county.
Crow then read a portion of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act concerning meetings of public governing bodies.
Goodwin continued his criticism, saying experienced quorum court members should know the requirements of the law.
“If you are doing something to spite the county judge, you are not working for us,” he said. “This has to stop.”
A justice responded that road department personnel had distributed paperwork to the justices shortly before the meeting.
Following the meeting, the Chronicle contacted quorum court members about Goodwin’s allegation.
Roork acknowledged that the gathering could potentially meet the definition of an improper meeting under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. He said Fulton County Road Coordinator Kelsey Tanner had distributed documents to the justices before the meeting and that the members had reviewed the paperwork.
Roork, however, said the justices had not reached an agreement on how they would vote before the public meeting.
Kinder said he had been advised not to comment on the alleged FOIA violation but declined to say who had advised him.
Watkins said that about an hour before the meeting, Kelsey Tanner called him and told him about the department’s plans to request the $500,000 appropriation. He explained that she arrived about half an hour before the meeting and presented the six JPs who were outside with the packets. He said he didn’t know if it was an illegal meeting or not, but, like the others, accepted the paperwork and went about their evening discussing things like cutting hay.
Jimmy Marler, Chris Newberry and Hank Burke could not be reached for comment.
The quorum court is expected to revisit road department funding at its September meeting.
