Despite opposition from Justice of the Peace Mandy Alford, a proposed appropriation ordinance that would give the city of Pine Bluff summer youth program $15,000 was approved Monday night by a majority of the Jefferson County Quorum Court.
Sheriff Gerald Robinson proposed the appropriation, using money that the sheriff’s department had received from the state for cleaning up along highways.
Alford, the chairman of the Community Development/Grants Committee, which recommended the ordinance for approval last week over her objection, called for a vote of “non-approval” Monday, and after a second, explained her reasons for the motion.
” I talked to (Ted) Davis (the administrative assistant to the mayor) and he said the program is over and they don’t need the money,” Alford said, a statement Robinson contradicted when he was given the chance to speak.
“The coordinator (of the program) called and requested the money,” Robinson said. “We have always assisted them and the mayor’s office requested the money.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
During committee meetings last week, Alford said that the quorum court had already given the city $25,000 for the program and Justice of the Peace Ted Harden questioned Robinson about how the money was used.
“It allowed us to acquire more youth to work in the sheriff’s office, juvenile court, and a lot of other offices,” Robinson said.
Asked by County Judge Mike Holcomb if there is still money owed young people who worked in the program, Robinson said yes.
Justice of the Peace Alfred Carroll said that a summer youth program had been proposed for the county in the past but that program never got off the ground and the county ended up joining the city’s program.
“We’re doing this because we didn’t do our own program,” Carroll said. “We chose to get into this partnership.”
Robinson said he had made a commitment on behalf of the sheriff’s office to give the city the money.
“I don’t understand what the problem is,” he said. “This is not county general money. It’s not public safety money. It’s money that we can use in any area. We did not match the $25,000 (the quorum court previously approved). We could only do $15,000. I made the commitment and don’t want to welsh on that commitment.”
Asked by Justice of the Peace Edward Spears if the program benefited anybody other than people in Pine Bluff, Robinson said a number of young people from the county were also involved in the summer program.
Justice of the Peace Lloyd Franklin II left the meeting for a few minutes and when he returned, said he had spoken to Davis who verified that the requested money was for this year’s summer youth program.
“He also said he didn’t see how she (Alford) could have misunderstood him,” Franklin said.
“He said the summer program was over and if he wants to say something else now, that’s his business,” Alford said.
A motion to table the proposed ordinance by Dr. Conley Byrd failed, with Byrd saying he made the motion because he had “heard conflicting information and I don’t feel like I have enough information to vote.”
Alford’s motion to not fund the appropriation also failed, with Alford saying that “based on what the sheriff said, if he’s made the commitment, we ought to honor it.”
When the vote to fund the appropriation was taken, only Alford and Byrd voted no, with the other nine justices of the peace who attended the meeting voting yes.
Also Monday, a proposed $40,000 appropriation to cover the costs of the upcoming school board elections was approved without dissent.
During committee meetings last week, county Election Coordinator Will Fox said the county could expect to recover most of that money from the various school districts after the election and anticipated run-offs are conducted.
Justices of the Peace Vannette Johnson and the Rev. H.O. Gray were absent Monday night.