A $160,000 appropriation to cover the costs of the special school board election this month and the political party primaries next month was recommended for approval by the Jefferson County Quorum Court when they met Tuesday night.
County Election Coordinator Will Fox said the county will receive a “substantial reimbursement” from the Watson Chapel School District, which is asking for a millage increase, and from the state political parties after the elections are completed.
“It will not be dollar for dollar,” Fox said Tuesday night. “It will not be 100 percent. The Election Commission (which meets Thursday) is asking the state for a $26,000 advance so we will get some of that money back immediately.”
Fox said the requested funds “should carry us through to the school elections (in September)” but noted that because the election commission has not received the boundaries for the school districts that had to be redrawn because of redistricting, “we’re anticipating a large-scale school election.”
Questioned by a member of the county’s legislative body, Fox said “the school districts actually reimburse (the county) at a greater rate than the state does.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
In another matter, a resolution endorsing the participation of Horizon Foods in the state tax back program was recommended for approval by the full quorum court when they meet Monday at 5:30 p.m.
This will allow Horizon Foods, which is opening in the former Tyson Foods plant on West 2nd Avenue, to receive a refund on the sales tax they pay for in-state purchases.
A requirement of the program is that the company must sign an agreement with the state to create new jobs. In this case, Horizon Foods has committed to hiring 12 people and has agreed to hire a total of 329 people over three years to receive funds from the Economic Development Corp. of Jefferson County.
Asked if there was a minimum number of people that had to be hired by a company in order to qualify for the tax back program, Lou Ann Nisbett, president and Chief Development Officer for the Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County said no, explaining that even if there was, Horizon Foods’ commitment to hire 329 people would far exceed any minimum that existed.