The Carroll County Quorum Court held its final regular meeting of 2024 on Tuesday, Dec. 17, bidding farewell to a pair of longtime members.

District 9 Justice of the Peace Roger Hall and District 11 JP John Howerton were honored with plaques recognizing their years of service to the county.

Hall, who did not seek another term during the November general election, took office in January 2015. Hall’s seat will be filled by his son, Aaron, who was elected without opposition.

Howerton served for 18 years, starting in January 2007. He was defeated by challenger Caroline Rogers in the November general election.

County Judge David Writer also acknowledged District 8 JP Francisco Pedraza, who was appointed to complete the term of former JP Don McNeely after McNeely was elected mayor of Green Forest. The District 8 seat will be filled by gubernatorial appointment after no candidate sought the position.

JPs also presented plaques in appreciation to Lance Lee and David Strong, state Act 309 inmates at the Carroll County Detention Center who recently came to the aid of Sgt. Corey Spain when Spain went into cardiac arrest. Spain recovered and is back at work. Lee and Strong received a standing ovation from JPs and spectators at the Dec. 17 meeting.

Also at the Dec. 17 meeting, JPs unanimously approved the second and third readings of the 2025 county budget ordinance as well as a separate ordinance establishing the 2025 compensation for all county elected officials.

In other business, JPs approved:

• a resolution declaring a vacancy in the office of constable for the Southeast township;

• a resolution confirming the reappointment of Chris Trash to the Eastern Carroll County Ambulance District Commission;

• resolution confirming the appointment of Judy Horton to the Green Forest Library Board;

• a resolution confirming the reappointment of Erick Diaz to the Berryville Public Library Board of Trustees; • a resolution confirming the appointments of Kate Ambach Wood, Fran Carlin and Martha Fargo to the Eureka Springs Library Board;

• a resolution confirming the resignation of Joe Hill and the appointment of Martha Fargo the Carroll County Library Department Board of Trustees;

• separate resolutions confirming the appointment of Stacee Nuckolls and Carrie Reece to the Carroll County Library Department Board of Trustees;

• a resolution confirming the appointment of Willie Daniels as a commissioner to the Lake Forest Subordinate Service District;

• a resolution confirming the appointments of David Henke and Chris Clifton to the Inspiration Point Fire Protection District Board of Directors;

• a resolution confirming the appointment of Terrance Mac-Gowen as a commissioner to the Sylvan Shores Subordinate Service District;

• an emergency ordinance to transfer $100,000 from the LATC Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund to the county’s General Fund as reimbursement for expenditures for the administration of elections in the county in 2024;

• an emergency ordinance to transfer $794,517.75 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to the county’s General Fund as reimbursement for salary and wage expenditures in 2024;

• and a supplemental appropriation ordinance transferring $1,887,977.10 in remaining ARPA funds to the Central Dispatch Capital Project Fund for the completion of the county’s emergency 911 tower project.

The quorum court will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m Thursday, Jan. 2, for the purpose of setting the date, time, place and rules of the court’s meetings for 2025 and 2026.