The Madison County Quorum Court on Monday approved one-time bonuses for employees of the sheriff’s office, but said discussions about raises would have to wait until justices of the peace know more about the 2024 budget.

The Huntsville City Council on Monday quickly went through reports, approved a resolution for School Resource Officers for the Huntsville School District, and heard a report from Mayor Travis Dotson on what the community desired for property the city recently purchased from the county. 

The Huntsville City Council on Monday approved a two-year intra-agency agreement with the Huntsville School District to provide two School Resource Officers, after last month’s announcement by Madison County Sheriff Ronnie Boyd that his agency would no longer be providing SROs due to a lack of manpower.

A committee tasked with looking at possible pay increases for personnel in the Madison County Sheriff’s Office will recommend a plan to do just that to the full Madison County Quorum Court at 6 p.m. on Monday in the Madison County Courtroom.

The City of Huntsville’s Wage & Position Committee met last week and voted to make the job of mayor a full-time position, according to Huntsville Finance Director Katie Boyd.

The City of Huntsville’s Parks Commission met last week and heard from Mayor Travis Dotson about future plans for two parks in the city.

The Madison County Quorum Court on Monday rejected a proposal to give bonuses to deputies and dispatchers/jailers at the sheriff’s office, in favor of discussing the issue through a committee formed by County Judge Larry Garrett.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office will no longer provide deputies as School Resource Officers to the Huntsville School District, according to Sheriff Ronnie Boyd.

The Huntsville Fire Department’s Insurance Services Office rating will improve to a Class 3 beginning Sept. 1, meaning a “significant drop” in insurance for homeowners and business owners, Fire Chief Kevin Shinn told the Huntsville City Council on Monday.

Grouping bills together, flooding lawmakers with numerous bills at the end of a session, not keeping the public aware of what bills contain and not keeping a close eye on how much bills will cost the state are all worrisome trends in Arkansas, said District 28 State Sen. Bryan King last week.

An official with Rausch Coleman Homes said the company is making repairs to houses built in Huntsville, if needed, although the president of the Property Owners Association at Cedar Bluff Subdivision said many issues are not being resolved by the company.

The Elkins City Council last week discussed a potential lease agreement or partnership with the Sports Complex Board, according to Mayor Troy Reed.

The Huntsville Planning Commission on Monday tabled an ordinance to create two new residential zones in the city. The ordinance will be taken under consideration by the group’s ad-hoc committee on Wednesday.

Kingston resident James Eaton said Monday he will seek the District 26 seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives next year after incumbent Mark Berry of Ozark announced last week that he will not seek reelection.

The Madison County Quorum Court on Monday approved the sale of approximately six acres of county-owned land to the City of Huntsville.

The Huntsville City Council on Monday heard from three homeowners in the Cedar Bluffs subdivision about problems with builders Rausch Coleman Homes, the company that is wanting to buy an additional 113 acres in the neighborhood.

In another surprising turn of events, Linda Lewis said she remained St. Paul Mayor even after resigning at a special meeting on April 20 and appointing city councilman Ron Springston as her replacement.

Natalie Swafford on Tuesday defeated incumbent Stephen Brannan for the Zone 2 seat on the Huntsville School Board.

The Madison County Quorum Court met in special session last week to create a Jail Construction Fund, then passed an ordinance to pay $1 million toward the construction of a jail and another $210,000 for the purchase of two road graders from Carroll County. 

A group organized by Huntsville Mayor Travis Dotson met last week to discuss the future of the city-owned Basham building and about 24 acres owned by the city previously purchased for an industrial park.