By Ray King
Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson on Thursday instructed the Jefferson County Clerk to pay a $53,052.45 claim he had submitted for back payments he should have received this year.
Earlier in the year, the Arkansas Legislature stepped in when Robinson and the Quorum Court failed to pass a budget for this year. A part of the legislative action called for using the budget adopted for the previous year. It also stipulated that Robinson would receive no pay or benefits.
Through his attorney, Casey Castleberry, Robinson filed a claim for the back pay, and a hearing was held Thursday in the Jefferson County Quorum Courtroom.
As the county executive, Robinson presided in his official capacity while Castleberry represented Robinson in his personal capacity and explained that the 2024 county budget set Robinson’s annual salary at $150,780.57.
Arkansas law provides that quorum courts in each county set annual salaries for elected officials, based on a minimum and maximum salary, and those cannot be raised or lowered during the course of that year.
Castleberry said reducing Robinson’s salary to zero was unconstitutional, based on current statutes and an opinion from County Attorney Terry Wynne. He also said the Attorney General’s Office was notified of the hearing but did not contact him or appear for the hearing.
After telling the clerk’s office to pay the claim, Robinson instructed them to wait 30 days before processing it in the event the AG or attorneys for the Quorum Court object.
