By Ray King

The Finance Committee of the Jefferson County Quorum Court on Tuesday recommended that an ordinance designating $50,000 in money from the American Recovery Plan be used to offer incentives for county residents to receive a COVID vaccination.

After the meeting, Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson explained the legislation.

Also on Tuesday, the county’s legislative body recommended the approval of a request from the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library System for $20,000 of their millage funds.

According to a letter from Library Director Ricky Williams, that money, along with $95,000 in millage funds that have already been obtained, will be used to pay the City of Pine Bluff for repairs to the old library building at the Civic Center Complex.

Mayor Shirley Washington had asked for that amount and a vote by the library board agreed to the request and the money will cover all claims that the city has against the Library Board for the use of the building.

A proposed ordinance requiring all boards, commissions, task forces, boards of trustees or any like body of the county to, beginning in November 2021, file a monthly report of their actions taken during the previous month and include a copy of any minutes taken during their meetings was also recommended for approval.

Also, beginning in January 2022 and in January of each following year, the board, commission, board of trustees and the like shall file an annual report summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the body for the previous year.

Those reports will be filed with the County Clerk’s Office and will be subject to the state Freedom of Information Act.

The proposed ordinance mirrors one sponsored by Council Member Joni Alexander and adopted by the Pine Bluff City Council earlier this year.