Saline County committees meet to July 6th to consider animal control, library board, Fairgrounds cleanup, more

The Saline County Quorum Court’s Public Works and Safety Committee and Finance Committee will meet on Monday, July 6, 2026, to discuss several key items, including a comprehensive new animal control ordinance, a library board appointment, and various budget amendments. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Courtroom #3 of the Saline County Courthouse.

The Public Works and Safety Committee is set to review an ordinance regulating animal control within the unincorporated boundaries of Saline County, excluding Hot Springs Village.

The proposed legislation repeals a 2010 ordinance and outlines strict guidelines and penalties regarding at-large, stray, and vicious dogs.

Under the new rules, intentional abandonment of a dog would result in a misdemeanor charge and a minimum $500 penalty.

The ordinance also requires all dogs to wear collars with tags verifying current rabies vaccinations and owner contact information, and establishes procedures for law enforcement to impound and evaluate potentially dangerous dogs using the Dr. Ian Dunbar Dog Bite Scale.

Additionally, the Public Works committee will consider the appointment of Maddison Schuller to the Saline County Public Library Board. If approved, Schuller will fill a vacancy left by the expiration of Allison Nolley’s term, with the new term extending through June 30, 2031.

The Finance Committee will address an ordinance to amend the 2026 Saline County budget.

The proposed changes include appropriating $16,797 from the sale of Sheriff’s Office fleet vehicles and setting aside funds for equipment and clothing for new School Resource Officer (SRO) positions serving the Sheridan and Bauxite school districts.

The amendment also transfers $66,089 within the 911 Emergency Services budget to purchase new software aimed at reducing staffing needs.

Furthermore, the budget amendment would appropriate $328,205 from insurance proceeds to cover the costs of mitigation and cleanup at the Saline County Fairgrounds following early 2026 storms.

Finally, the Finance Committee will consider an emergency ordinance to establish a special revenue fund titled the “SCSO Task Force Enforcement Fund.”

This fund would be used by the Comptroller and Financial Management Department to track revenues, expenditures, and equipment purchases for officers working on the task force under the direction of the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.

JULY 6 AGENDA

Public Works and Safety Committee

Exhibit A: Ordinance regulating animal control within the unincorporated boundaries of Saline County (Includes Exhibit A-1)
Exhibit B: Appointment to the Saline County Library Board

Finance Committee

Exhibit C: Ordinance to amend the 2026 Saline County Budget for various purposes
Exhibit D: Ordinance to establish a special revenue fund to be called “SCSO Task Force Enforcement Fund”

JUNE 1 MINUTES

PUBLIC WORKS & SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING and FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING JUNE 1, 2026 MINUTES

Committee Members:

Pat Bisbee, District 1, Josh Curtis, District 7 Wilson Hatcher, District 2 (ABSENT), Ed Albares, District 8 Carlton Billingsley, District 3, C. J. Engel, District 9 Keith Kellum, District 4, Jim Whitley, District 10 VACANT, District 5, Clint Chism, District 11 Rick Bellinger, District 6, Stephanie Johnson, District 12, Karen Crowson, District 13

PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING

Pat Bisbee called the meeting to order.
Motion made by JP Bellinger, second by JP Billingsley, to approve the minutes from the Public Works & Safety Committee Meeting held on May 4, 2026.
Vote was unanimous, motion carried.

Exhibit A:

Appointment to the Saline County Waterworks and Sanitary Public Facilities Board (Woodland Hills)
Motion to approve made by JP Bellinger, second by JP Kellum.
As there was no discussion Chairman Bisbee called for a vote. Vote was unanimous, motion carried.
Motion to adjourn made by JP Curtis, second by JP Whitley. Vote was unanimous, meeting adjourned.

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

Chairman Josh Curtis called the Finance Committee Meeting to Order.
Motion made by JP Crowson, second by JP Billingsley, to approve the minutes from the Finance Committee Meeting held on May 4, 2026.
Vote was unanimous, motion carried.

Exhibit B:

Ordinance to amend the 2026 Saline County Budget for various purposes
Chairman Curtis asked for the Motion to be approved in an amended version where it reads
Article 1, Fund 1000, it should be amended to read 3402 Sheriff’s Bond forfeiture,
and then under Line Item it should read 3402.0400.4004.
JP Bellinger made a Motion to approve the Exhibit as amended, second by JP Bisbee.
As there was no discussion Chairman Curtis then called for a vote.
Vote was unanimous, motion carried.

EXHIBIT C:

Ordinance to amend the 2026 Saline County Budget for the addition of two new SRO positions for Sheridan School District and Bauxite School District.
Motion to approve made by JP Bisbee, second by JP Crowson.
Chairman Curtis explained the Ordinance and the contracts with each of the schools.
After some discussion Chairman Curtis called for a vote.
Vote was unanimous, motion carried.

Action Item – SHERIFF:

Request to approve two (2) new positions for School Resource Officers for the 2026-2027 school years for Sheridan School District and Bauxite School District, pending the final contract with both districts.
Both positions will be new positions added to the Sheriff’s Department Budget (County General) but will be fully reimbursed by the appropriate districts per the contracts.
There was some discussion on the need for the Committee to vote on this, at which time Chairman Curtis stated that he felt it was covered by the vote on Exhibit “C”.
No need to ask for a vote.

ADD ON: None.

OTHER BUSINESS: None.