Read other articles concerning the Saline County Quorum Court and Committees at www.mysaline.com/tag/quorum-court.
Two Saline County Quorum Court committees will meet Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, to discuss several items. including funding for a new trailhead on the Southwest Trail and restructuring boating safety patrol funds. The Public Works and Safety Committee and the Finance Committee are scheduled to convene at 6 p.m. in Courtroom #3 of the Saline County Courthouse. Read more below.
Members of the public wishing to attend the joint committee session can enter the courthouse through the Market Street entrance, which is ADA accessible. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m.
What’s on the agenda?
The Public Works and Safety Committee will meet first.
Exhibit A: Boating Safety
- Sponsored by Justice of the Peace CJ Engel of District 9, this proposed ordinance would repeal Ordinance 2005-25 and amends Ordinance 87-32 to align county policy with Arkansas Code Annotated § 27-101-111 regarding boating safety and enforcement funds.
- Under the existing 2005 ordinance, boating safety funds received by the county were split evenly among 20 local fire departments.
- Because the Saline County Sheriff’s Office has since established an official waterways patrol, state law now mandates that the sheriff’s office receive these funds directly.
- To preserve the vital rescue services provided by local fire departments, the new ordinance would authorize the sheriff’s office to enter into agreements to reimburse volunteer departments cooperating in water rescue operations.
Next up, the Finance Committee will address a few ordinances and financial transfers, including:
Exhibit B: Southwest Trail and the Old River Bridge.
- A resolution expressing Saline County’s willingness to utilize Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Green Networks Program funds. The grant would address cost overruns for the construction of the Saline County Trailhead project, supporting outdoor recreation and alternative transportation near the Southwest Trail and the Old River Bridge. The county would commit to a required 20% local match.
Exhibit C: Recognition Payments
- An ordinance to amend the 2026 county budget to appropriate Professional Development Recognition Payments for the Saline County Assessor’s Office. The payments, authorized under Act 357 of 2023, provide lump-sum recognition payments to qualifying assessors and full-time office staff.
Exhibit D: Security Equipment
- A budget amendment to appropriate $6,086.29 from a federal Court Security Grant to upgrade security equipment in county court facilities.
Exhibit E: Transfers in Sheriff, Road & Jail Departments
- Multiple budget transfers, including $14,132.86 in Sheriff’s Office fleet vehicle sale proceeds,
- $7,977.93 in insurance proceeds for the Road Department, and
- $43,363.90 in Jail Department funds for equipment, medical, and dental services.
The Finance Committee will also vote on a personnel request to increase the salary of a 911 Emergency Communications Dispatcher to a level reflecting the employee’s experience. The request, which was previously approved by the county’s Human Resources Committee on July 20, does not require any additional county funds.
What happened in July?
During the July 2026 set of committee meetings, 11 of 13 Justice of the Peace seats were represented. Wilson Hatcher of District 2 was absent. The District 5 seat has been vacant since December 2025.
The committee members were in lock step, as they unanimously approved all of the July agenda items. The Public Works and Safety Committee approved the minutes from the June 1st meeting, and a proposed ordinance to regulate animal control. They also appointed Maddison Schuller to the Library Board.
The Finance Committee approved their June 1 minutes, a Budget Amendment, and a new “Task Force Enforcement Fund” for the Sheriff’s Office.
See the previous meeting information at https://www.mysaline.com/qc-070626/.
• Saline County Events List •.
• Get MySaline’s free newsletter •
