FAYETTEVILLE -- Another justice of the peace has resigned from the Washington County Quorum Court.
Justice of the Peace Roddy Lloyd, a Republican representing western Springdale, recently submitted his resignation letter, County Judge Joseph Wood said during the Quorum Court meeting Thursday. Lloyd is the second justice of the peace to resign from the court this year.
In January, Justice of the Peace Rick Cochran, a Republican representing the area west of Farmington, resigned suddenly citing, in part, budget concerns within the county.
The governor appointed Alicia Deavens to the seat last month. She attended her first Quorum Court meeting Thursday.
Lloyd said Thursday he and his wife are moving out of his district and into western Washington County. He said serving on the Quorum Court had been a pleasure and a learning experience, but his wife had found her "dream" home, he said.
A copy of Lloyd's resignation letter wasn't available Thursday night.
Lloyd replaced his wife, Sharon Lloyd, also a Republican, on the Quorum Court. He was elected in November and sworn into office this past January.
Sharon Lloyd had been appointed as justice of the peace in 2015 when the previous justice of the peace resigned.
In January, Sharon Lloyd was hired by Wood as the new grant administrator. Lloyd earns a salary of $53,000, which is roughly $2,500 more than what the former grants administrator earned.
Some justices of the peace have said the hire was against county policy because Lloyd was an elected officials who had not been out of office one year.
Roddy Lloyd's position then was called into question because some justices of the peace worried Roddy Lloyd might have a conflict of interest in voting on measures his wife brought to the court.
Lester said previously Wood hiring Lloyd doesn't violate state law or county policy or cause ethical problems. Neither of the Lloyds personally benefit from the grants Sharon Lloyd handles, he said.
Justices of the peace also have been concerned about how Wood handled firing four longtime county employees last year and replacing them without following county policies, they have said. Justice of the Peace Daniel Balls, a Democrat representing northern Fayetteville, has questioned whether the new employees' qualifications match their job descriptions.
Wood hasn't provided resumes or application forms for the newly hired employees.
Duties over public utilities, which once fell to the grants administrative assistant, have been reassigned to Michelle Viney, environmental affairs director. Viney earns $53,114, according to information from Lester.
NW News on 04/21/2017