Washington County officials table plan to return to public meetings

FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County's justices of the peace decided Tuesday they aren't ready to resume meeting face-to-face.

The Quorum Court's Finance and Budget Committee voted to table a proposal from Ann Harbison, justice of the peace for District 14 and committee chairwoman, to spend $6,557.87 to install plastic shields between the justices of the peace and buy a digital signal processor in the Quorum Court meeting room to allow better service for those who chose not to attend in person.

Harbison said the public would also be able to choose to attend in person or by remote meeting technology. She said there would be 30 seats available in the meeting room, spaced 6 feet apart, and any attendees would be required to wear face masks.

"I think we can meet in person," Harbison said. "But if we have people who really don't want to do this they can meet by Zoom."

Harbison said she thinks the Quorum Court's budget process, which will begin with the Finance and Budget Committee's September meeting, calls for public meetings. She cited issues with justices of the peace not being able to hear or be heard in meetings using the Zoom remote meeting technology.

"We've got the budget process coming up and I think it's important that we do a good job," Harbison said. "Some people don't feel comfortable on Zoom. Some people don't get recognized."

The money for the project could come from the Quorum Court's 2020 travel budget of $10,000, which has been largely unused because of the restrictions imposed during the covid-19 pandemic, which also led to the Quorum Court holding meeting using the Zoom technology.

Harbison asked for a show of hands and five justices of the peace indicated they wanted to have in-person meetings.

Suki Highers, justice of the peace for District 11, told the panel she doesn't want to potentially expose them to the virus after she begins working. Highers said she will be in a school building with more than 2,000 students and will have more than 170 contacts a day with students.

"The likelihood I'm going to contact the virus is pretty high,' she said. "I'm not going to bring that to you guys."

Eva Madison, justice of the peace for District 9, argued the justice of the peace shouldn't increase the risk of spreading the virus by asking people to come to the county courthouse for a meeting.

"Every person who comes through that door increases the risk for the deputies who work there and for every employee in the courthouse," Madison said.

Butch Pond, justice of the peace for District 15, voted in favor of the project. Pond said he thinks the justices of the peace can do a better job meeting in person. He said the county needs to be ready to return to public meetings at some point.

"We need to have the option available," Pond said.

Also Tuesday, the justices of the peace voted to remove $144,057 from the 2020 operations and maintenance budget for the jail originally earmarked for eight new employees. Patrick Deakins, justice of the peace for District 5, said bsince the jail population has been reduced during the pandemic the positions have gone unfilled. Deakins said he wants to see the results of a study of the county's criminal justice system, being completed by the National Center for State Courts, and wants to keep the money set aside.

"In the short-term, this gives our county some flexibility," Deakins sad.

Sheriff Tim Helder told the justices of the peace he expects the jail population to begin to increase once the state's criminal courts open. Helder said he could accept "a gentlemen's agreement" the money would be returned if the positions are needed.