Judge Akin will compile a list of specific building repair needs, and the Quroum Court will discuss the list at next month’s meeting.

The county courthouse is current undergoing “tuck point maintenance” and mortar repair, as is required on builing that age.
Also Judge Robert Akin was recently seen cleaning the front of the courthouse, in preparation for the Memorial Day service. (The photo was just too good to pass up.)

Attention Drew County Residents: Drew County Government is currently updating the Drew County Hazard Mitigation Plan, which includes the incorporated cities, school districts and University of Arkansas at Monticello. Drew County Government encourages citizen participation in this process. Citizens may provide input by completing a short questionnaire here: http://goo.gl/forms/Cf4zrKRQhk . That same questionnaire is also available for download to print, fill out and return here: http://capdd.org/index.php/fema-hazard-mitigation-plans.html

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“There are serious questions about whether Drew Memorial Hospital can procede with it’s expansion plans,” is how County Attorney CLiff Gibson described the situation abound how DMH surgery center will be affected by 10 owrthwest Arkasas senators refusing to pass Gov. Hutchinson’a Arkansas Works program.

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Drew County Collector, Tonya Loveless, has announced that anyone interested in the Drew County tax roll information can now instantly access those records online at no charge by going to www.actDataScout.com. In addition to the tax roll information search, users can also view the history of tax records dating back five years for both personal and real property. The county has entered into an agreement with DataScout, LLC, a Web-based data solutions provider and database management firm, to host and maintain the website and the tax roll records at www.actDataScout.com.

The website is designed as an informational portal to the Drew County Collector’s office. Loveless said it was time to move the county’s personal and real property tax roll information online, making the information more accessible to better serve the public. Loveless believes this technology is one of the best available to her office. When they offered a software option for Collectors in Arkansas this past year, Loveless knew it was time to go online. A few of the items users can expect to see online are current and delinquent status, proof of payment, and tax payer history. Transparency of the County Collector’s information with online accessibility and ease of use for the taxpayers led to the decision to provide this information to the public.

For more information, call (479) 521-5607 or email wteal@datascoutpro.com.

Sunday morning, around 3:30, while most of the county was sleeping, the Sheriff’s Dept. began a manhunt for a jail escapee from Fordyce, who had been convicted of Murder, in 1998. The search continued until 11 am, Monday, with most offiers only getting around 3-4 hours sleep.

Monticello Police officers joined the search a couple of hours later, and they also were past midnight, working to apprehend the felon, who was a threat to the town they serve and protect. They also put the needs of residents in front of their own.

When Tuesday’s wildfire was reported, our Monticello Fire Dept., along with the Arkansas Forestry Commission, battled the blaze for over 6 hours, as the fire changed directions, as the wind changed several times, in the smoke and fire and fumes.

We need to recognize how valuable our first responders are to our community; keeping us safe, regardless of the threat that they are protecting us from.

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