Boone County Officials Highlight Achievements at "Eggs and Issues" Breakfast Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HARRISON, Arkansas – June 13, 2023 –  The second “Eggs and Issues” breakfast of the year took place today at 7:30 a.m. in the Signature Bank Community Room. The event, presented by Quadrivium Specialized Data Solutions, represented by Account Manager Anna Swanson and Business Development Manager Giovanni Denestan, featured a lineup of Boone County elected officials presenting a comprehensive State of the County address, highlighting recent accomplishments.  
County Judge Robert Hathaway delivered the first presentation on the county’s infrastructure, specifically the roads. He revealed that the county boasts approximately 800 miles of dirt roads and 250 miles of paved roads, and in the past year alone, over 30 miles of road have been striped at a cost of $45,000.
County Clerk Crystal Graddy, shared news regarding the relocation of the Clerk’s office to the new Boone County Government Center, which also houses the county assessor, collector, and VA office today. “We are excited that the judge has given us some really nice space in there where we're going to be able to serve everyone better,” Graddy said. She also emphasized the importance of voter registration updates in preparation for the upcoming 2024 presidential election, urging citizens to inform their office of any necessary address changes.

Sandy Carter, County Treasurer distributed an informative handout demonstrating the county’s average sales tax growth rate of 6% over the past seven years.  Carter expressed satisfaction with the county’s financial position. “Our finances are in a great place right now,” Carter said. “The county as a whole is sitting at a good position with all departments. Our pay scales have increased some to match local private businesses. That’s always good for retention, so we can keep people employed longer.”

County Sheriff Roy Martin provided an overview of recent vehicle acquisitions, an in-progress lease program, and the nearly fully-staffed jail.  Circuit Clerk Judy Kay Harris followed, emphasizing the county’s urgent need for jurors in order to ensure justice for victims, especially with many important trials on the Court’s schedule in the near future.   Assessor Brandi Diffey shared with attendees about the recently concluded assessment period, which concluded on May 31st. As of yesterday, they had assessed 15,000 households, with an additional 5,200 from last year yet to be evaluated, bringing the total to over 20,000 assessments.  This represents a significant increase from approximately 17,800 assessments last year. Diffey also highlighted the 430 new constructions, including 146 brand new houses, amounting to an impressive $42,000,00 worth of new residential construction in the county.
The presentation concluded as Collector Amy Jenkins delivered a comprehensive report on the county’s finances. $25,153,166.86 was collected in taxes in 2022, with the money benefiting 40 entities including schools, the county library, North Arkansas Community College, city and county roads, and emergency services. 

About Quadrivium
Quadrivium consists of an esteemed team of certified IT and cybersecurity professionals who provide expertise in strategic planning and project leadership to  businesses, municipalities, and institutions of all sizes and industries. Their core competencies lie in IT management, certified cybersecurity, and data continuity. For more information, please visit www.quadrivium.com.

About the Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce promotes the economic and business well-being of the greater Harrison and Boone County, Arkansas area.  The investor-driven Chamber also recognizes, values and promotes the outstanding quality of life locally that encourages people to live, work, invest and retire in the area.  For more information, please visit www.harrison-chamber.com.  ​