Craighead County officials hold private meeting to discuss Lake City courthouse office issue

A meeting attended by several county officials was held Wednesday (Dec. 2) at the Craighead County Courthouse Annex to discuss the operation of offices at the Lake City courthouse. However, the press was not notified of the meeting.

Tony Thomas, the administrative assistant for County Judge Ed Hill, confirmed Friday that the meeting was held.

“A meeting was held on Wednesday, December 2 that included two JP’s. The issues discussed related to drafting questions for submission to the AG’s Office regarding the Lake City Courthouse dilemma we have been discussing,” Thomas said in an email to Talk Business and Politics.

Talk Business & Politics has asked to be notified of any and all meetings in which county officials discuss public business.

Thomas said Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, attended by telephone, while Justice Terry Couch, Justice Garry Meadows, Circuit Clerk Candace Edwards, County Judge Ed Hill, Eastern District Deputy Circuit Clerk Lesia Couch, Attorney Troy Henry of Jonesboro, Thomas and John Smith with the circuit clerk’s office attended in person.

Edwards, who will face Democrat and Eastern District Deputy Clerk Lesia Couch next fall, said Friday that Deputy Circuit Clerk Jessica Smith also attended the meeting, took notes and recorded the meeting. A 2003 law put the Eastern District Sheriff and Eastern District Clerk’s offices under the auspices of the county sheriff and circuit clerk’s offices.

There has been controversy in recent months over the operation of both courthouses and the circuit clerk’s office. Edwards has asked for the budgets of Lake City and Jonesboro to be combined because of budgetary and state legal issues. However, supporters of keeping the budgets separate say the Lake City Courthouse has served for the convenience of area residents for many years. The Craighead County Quorum Court recently asked for an Attorney General’s opinion on the matter.

The supporters of keeping the budgets separate have said the Lake City Courthouse has served for the convenience of area residents for many years. The 2016 budget will be discussed at the court’s Dec. 14 meeting in Jonesboro. At the Nov. 23 meeting, Edwards said she is trying to follow state law, as well as a recent opinion from the Bureau of Legislative Research. In the opinion from attorney Kerrie Carlock, Carlock said the Lake City courthouse is not a county seat and that the issue violates state law on dual office holding.

“This office in Lake City is simply a satellite office as Craighead County is not a county with a dual county seat,” Carlock said.

However, Carlock said other county offices including the county clerk, assessor and collector could put an employee at the Lake City courthouse. Justices voted 12-0 on Nov. 23 to ask for the opinion, which is not law but provides some guidance for officials in making policy.