WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — On Thursday, the Washington County Quorum Court voted on a couple of resolutions pertaining to issues that will be on the November ballot for various residents in Northwest Arkansas.
First, the quorum court voted unanimously on a resolution that orders the Washington County Election Commission to hold an election on Nov. 5 regarding Sunday alcohol sales for off-premises consumption in Fayetteville.
“The support from voters in the community has been overwhelming,” Secretary of Keep our Dollars in Fayetteville Keaton Smith said. "I think we were able to collect the signatures much more quickly than we had even anticipated, and so now we're on the ballot for November, and it'll be up to the voters.”
Keep our Dollars in Fayetteville is the group backing the issue. Keaton said the sales taxes from alcohol purchases will go back to the city and help the community.
Before the resolution was brought up to the quorum court, the group needed to collect enough signatures.
“The City of Fayetteville Clerk went through and verified that they had enough signatures,” Director of Elections for Washington County Jennifer Price said. “Once that verification is done, then part of the process to get it placed on the ballot is that the quorum court must also pass a resolution calling for that election as well.”
In addition to Sunday alcohol sales, the quorum court voted on an ordinance calling for a special election on the annual dues for the Tontitown Area Fire Department, which too will be held on Nov. 5.
Not to be confused with the Tontitown Fire Department, the Tontitown Area Fire Department is a volunteer organization whose jurisdiction covers unincorporated areas such as Tontitown Township, districts in Harmon, Elm Springs Township, and Wheeler.
In November, voters will get to decide whether or not annual dues will be “levied against each residence and each business… in the area so served to be listed on real property tax statements and collected by the Washington County Tax Collection in the same manner as ad valorem taxes.”
A vote by the quorum court on the matter was initiated after the department’s chief Bernard Pianaito and Board President Marcus Mason sent a letter to the quorum court requesting the election.
“A volunteer fire department, seeking to collect their dues with the tax bill, requires a letter from both the fire district board, and also the fire chief, asking for that election,” Price said. “Then that will go to the county, and then the county will place that on their quorum court agenda and pass that resolution calling for the election.”
Price added that quite a few of the volunteer fire departments in the county have already gone through this process in previous years.
According to the ordinance, the annual dues are $75 for residences and $200 for businesses. Mason said that the dues are the same as they were previously and remain voluntary for those in the area. He added that this is not a new tax, but a new way of collecting fees.
“By having the tax collector bill for and collect dues, this should reduce costs for the fire department in sending out mailers and processing payments, and should also provide easier payment options for citizens,” Mason said in a statement to 5NEWS.
Mason added that the annual dues collected will be used to help fund the department’s operating costs including responses to emergency calls, purchasing firefighting equipment, fund future training, and help maintain the station.
“The response area of TAFD consists of persons and land outside of any incorporated city,” the statement said. “Because of this, the citizens do not fall under the jurisdiction of any emergency services associated with the City of Tontitown. The citizens rely on the volunteer fire department which is managed by an elected volunteer Board of Directors who are responsible for administrative operations and the financial well-being of the department.”
Price added that the various Washington County ballots will be set by Aug. 28, and voters will have a chance to view sample ballots on their website or on VoterView.
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