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A quorum court meeting is requested by several Jefferson County Justices of the Peace due to financial difficulties
Pine Bluff, Arkansas – This is the second time a Justice of the Peace, rather than the county judge, has convened a quorum court hearing in Jefferson County.
In the midst of an attempt to finalize a 2025 budget, terms like “heartbroken,” “frustrated,” “anxious,” “disappointed,” and “agitated” were used to characterize the ongoing lack of compensation and deadlock between justices of the peace and the judge.
Reginald Johnson, the Justice of the Peace for District 3, was elected to head the meeting on Wednesday evening.
This was a full quorum court with seven JPs, but Kyle Hunter, the county prosecutor, said they needed nine to cast a vote on a budget.
“The remaining five members are not present. During public comment, someone remarked, “It’s a disgrace; it shows you don’t care about the employees of Jefferson County.”
The justices in attendance stated that it is crucial that they hear from people who are impacted and from the general public.
Each justice in attendance discussed their reasons for opposing Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson’s original and amended budgets after public discussion.
According to Margarette Williams, the Justice of the Peace for District 6, “there were too many people—not numbers, but people who were affected.”
Judge Gerald Robinson’s new budget includes 82 cuts in the sheriff’s office alone, compared to 63 cuts in his original budget, according to District 1 Justice of the Peace Alfred Carroll.
Melanie Dumas, the Justice of the Peace for District 7, stated, “At this time, I am pleading with the judge to allow the justices to deliberate and make a decision.”
The justices in attendance have scheduled a follow-up meeting for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Courthouse, inviting the public and all justices of the peace to attend.
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