Quorum Court Votes To Meet Sept. 22 To Address Vacancy

RISON - The Cleveland County Quorum Court voted to hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, to a declare a vacancy in the county judge’s office following the passing of County Judge Jimmy Cummings last week.Justice of the Peace Donnie Herring of the Pleasant Ridge community told his fellow justices during Tuesday night’s regular monthly meeting that he had been in contact with officials at the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) about the procedures for filling a vacancy related to Cummings’ passing.Herring was elected by his peers at the beginning of the year to serve as moderator of the quorum court. The moderator chairs quorum court meetings whenever the county judge is unable to attend, but has no other powers within county government.Based on the information he received from the AAC, Herring told the quorum court that the county must first publish a notice in the newspaper of when the quorum court will meet to declare the county judge’s office vacant. Once the public notice has been published, the court can then formally declare the office vacant and then proceed with filling the vacancy.According to Arkansas Code § 14-14-1310, when a vacancy occurs in any county elective office, including county judge, it must be filled by the quorum court within 30 days of officially approving a resolution declaring the vacancy.The law states that justices of the peace are ineligible for appointment even if they resign. In addition, spouses and relatives (within four degrees) of justices or their spouses are also ineligible, according to the law.Whoever is appointed, according to the law, cannot be elected to that office and cannot succeed themselves after the appointed term is completed.Herring told the quorum court Tuesday night that he thought it would be best to wait two to three weeks beforfe moving forward. “I think it would be OK if we hit the pause button for right now… for the county and fo...