Commission may live-stream budget talks

Clarion Top News

Friday, 31 January 2020 13:25

by Martha Smith The Jackson County Commission held a work session on January 6, 2020 and scheduled a community meeting and work session at the Broken Arrow Golf Course for January 21st at 6 p.m. to meet with Marshall County legislators and some residents and land owners in the Holiday Shores subdivision. Notifications will be sent out to the subdivision and property owners. The county recently learned some roads in the Holiday Shores subdivision fall under their jurisdiction. The subdivision entrance is just past the county line into Marshall County but once inside, it spreads out, with some streets leading back into Jackson. Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen stated there is a resident of Holiday Shores who owns a double lot and pays half the property taxes in Jackson and the other half in Marshall. At an October meeting, County Engineer Jonathan Campbell stated a resident of Holiday Shores recently contacted the county because, as a resident and taxpayer of Jackson County, they wanted to know who to contact about their street/road/ditch maintenance. Upon investigation, Campbell discovered there is no register of these streets for county maintenance in Jackson County and up to this point, the maintenance was done by Marshall County; however, once Marshall was made aware that the streets and roads were in Jackson, they informed Campbell they would no longer be able to maintain those areas as they would be outside Marshall County jurisdiction. In 1980, both counties were in agreement that the land in question belong to Marshall. If all residents and property owners agree, the 60+ acres of land will become part of Marshall County, officially. Commissioner Jason Venable stated he would like the other commissioners to consider dedicating a space of time set aside after each regular meeting in an effort to be more open and transparent in regards to the budgeting and spending of the county’s tax dollars. Each county department’s budget would be broken down and explained. The commissioners are also looking into Facebook Live broadcasts for interested parties to view these meetings. If approved at the next meeting, the commissioners should be wrapping up with these new broadcasts by mid to late summer.