JPs table decision on closing clerk’s office

After hearing from an unusually large and passionate crowd, the Carroll County Quorum Court tabled a proposal at its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 17, that could eventually lead to closure of the county clerk’s Western District office in Eureka Springs.

The vote by the county’s 11 justices of the peace to table a proposed appropriation ordinance amending the 2026 budget to reclassify an employment position and transfer remaining payroll between county departmental budgets postponed a final decision on one of the most controversial issues to come before the court in recent months.

The issue prompted roughly an hour of public comment and debate centered on access to county services in Eureka Springs.

Speaker after speaker — most of them from Eureka Springs — urged the court not to move forward with a change that critics said would further weaken the Western District courthouse and make it harder for Eureka Springs residents and visitors to obtain marriage licenses and other county clerk services without traveling to Berryville.

Public comment came from wedding industry professionals, business owners, residents and representatives of local organizations, many of whom argued that maintaining clerk services in Eureka Springs is important both for public access and for the city’s identity as a wedding destination.

During discussion by justices of the peace, some court members questioned whether closing out the position would actually save county money, while others said they were not convinced the additional drive to Berryville would significantly affect wedding business or access to services.

District 6 JP Craig Hicks suggested looking into a potential partnership between the county and city to preserve services in Eureka Springs.

“I don’t know if it can be done or not, but maybe explore to see if we can have a partnership with the city of Eureka,” Hicks said.

Later. Hicks said he would like to seek a legal opinion on whether the county and city could enter into a partnership as he described. He then made a motion to table the proposed ordinance. The motion passed on a voice vote.

The quorum court’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, in the courtroom of the Eastern District Courthouse in Berryville.