Howard County Quorum Court Holds June Meeting

Howard County has received a grant of more than 14 thousand 700 dollars to enhance courtroom security.

County judge Kevin Smith told the quorum court yesterday that he plans to use the state funded grant to provide a secure area for circuit judges to enter and leave the courthouse. Work on the project is expected to begin this week.

In other business at Monday’s June meeting, j.p.’s approved the appointment of Tem Gunter to the Howard Memorial Hospital board of directors. Gunter will replace Ken Young, who chose to not be reappointed. Dr. John Hearnsberger continues to serve as the hospital’s chief of staff and will continue serving a four year term on the hospital board.

Despite concerns related to COVID-19, sales tax revenues in Howard County for the month of May were the highest they’ve been all year. County road and sanitation saw the largest revenue increase. January through April figures had been between 80 and 89 thousand dollars each month. In May, the sales tax revenue for road and sanitation was more than 103 thousand dollars. Those dollars were equally divided between the two departments.

For the county jail, there was an increase of 11 thousand dollars in tax revenue from the previous month. The county general portion of sales tax money rose by more than five thousand dollars.