Quorum court officially declares JP vacancy

Quorum court officially declares JP vacancy

Candidate names to be sent to governor

news@theeveningtimes.com

Crittenden County Quorum Court officially declared the seat of former Justice Ronnie Sturch vacant and will send it and a list of names of interested candidates off to the governor’s office to be filled.

County Judge Woody Wheeless said he received three names from residents interested in filling the position — Robert Thorne, a landscaper and greyhound kennel owner; John Rech, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church and Evening Times reporter; and former city councilwoman Sherry Holliman, who is a democrat.

A fourth name, John Barber, also expressed an interest, but did not live in the district and is ineligible to hold the position.

Wheeless said the decision is ultimately up to Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

“All I’m being told is that I have to gather names and submit them to the governor,” Wheeless said. “So, I don’t know how the process works if he will reach out to me or if he does the research himself.”

Thorne was recently re-appointed by Hutchinson to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board in June, but has made political contributions to both Republicans and Democrats.

In 2014 Thorne contributed $750 to Republican Congressman Rick Crawford’s re-election campaign, and $1,000 to Democrat U.S. Senator Mark Pryor’s unsuccessful re-election campaign.

Rech is a Republican and a staunch pro-life advocate, but has endorsed America’s Party candidate Tom Hoefling for president over Republican Donald Trump.

He represents Crittenden County on the Crowley’s Ridge Developmental Council.

“Bottom line, it depends on whether you have a Republican governor or a De- mocrat as to who gets picked,” Wheeless said.

Sturch held the District 12 seat for the past six years but resigned in July to become director of the county’s 911 Dispatch Center.

The court had hoped to pass a resolution last month but had to hold off because they need to run an announcement in the newspaper first as required by law advertising the vacancy.

Justice Hubert Bass asked whether Wheeless or the Quorum Court will have any say regarding who gets selected.

“Is there a consent process?” Bass asked. “I know the governor will make the appointment based on the names.”

County Attorney Joe Rogers said the decision rests with the governor and doesn’t necessarily have to be a name on the list.

“He can pick somebody else if he wants to,” Rogers said.

Rogers also said that the person selected will serve the remainder of Sturch’s term, which ends in January, and for the next two

years as a holdover.

Sturch ran unopposed in the primary.

“The vacancy is for the term that ends this year,” Rogers said. “But since the election process has already gone past and there is no election for the position for the next two years, there is a provision in the law for a holdover. When this position is filled by the governor, then that person will automatically hold over for the next two years.”

The person selected will not be able to run again for the office.

“That’s the way it usually works,” Rogers said.

By Mark Randall