Phillips County, Ark., will get a new jail and law enforcement facility.
Voters overwhelming supported to redistribute the old "Harbor Tax" to finance the construction and renovation project. The bond issue was also approved by a large majority of those that turned out to the polls Tuesday for the special election.
Unofficial results showed that almost 65 percent of the votes were cast in favor of the jail tax and nearly 75 percent of the votes went in favor of the bond issue.
Most of the precincts reported a light turnout for the election. The tally The Helena World obtained from the County Clerk's offices revealed that less than 1,400 ballots were cast, only 960 on election day. Early voting accounted for 354 votes along wth 17 absentee ballots.
Phillips County has been without a jail since April 2013. The old facility was closed when it failed an inspection conducted by the Arkansas Department of Corrections, which cited several serious violations. Since that time Phillips County and the City of Helena-West Helena have been transporting prisoners to jails in other counties while footing the transportation, feeding and housing expenses.
In a statement he posted on Facebook, County Judge Clark Hall declared, "We appreciate all the hard work and support. I want to thank everyone for their support as we have worked through the jail issue. The Quorum Court and I have put together what we feel is the best plan for the community."
The "Harbor Tax" officially ends in 2020. Revenue generated through that sales tax will be re-directed to the jail project.
The new jail and law enforcement facility will be built on the old John Deere Implement Co. property on the Highway 49 Bypass just across from Helena Regional Medical Center.
The next phase will be to let bids on the project. The Helena World will report those details as they become available.
