Columbia County Judge

Larry D. Atkinson
County Judge

# 1 Court Square
Magnolia, AR 71753

Phone: 870-234-2542
Fax: 870-235-3723
judge@countyofcolumbia.net

In Arkansas local government, the county judge serves as the chief executive officer of the county government. As such, the county judge authorizes and approves the disbursement of all appropriated county funds, operates the system of county roads, administers ordinances enacted by the quorum court, has custody of county property, accepts grants from federal, state, public and private sources, and presides at the meetings of the quorum court without a vote but with the power of veto.

The county judge sits in a judicial role as the county court. The county court has jurisdiction in matters relating to county taxes, general public utilities, trade and commerce, transportation and natural resources.

Road & Bridge Department

The Columbia County Road and Bridge Department maintains over 1200 miles of paved and unpaved county roads. Amendment 55 gives the authority and exclusive control over county roads to the County Judge. In the last 4 years the road & bridge department has repaired or replaced --- county bridges and replaced --- culverts.

Contact the Road and Bridge Department at 870-234-1902.

Solid Waste Department

Under the supervision of the county judge the solid waste department maintains a class 4 landfill. The county also provides for county-wide residential curbside trash pick-up through a contract with Get Rid of It of Arkansas. This is provided by a dedicated 1 cent sales tax that the citizens passed in March of 1992. New at the landfill is a wood combustor facility owned and operated by Crochet Equipment Company where wood waste is burned in an incinerator.

Contact the Landfill at 870-235-3785.

E911

Maintaining the emergency 911 GIS mapping is among the duties of the E911 department, as well as, going out and getting new 911 addresses in the unincorporated areas of the county and the city of Magnolia. The procedure for obtaining a 911 address requires the 911 coordinator to go out to the location and take a GPS reading and then refer to the GIS map to determine what the address will be. Citizens are asked to contact the E911 office as early as possible to give ample time to do the field work. It is very important to post your 911 address at the end of your driveway to be visible by emergency personnel.

Office of Emergency Management/OEM

The OEM Coordinator, Larry Taylor, operates under the supervision of the County Judge and is responsible for the organization and administration of a civil preparedness program designed to protect the population, as well as public and private property in the local jurisdiction for which he is assigned responsibility.

In addition, he is responsible for the coordination of the operations of all governmental and non-governmental forces, including FEMA, State Office of Emergency Services, EPA, PC&E, State Police, local law enforcement, all fire department and emergency response personnel and all elected county and municipal officials, in the event of an emergency.

Contact the 911/OEM Coordinator at 870-234-2542.

Tax Collector - County Clerk - Assessor - County Treasurer - Circuit Clerk
County Judge - County Sheriff