2014 Arkansas Code
Title 14 - Local Government
Subtitle 2 - County Government
Chapter 16 - Powers Of Counties Generally
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
§ 14-16-110 - Lease of county property to educational institutions.

(a) Any lawfully incorporated nonprofit, nonsectarian educational institution; any lawfully incorporated nonprofit, nonsectarian boys' club or girls' club; or any lawfully incorporated quasi-public, nonprofit, nonsectarian organizations including, but not limited to community mental health centers, may petition the county court of any county or county district in which the institution, club, or organization is located to lease to it real or personal property belonging to the county for use by the institution, club, or organization.

(b) (1) Immediately upon the filing of the petition, the judge of the county court shall make an order fixing a time and place for a public hearing on the petition, notice of which order shall be given by the county clerk by publication one (1) time in a legal newspaper having a bona fide legal circulation in the county or county district at least ten (10) days prior to the date fixed for the hearing.

(2) (A) The notice shall state the time of filing, the substance and purpose of the petition, and the time and place of hearing it.

(B) (i) The hearing shall be public, and all persons having an interest in the subject matter of the petition shall be entitled to be heard either in person or by attorney.

(ii) The hearing may be continued or adjourned to a further date, at the discretion of the court, but no further notice thereof by publication shall be required.

(c) (1) When satisfied from the petition or the evidence, if any, at the hearing that any real or personal property belonging to the county or county district is not, and in the future will not be, needed for use by the county and that the property may be used by any lawfully incorporated, quasi-public, nonprofit, nonsectarian institution, club, or organization in the county or county district, then the county court may order the lease of any property to the legally constituted directors or trustees of the institution, club, or organization for such time and upon such terms and conditions as the county court, in its discretion, shall find just, reasonable, and proper.

(2) The lease shall be signed and approved by the judge of the county court and by the directors or trustees of the institution, club, or organization and shall thereafter be and become a binding and valid contract when the order authorizing it shall have become final as provided in this section.

(3) Any such lease shall provide, in addition to any other terms as the county court shall deem reasonable and proper, that when the property ceases to be used for the foregoing purposes or needs to be used by the county, the lease may be cancelled by the county court, after reasonable notice.

(d) (1) (A) When a hearing shall have been had pursuant to notice, as provided in this section, and an order granting or denying the petition shall have been made, the order shall become final and binding thirty (30) days after entry unless within that thirty (30) days any interested person or taxpayer of the county or county district shall appeal to the circuit court of the county or county district, the appeal from the order to be prosecuted and determined in the same manner as provided by law for appeals from the county court to the circuit court in municipal annexation cases.

(B) In like manner, the final judgment of the circuit court may be appealed by any interested person or taxpayer to the Supreme Court likewise as in such cases.

(2) Any appeal to the circuit court or from the circuit court to the Supreme Court must be taken and transcript lodged in the appellate court not later than thirty (30) days after the judgment or order of the court appealed from, and that appeal shall be advanced on motion of any party thereto.

(3) In the event of any appeal from the order of the county court as provided in this subsection, the order shall not become final until the appeal is finally determined.