Justice of the Peace Barbara Howell announced that she is seeking her 8th term on the Saline County Quorum Court, representing District 4 in Northeast Saline County which includes 137 square miles.
During her service on the Quorum Court, Mrs. Howell has worked on the Finance & Personnel Committee and the Public Works and Human Resource Committee.
Howell says she has enjoyed serving the people and working with them.
In 2008, she was active in obtaining a new bridge over Caney Creek. “The old bridge flooded many times and left the people at Lake Norrell stranded during high water,” stated Howell.
She worked on many other projects in the Lake Norrell Area. She worked with Water Users to help the people get city water in 2007.
She has been a board member of the Lake Norrell Area Association for 18 years. She served as President for 12 of those years and now serves as Vice President and publishes a 12-page newsletter for the area.
Howell is the Fundraising Chairman for the Lake Norrell Area Association that raises money for the Lake Norrell Fireworks Display and the upkeep of the Lake Norrell Community Center.
She has also been the Fundraising Chairman for the Lake Norrell Fire Department for the past 18 years. Howell worked with Salem Water Users Association for several years to help the area residents to get city water.
Howell saw the need in 2008 for pavilion to be added to the Lake Norrell Community Center and was instrumental in having it built that year. Large events for the community are held there for the Lake Norrell Area Association and the Lake Norrell Fire Department.
In 2008 when the Avilla Community Center (the largest Voting Precinct in District 4) was burned by arsonists, she found help to rebuild the building. It was completed the day before the Primary Election in May 2008.
Howell became the Fundraising Chairman for the Avilla Community Center and continued raising money with the Famous Pie & Cake Auction for upkeep of the 108-year-old building.
Howell was honored in 2012 at Lake Norrell with the first Lifetime Achievement Award for her many years of volunteerism.
She was also honored as one of Saline County’s Extraordinary People at a banquet by the Saline Courier in 2012.
In 2013 Howell worked for a grant to put a new roof on the Avilla Community Center.
She was given special recognition by the Avilla Extension Homemakers as the Lifetime Fundraising Chairman and thanked for all her work that she had done for the Avilla Community Center for the past 11 years.
Howell states that she loves helping people and working with the Quorum Court. She recently lost her husband, Jack Howell, but promises to honor him by continuing to help the people of Saline County. Barbara Howell is an active member of New Life Baptist Church and a member of the Lake Norrell Ladies Bible Study. She can be reached at 501-681-7577.