A note on tone
Most of this site makes the case for transitioning services from HISID to the City. This page is different on purpose. Whether Holiday Island keeps contracting with the Carroll County Sheriff or forms its own police department is a genuinely open community decision — one the Long Range Plan leaves unresolved, and one that involves residents through a petition process. So here, we lay out both sides as evenly as we can.
Public Safety: Sheriff Contract or City Police Department?
Whichever option Holiday Island chooses, the current plan is a Department of Public Safety Urban Service District, reporting to the mayor, that would include both policing and the fire department — funded by a user fee on the water bill.
Where the Long Range Plan stands
The September 22, 2026 Long Range Plan identifies 2028 as the planned fire and public safety transition. In summary, it says:
- Structure. A Department of Public Safety Urban Service District, reporting to the mayor, would include both the policing activity and the fire department.
- Fire. "There are no plans to change how the fire department operates."
- Policing. The City took over the deputy agreement with Carroll County in 2021. A new agreement would be negotiated "unless it is felt that deputy coverage is not the best way to protect the safety of Holiday Island residents and property," in which case the City "can potentially establish a police department." The plan does not choose between them.
- Fee. A user fee added to the water bill, estimated at $50 to $56 a month if the City continues to contract with the Sheriff's Department.1 The plan gives no estimate for a police department.
- Petition. The district "would only be formed if enough registered voters petition to have it formed." If the petition drive fails, the fire department would remain with HISID.
- Assessment. After this transition there would be a corresponding reduction in the HISID assessment. The amount is not stated.
- The November 3 vote comes first. Planning for this phase begins only if the proposed 2.5% sales tax passes.
Source: City of Holiday Island & HISID Long Range Plan, September 22, 2026, pages 6–7. See the full phase summary.
The deputy contract, as presented in July 2026
The county has had difficulty consistently supplying the full 80 contracted hours a week, typically delivering more like 55–70 hours instead2. Sheriff's deputies can enforce state law (traffic, criminal) in Holiday Island, but by law cannot enforce city ordinances — which can complicate code enforcement. The current contract expires at the end of 2026, and a renewal is expected to cost more.
The two options, side by side
| Sheriff / Deputy Contract | New Police Department |
|---|---|
| County-wide authority; Holiday Island shares priority with the rest of the county. | Authority limited to city boundaries; patrol dedicated entirely to Holiday Island. |
| Lower direct cost; July 2026 estimate of a $632/year USD fee per improved property. (The Long Range Plan's range is $50–$56 a month, or $600–$672 a year.) | Higher direct cost; July 2026 estimate of an $888/year USD fee per improved property. (The Long Range Plan gives no police estimate.)1 |
| ~25% actual coverage under recent staffing; nearest available deputy could be 40 miles away during gaps. | 4 full-time + 1 part-time officer model targets near-24/7 coverage. |
| Sheriff is an elected county official; Holiday Island voters have a voice countywide. | Police chief appointed by City Council — more direct local accountability. |
| Cannot enforce city ordinances; limited assistance for code enforcement in difficult situations. | Can assist code enforcement officers in potentially dangerous situations. |
| Traffic/criminal fine revenue currently goes to the county. | Fine revenue would return to the city. |
| No startup cost. | Estimated $282,700 one-time startup cost (vehicles, equipment, uniforms, training). |
National benchmark, for context: small towns under 2,500 people average about 3.8 sworn officers per 1,000 residents — higher than the 2.4-per-1,000 national average2 — because small departments need a baseline staffing level to cover shifts around the clock even when call volume is low.
Arguments residents have raised for a police department
The Mayor's July 2026 presentation laid out nine reasons Holiday Island might prefer a police department over the deputy contract. We're presenting them here as arguments to weigh, not as a conclusion:
1. Jurisdiction & service needs
A police department's authority stays within city boundaries — patrol focused entirely on Holiday Island, not shared countywide.
2. Cost & resource allocation
Direct local control over budget, staffing, and equipment, without competing for shared county resources.
3. Cost vs. coverage
Even at full contracted hours, over half the week has no deputy in town; the nearest one could be 40 miles away during a 911 call.
4. Community control
A police chief answers to the City Council, giving residents more direct accountability over hiring and policy.
5. Specialized local needs
Roughly 70 miles of road with isolated homes make some residents more vulnerable and harder to reach quickly.
6. Traffic & crime deterrence
More consistent local patrol presence is argued to be a stronger deterrent than occasional coverage.
7. Revenue
Fine revenue from local traffic and criminal enforcement would return to the city instead of the county.
8. Code enforcement support
Sheriff's deputies legally cannot enforce city ordinances; city police could assist in situations that are potentially unsafe for code officers.
9. Community connection
Proponents point to Holiday Island's strong relationship with its fire department as a model a stable local police force could also build.
The legal options
Under Arkansas law (A.C.A. §14-52-101 through 103), a city of the second class like Holiday Island may establish its own police department, may instead contract with an existing agency (the Sheriff, or in theory Eureka Springs PD via an interlocal agreement), or may establish a marshal's office by ordinance. The Long Range Plan describes the City's intended path in its own words: "A new agreement will be negotiated with the County unless it is felt that deputy coverage is not the best way to protect the safety of Holiday Island residents and property. In which case, the City can potentially establish a police department."1
- Marshal's office: Legally requires the same police-academy (CLEST) certification and cost as a regular officer, so it offers little real savings. It's also rarely used statewide — only one Arkansas city of the second class has a marshal, and that city also maintains a full police department.
- Interlocal agreement with Eureka Springs: Legally possible, but neither Eureka Springs nor the county is obligated to agree, and Holiday Island residents would have no vote in choosing the Eureka Springs mayor who'd oversee the arrangement.
What a police department would cost (July 2026 estimate)
| One-time startup cost | $282,700 |
|---|---|
| Annual employee cost | $332,022 |
| Annual operating cost | $76,200 |
| Total annual operating budget | $449,044 |
| Total with capital reserve | $509,044 |
The funding approach described in July would keep the existing sheriff contract through the first year of the Urban Service District, using the roughly $357,000 cost difference2 between a full police-department year and a deputy-contract year to fund the department's startup costs.
How this actually gets decided
Forming the district is not simply a City Council vote — it requires a resident petition. The Long Range Plan says the Urban Service District "would only be formed if enough registered voters petition to have it formed," and that if the petition drive fails, the fire department remains with HISID.
The July 2026 presentation described the mechanics in more detail, and these may be revised before any petition circulates: signatures from at least 25% of the electors who voted in the last gubernatorial election, which it put at 325 signatures2; a first petition that would effectively be a vote for the police department option; and, if that fell short, a second petition for a sheriff/deputy Urban Service District.
Sources cited on this page
- City of Holiday Island & Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District, Long Range Plan, September 22, 2026 (Resolution 2026-015). Link
- Mayor Dan Kees, "The Future Holiday Island — Session 2: Protecting Our Citizens," presented July 11, 2026 (revised July 13, 2026). Earlier feasibility estimate, not an adopted figure. Presented in a public forum.