Quorum court to consider requiring residents to display address numbers

CRAIGHEAD COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) - An ordinance that will in part require unincorporated areas of Craighead County to display their address numbers on homes and businesses has been introduced to the Craighead County Quorum Court.

Section two of the proposed ordinance states residential and non-residential buildings must have their address numbers “attached, stenciled, or painted on the front part of such residential or non-residential structure”.

The ordinance currently sits at its first reading, and it will go through a second and third before the full quorum votes.

A Craighead County resident, Jean Prater, said this could help first responders and other people find a certain address.

“It’s just harder to find someone in the country than it is any other place,” Prater said.

Prater has been a resident in the county for 60 years, and she mentioned she has had to help multiple people in the past find a house.

“I have had people to come by and ask where certain people live,” she said, “To be honest, I don’t even know where it’s at myself.”

Craighead County Chief Deputy Justin Rolland says not being able to confirm certain addresses has slowed down emergency response time.

“You have to rely on the first responder actually making contact with someone at the door only to find out it’s the wrong address,” Rolland said.

Prater adds it’s not only an inconvenience, but it can take minutes away from people’s lives.

“How do you think people are going to find you when you don’t have a number or an address out for them to see where to go to?” she asked.

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