Two Stone County school districts have filed a legal injunction seeking to address the distribution of local property tax revenue, which they claim has not been properly allocated since their separation from the Mountain View School District earlier this year. The Rural Special and Timbo school districts submitted the complaint in Stone County Circuit Court this week.
The lawsuit names Stone County Treasurer Kayla Meeker and the Mountain View School District as defendants, accusing Meeker of improperly distributing all property tax millage to Mountain View since the Rural Special and Timbo districts officially detached on July 1. The filing asks the court to block further payments to Mountain View and to prevent the district from spending any tax revenue it has received since the separation. Additionally, the two districts are seeking to recover funds they allege were misallocated.
According to a written opinion from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued last week, local tax revenue generated by property within the boundaries of the Rural Special and Timbo districts should have been apportioned to them following their detachment from Mountain View. Griffin also noted that if such funds were improperly distributed, state law provides certain remedies—which may depend on whether the funds in question have already been spent.
Dr. Delena Thompson, superintendent of the Rural Special School District based in Fox, confirmed that they began taking action with county officials after receiving the Attorney General’s opinion. “At this point, we are working through the process,” she said.
Dusty Mitchell, superintendent of the Mountain View School District, acknowledged the tension surrounding the schools’ separation and expressed hope for resolution, remarking, "The separation has caused a lot of turmoil in Stone County. I hope this is the last thing everyone has to go through in what has been a tough situation.” Mitchell also noted that since July 1, his district has received three property tax payments from the county.
The Rural Special and Timbo districts were originally consolidated with Mountain View in 2003 after state legislation required Arkansas schools with fewer than 350 students to merge or close. However, new legislation sponsored by Senator Missy Irvin of Mountain View in 2025 allowed the two districts to separate from Mountain View and reestablish themselves as independent schools. Voters in both districts supported the change.
The court will now weigh the request for injunctive relief and determine how future and past tax revenues should be allocated among the three districts.