Editing Sherwood, Arkansas (section)

== Notable events ==

===North Hills Country Club controversy===
The city was involved in a lawsuit over the development of North Hills Golf Course and Country Club, in the southern end of the city adjoining [[North Little Rock, Arkansas|North Little Rock]]. A court date was scheduled in April 2008. Mayor Virginia Hillman repeatedly stated during her campaign for mayor for the special election that her plans were to put the issue to a vote for the citizens.  A petition was circulated to hold an election on the issue, but the Sherwood City Council voted to go ahead with the acquisition despite Mayor Hillman's objections.  The issue was last discussed at the Sherwood city council meeting at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, September 24, 2007. A re-zoning sign was placed on the North Hills property the week before Christmas of that year.

On July 21, 2008, the Sherwood City Council approved an ordinance authorizing the settlement of all litigated claims related to the property and structures commonly referred to as North Hill Country Club, which allowed the City of Sherwood to purchase of this property. Since the spring of 2010, the city operates the property as ''The Greens at North Hills Municipal Golf Course''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.aspx?id=2544 |title=Sylvan Hills Country Club Golf Course |publisher=Arkansas Historic Preservation Program |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203172656/http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.aspx?id=2544|archive-date=February 3, 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=December 9, 2015}}</ref>

On July 28, 2010, the originally named ''[[Sylvan Hills Country Club Golf Course]]'' constructed in 1927 was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Pulaski County, Arkansas|National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todaysthv.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=113069 |title=Sylvan Hills Country Club golf course, Tyronza Commercial Historic District listed as historic|work=THV |publisher=Arkansas Television Company |access-date=December 9, 2015}}</ref>

=== 2009 Theft of City Funds ===

In July 2009, after city officials were notified by Eagle Bank in December 2008, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] began investigating the theft of $219,913<ref>{{Cite news | last = Rayburn | first = Greg | title = Fender questions city's efforts to prevent theft of $200,000  | newspaper = The Sherwood Voice | location = Sherwood, AR | date = March 26, 2010 | url = http://www.nlrtimes.com/articles/2010/03/27/sherwood_voice/local_news/nws03.txt | access-date = November 4, 2010 }}</ref>  in municipal funds.<ref name = "Questions">{{Cite news   | last = Rayburn  | first = Greg  | title = Questions mount over missing money   | newspaper = The Sherwood Voice   | location = Sherwood, AR   | date = July 24, 2009 | url = http://www.nlrtimes.com/articles/2009/07/25/sherwood_voice/local_news/nws01.txt  | access-date = November 4, 2010}}</ref>  These funds were taken from the city's checking account through an unauthorized online electronic transfer.  This was the first time the city had experienced unauthorized accessing the city's checking account via the internet.<ref name = "Questions"/>  In response, city officials analyzed city's security system to its financial network and additional safeguards and protections were implemented.

=== Debtor's Prison === 
Nikki Petree was released on August 25, 2016, after spending 35 days in county jail for bouncing a $28.93 check five years ago.<ref name="lawsuit">{{cite news | title = Sherwood: City sued over hot-check court | newspaper = Sherwood Voice | last = Lyons | first = John | url = http://www.pulaskinews.net/news/20160825/sherwood--city-sued-over-hot-check-court}}</ref><ref name="huffhotcheck"/> Judge Milas Hale, who is accused of running a modern-day debtors' prison in Sherwood, Ark., sentenced the mother to jail; the Huffington Post<ref name="huffhotcheck">{{Cite news | last = Reilly | first = Ryan | title = This Mom Spent 35 Days In Jail For Bouncing A $29 Check | newspaper = The Huffington Post | date = August 31, 2016 | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-mother-was-arrested-seven-times-and-just-spent-35-days-in-jail-because-she-bounced-a-28-check_us_57c46389e4b0cdfc5ac855dd}}</ref> reports Petree has been arrested seven times in connection with that charge and paid at least $640 to the city for the charge. She told the Post she still owes the city $1,300.<ref>{{cite news | last = Preza | first = Elizabeth | title = 35 Days in Jail for Bouncing a $29 Check? No Justice for the 99% | newspaper = Alternet | date = September 1, 2016 | url = http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/ark-woman-spent-35-days-jail-bouncing-29-check}}</ref>

"Every time [I’d] go to jail, they’d let me out immediately for $100,” Petree said in an interview. “They’d turn around and add $600 or $700 more to my bond. I couldn't afford to pay. They cornered me, and there was no way out from underneath it. I felt overwhelmed and hopeless.

Petree said prior to her sentencing, Judge Hale asked Petree how much money she could pay today.  The judge and the city are facing a federal lawsuit over their alleged practice of unconstitutionally jailing defendants who are unable to pay court fines, fees, and costs.<ref name="lawsuit"/>