Ed Armstrong

Arkansas Board of Corrections to probe changes to special counsel contract

KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas’ prison board will investigate when and how changes were made to a legal contract without the knowledge of state procurement officials.

State legislators, prison leaders and financial officials were perplexed Tuesday about unusual language inserted into an agreement between the Arkansas Department of Corrections/Board of Corrections and the Hall Booth Smith law firm that could subject the state to liability.

State Procurement Director Ed Armstrong discovered the addition in the middle of a legislative meeting, prompting the prison board to commit to investigating who made the changes to the agreement and when.

Arkansas Board of Corrections to probe changes to special counsel contract

Michael Hibblen/Little Rock Public Radio

The Arkansas State Capitol.