BENTONVILLE — Election Commission Chairman E.J. Miller acted alone when he decided to raise fees charged to Avoca, Garfield and Gateway by $200 each for their May 18 special elections.
Miller said Friday he decided to increase the general and administrative costs billed to the three cities from $300 to $500. He did so without consulting the other election commissioners.
Statements including the $500 general and administrative fee were mailed to Gateway, Garfield and Avoca before Friday’s Election Commission meeting began and before Miller informed the commission of his decision.
AT A GLANCE
New Commissioner
The Benton County Republican Party appointed Robert Balfe, former Benton County prosecuting attorney, to replace Tim Hutchinson on the Election Commission. Balfe’s first meeting was Friday.
Hutchinson resigned June 14 after Jim Parsons of Bella Vista objected to him being on the commission because Hutchinson’s mother, Donna Hutchinson, is running for re-election to the Arkansas State Legislature. Parsons is her opponent in the race for District 98 state representative.
Amy Huston was named election coordinator on June 15. Huston was a part-time staff member of the commission prior to taking the new position. She was in charge of preparing for elections.
Huston replaces Helen Peltier. Peltier’s last day with the commission is July 9.
Source: Staff Report
Avoca, Garfield and Gateway held special elections to determine if residents wanted to add fire association dues to their annual tax statements.
Miller and Election Commissioner Bill Williams decided June 23 to bill each of the cities $300 for general and administrative costs associated with the election.
General and administrative costs are billed to entities that request an election. The costs are in addition to standard election charges. The money collected is used to offset the Election Commission’s rent and utility bills, Williams said.
Garfield was billed $1,966.19. Gateway was billed $1,956.59 and Avoca was billed $2,013.94.
The total election bills include fees for publication, election commission meetings, extra election day help, ballot printing, election day supplies and employing poll workers.
“I changed it because I felt what we were charging was insufficient,” Miller told the Election Commission on Friday. “The $2,000 (total) we charged them was low. It was substantially low.
“Beaver Lake (Fire Department) was charged almost $5,000 10 years ago,” Miller said.
Miller said he increased the amount because of how much work went into the elections.
There were 27 different ballots used for the Gateway, Garfield and Avoca elections. That was the only reason Miller cited for his decision to charge the cities higher general and administrative costs.
“That’s not what the G&A is for E.J.,” Williams said. “The G&A is the building and the lights and the water.”
Miller said he placed the additional $200 in the general and administrative costs because there was nowhere else on the bill to include it.
Williams became visibly upset and asked Miller to move on to another subject.
“I think it was a mistake in judgment on (Miller’s) part, but the amount of money involved is not so significant that it is worth a major disagreement,” Williams said three hours after the meeting.