BENTONVILLE — The chairman of the Benton County Election Commission said Friday he's willing to show how the commission arrived at the costs it charged the city of Avoca for a recent election.
Avoca Mayor Thomas O'Dell attended Thursday's meeting of the Benton County Quorum Court to apprise the justices of the peace of his city's disagreement with election costs it is being billed in connection with the May 18 election. The city had a ballot question of dues for the Avoca Fire Department on the ballot.
O'Dell said he had no problem with being billed a fair amount, but he couldn't understand how the commission arrived at some of the charges. He cited minutes of a commission meeting where commissioners differed on the amount to be charged. He asked the justice where the commission gets its authority to set fees and who is empowered to set those fees.
County Judge Dave Bisbee said the commission is an independent body under state law, but he would ask the commission members to attend a meeting of the Quorum Court's Committee of 13 to answer O'Dell's questions. The committee is scheduled to meet Aug. 13.
Election Commission Chairman E.J. Miller said Friday he questions the need for it, but he would attend the committee meeting and explain how the charges were tabulated.
"I think he should have made an appointment with the election commission to discuss his questions," Miller said. "But we are preparing a case to justify our charges."
The commission heard a report Friday from member Bill Williams on a proposal to adopt electronic poll books for use in county elections. Williams said the electronic devices could replace the paper books now used and potentially save the Benton County clerk and the election commission time and money. He said the company selling the poll books is willing to set up a pilot project at no expense to the commission. He said the devices might be ready for use, in conjunction with the paper books, in the September school board elections.
In its other business, the commission set the ballot draw for the Sept. 21 school election and NorthWest Arkansas Community College board election for 9 a.m. Wednesday.