BENTONVILLE — The Benton County Election Commission is set to meet next week with its two Democratic Party representatives at odds before the meeting begins.
Commissioner E.J. Miller said Friday afternoon he planned to call for a commission meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Miller said he discussed the need for the commission to meet and choose a chairman with Mike Sevak, the lone Republican on the three-member panel. Sevak could not be reached Friday afternoon.
County Attorney George Spence said a review of state law indicated there was no prohibition on two commission members calling a meeting. Spence said if two members of the commission met and decided to call for a meeting, and if they discussed nothing else, that would probably be allowed under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
Bill Williams, commission chairman, said he disagreed, insisting Miller and Sevak could not call a commission meeting. Williams said he had not called for a meeting in 2011 since there was no pressing commission business and the commission went over budget for meetings in 2010.
Williams said he called for a meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Miller said he would drop his effort to have the commission meet Tuesday when he was told of Williams’ decision to set a meeting.