Council OKs Hazmat Team

— Benton County’s mayors endorsed a countywide hazardous materials response team Tuesday with the new organization to replace a two-county regional team early in 2013.

Marshal Watson, the county’s emergency services administrator, told mayors the new team would likely be ready early in 2013, but not Jan. 1 when the two-county team ends operation.

At A Glance

What’s Next

The Benton County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council on Tuesday endorsed a plan for a new hazardous material incident response team. The mayors and county judge, who make up the council, will take the proposed interlocal agreement back to their city councils, city board or to the Quorum Court for approval.

Source: Staff Report

“What happens if we have a haz-mat incident next week?” County Judge Bob Clinard asked Watson. “What happens if we have one in the first two weeks of January?”

Watson said the existing team will remain in operation until Dec. 31. In the interim period between then and the time the new Benton County group is ready, the county will rely on mutual aid arrangements among the fire departments with hazardous material response capabilities to handle an emergency, Watson said.

“I think we’ve got it covered,” Watson said.

The new team will replace the Northwest Arkansas Regional Hazardous Materials Response team, which included both Benton and Washington counties, along with Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville, Bella Vista, Siloam Springs, Farmington, Gentry, Lowell and Beaver Lake. The group was administered by the NWA Metro Chiefs Association, which was created for that purpose. The regional team had served the area since 1989.

Several members cities announced they planned to end their participation in the regional team this year, with Rogers being the first. Fire Chief Tom Jenkins said Rogers has increased its haz-mat capabilities so much since the formation of the regional team the city hasn’t needed outside assistance.

Under the old arrangement, Jenkins said, Rogers was assessed a fee based on the city’s population along with all of the other members. Under the new plan, Rogers and the other cities that provide hazardous material response services — Bentonville, Springdale, Bella Vista and Siloam Springs — will not be assessed a fee. The county and smaller cites without response capability will bear the cost of the new team.

The proposed new arrangement was approved Tuesday by the Benton County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council, which is made up of the county judge, county clerk and the mayors of cities in Benton County, including Springdale. Bentonville Mayor Bob McCaslin cast the lone dissenting vote.

“We were not in favor of disbanding this to begin with,” McCaslin said after the meeting, adding “I don’t see this makes us any more effective.”

The council is created under a provision of state law to encourage local governments to work together and share resources and information. The group is required to meet at least once annually to discuss issues of concern. The Benton County group is working on how best to provide ambulance service to rural areas of the county and smaller cities and also on animal control issues.

Clinard said the emergency medical services issue should be on the agenda for the groups’ next meeting, which he said will be in the spring.

Gentry Mayor Kevin Johnson reported a committee looking at animal control issues may also have items for discussion, including a proposal to require pet owners to have microchips implanted in their animals.

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