Benton County Officials Eye Road Money

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County officials said they've made good progress on the road paving plan and may ask the Quorum Court for money to do more.

The 2014 plan was cut back earlier this year when justices of the peace voted to take $450,000 from the Road Department's asphalt budget. That money was put toward paying for rural ambulance service.

At A Glance

Ambulance Bills

Benton County’s Quorum Court cut the Road Department budget by $450,000 to pay part of the $942,000 cost for ambulance service. Other sources of money for ambulance service are saving in personnel costs and a voluntary ambulance tax. Mike Crandall, accounting manager, said the county has accumulated about $228,000 in personnel savings through June and the voluntary ambulance tax has brought in about $100,000 so far this year.

Source: Staff Report

The paving plan was reduced from 34 miles to about 22 miles when the cuts were made. The department could finish that work with time left in the paving season, said Jeff Clark, public services administrator who heads up the Road Department.

"I'm very optimistic we're going to make it," Clark said. "I don't see any reason why we won't."

The paving program is dependent on good weather, Clark said. Road work was interrupted last year when a major flood hit the eastern part of the county. The scope of repair work from the flood also played a part in reducing this year's paving plan. The county has completed most repair work and could contract some remaining projects, Clark said.

"We have about 32 percent of that work remaining," he said. "Everything else is complete."

The Road Department can continue to pave for several months if the weather remains warm enough, said County Judge Bob Clinard. In his 4½ years as county judge, he has seen paving work continue into December, Clinard said.

The Road Department should be able to do added work if nothing occurs to keep the county from paving, Clinard said.

"Our labor force and equipment hasn't been diminished," he said. "We didn't lay off anybody. It all depends on whether we can get any money."

Several justices of the peace said they'd have to carefully consider whether to add money to the Road Department's budget. They also agreed work on county roads is important.

"If they're doing well and they have more they can do that's critical, at this point I would look favorably on it," Joel Jones of District 7 said of a possible request for more money.

It could be difficult to find the money without dipping into reserve, Jones said.

"I don't know if they can get any more money or not," Jones said.

Barry Moehring of District 15 said he'd listen to any requests, but he's leery of taking money from reserve.

"It's definitely worth discussing," Moehring. "But I don't know where we'll find the money without dipping into reserves, and that's a habit I don't want us to get into."

Kurt Moore 0f District 13 said he would expect the Quorum Court to consider any request for money but said approval isn't certain.

"That's what we said to them when we made the cuts," Moore said. "If they're doing well and need more money, we'll look at it. But I don't think we're looking at the whole $450,000."

The Road Department budget for 2015 will be scrutinized along with all other departments if plans for a dedicated money source for rural ambulance service fail, the justices of the peace said.

The Quorum Court is considering two plans -- a $40 per household fee for unincorporated areas of the county and a 0.2-mill property tax that would be applied countywide. The justices of the peace are set to decide on sending one or both of on for a Nov. 4 vote.

"I think we need to spread the pain around evenly," Moore said of possible budget cuts if the county has to pay for ambulance service from normal operating revenue.

Jones said he's reluctant to see the Road Department budget cut, particularly in light of voter approval of a state half-cent sales tax for highway and road improvements in 2012.

"I don't think it needs to go beyond what it's been," Jones said of cutting the Road Department budget. "If we don't have roads, we can't get ambulances to people. I think it's even more important that we don't cut the Road Department because of the half-cent sales tax. The people voted, and they voiced their opinion that they want to have more and better roads."

NW News on 07/24/2014

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