BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace approved about $255,000 in personnel requests Thursday, but not without objection.
Susan Anglin of District 9 voted against all three items related to the personnel requests. Anglin said she's concerned about the impact approving the requests will have on the 2016 budget and she wants to keep such requests confined to the annual budget process.
Tax relief
The Benton County Quorum Court on Thursday endorsing the participation of J.B. Hunt Transport in the state’s Tax Back program. Raymond Burns with the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce said the program provides for rebates on county sales taxes and will allow the company to qualify for state incentives in connection with the construction of a seven-story building at the firm’s Lowell campus. Burns said the program will have little to no effect on county revenue, since the company would qualify for rebates on the sales tax money involved in most of the transactions relating to the project.
Source: Staff report
"We have a budget for a reason, Anglin said, noting mid-year requests have been considered frequently in the past.
"Just because we've done something in the past is no reason for doing it," she said. "There are no emergencies in this list of requests."
Pat Adams of District 6 argued in favor of approving the requests now.
"Last year we asked everybody 'Don't add personnel - cut, cut, cut,'" Adams said. "I think now is probably an appropriate time to consider these."
Sue Shadlow of District 2 joined Anglin in voting against one of the three personnel items -- an ordinance adding and deleting some jobs and changing some job titles -- but joined with the other 12 justices of the peace who were present Thursday in voting for the wage and salary adjustments sought and the ordinance appropriating the money needed for the changes.
Tom Allen of District 4 and chairman of the Finance Committee, voted for all three personnel items but said he's open to reconsidering the tradition of mid-year requests.
"We probably ought to look at this unwritten rule of mid-year requests," Allen said. "We're having to pull money out of our savings account to pay for these. We do have the money, but it's not in the budget."
The Quorum Court approved new positions and wage adjustments for several departments, including the Sheriff's Office, Road Department, Veterans Services, County Clerk, Accounting/Human Resources and Treasurer.
The personnel requests being considered will require $97,800 from the general fund for the rest of 2015 and carry a price of about $255,000 for 2016, according to Brenda Guenther, comptroller.
The Sheriff's Office asked for two detective II positions and one animal control officer, with a 2015 budget cost of about $58,000 and a 2016 cost of about $150,000, including benefits. A new staff assistant position in the Veterans Services offices will cost the county about $17,200 for the remainder of 2015 and $45,200 for 2016.
A new probate supervisor for the County Clerk will cost of about $19,800 for the rest of this year and $51,400 for 2016. A request from the treasurer's office will require $2,500 this year and $6,500 for 2016.
The Road Department requests will cost $6,100 this year and $15,800 in 2016. Wage adjustment requests from the Public Defender's Office have a 2015 cost of about $10,000 and a 2016 cost of about $25,800.
NW News on 07/24/2015