BENTONVILLE -- A former sheriff and former county judge are among the candidates who want to be named interim sheriff for Benton County.
Keith Ferguson, who served as sheriff from 2002 to 2012, submitted a letter of interest with the County Clerk's Office on Thursday, as did Bruce Rutherford, who was county judge from 1989 to 1996.
Sheriff faces charges
The felony charge accuses Sheriff Kelley Cradduck of falsifying an employee payroll request form for Gabriel Cox to reflect a start date of Sept. 28 instead of his Oct. 7 hiring date. The change would have resulted in Cox being paid for time he didn’t work, according to court documents. The misdemeanor charge accuses Cradduck of knowing an Arkansas State Police investigation was underway and instructing his assistant, Diana Goodwin, to lie to investigators and say he never asked her to back-date the employee payroll request form.
Source: Staff report
A special Quorum Court meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. today to vote to accept Sheriff Kelley Cradduck's resignation and to declare a vacancy.
The Quorum Court on Tuesday approved paying Cradduck $80,000 for his resignation. The figure is roughly equal to the salary and benefits he would have received if he had worked through the end of the year.
Cradduck made the offer to resign for money in a letter from his attorney, Drew Miller. The letter gives an estimate of $79,611 due as of Monday. The amount would decrease by about $300 a day for the time it takes the county to appoint a replacement and have that person sworn in.
Cradduck's term expires at the end of the year. He was defeated in the Republican primary election in March. Shawn Holloway, who until recently was a major at the Sheriff's Office, won the Republican Party's nomination and will face Glenn Latham, an independent candidate, for the sheriff's position in the November election.
Cradduck faces a three-day jury trial in September on a felony charge he tampered with a public record and a misdemeanor tampering charge. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
"If I were to be the appointed sheriff of Benton County for the remaining 2016 term, my first goal would be for the employees, and to promote honesty, integrity, professionalism, work ethic and dedication," Ferguson, who also was an Arkansas State Police trooper for 32 years, said in his letter.
Rutherford, who has been a Siloam Springs police officer, deputy sheriff and is now an investigator for the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, said his goal is to continue to serve Benton County if he is named interim sheriff.
"To use my experience and abilities as a county judge, administrator, self-employed contractor, small business owner, and law enforcement officer for the benefit of the community," he said in his letter. "I understand and recognize the importance of being a team player and working to secure a common goal."
Ferguson wrote he can bring an end to the embarrassment and controversy Sheriff's Office's employees have had to endure for several months. He said there are many dedicated employees at the Sheriff's Office, but the controversy in the office had to have a negative impact on staff.
Ferguson didn't seek re-election in 2012.
Rutherford said he can provide a calming influence and stability for the Sheriff's Office. He does not want any employees to fear losing their jobs if he's selected to lead the Sheriff's Office.
Interested candidates can send letters or resumes to the Benton County Clerk's Office before noon April 22. A special meeting of the Committee of the Whole is set for 6 p.m. April 25 to interview candidates. The goal is to name a replacement at the April 28 Quorum Court meeting.
The justices of the peace can consider any qualified county resident other than sitting justices of the peace and Holloway and Latham.
NW News on 04/15/2016