Voters weigh change and experience in race for Benton County judge

BENTONVILLE -- It's a battle between experience and a call for change in the race for Benton County judge.

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Bob Clinard

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Barry Moehring

Bob Clinard, in his third term as county judge, is challenged by Barry Moehring, a sitting justice of the peace, in the March 1 Republican Party primary election. Early voting starts Tuesday. The primary winner will face Ronnie L. Smith of Garfield, a Libertarian Party candidate, and Jeff Broadston of Decatur, who filed as a write-in candidate, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Benton County Judge

Bob Clinard, Republican

(Incumbent)

Age: 65

Residency: Rogers

Employment: Former owner and president of Clinard Construction

Education: Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Oklahoma State University

Political experience: Benton County judge 2011-16

Barry Moehring, Republican

Age: 49

Residency: Bentonville

Employment: Self-employed in real estate and property management

Education: Bachelor of arts degree in political science from University of Arizona

Political experience: Benton County Quorum Court justice of the peace, District 1, 2013-16

Early voting

Early voting begins Tuesday and runs through Feb. 29.

Benton County early voting locations for the March 1 preferential primaries and nonpartisan general election:

• County Clerk’s Offices at 215 E. Central Ave., Suite 217, in Bentonville, 1428 W. Walnut St. in Rogers and 707 S. Lincoln St. in Siloam Springs will hold early voting from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 29.

• Iberia Bank, 706 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

• Riordan Hall, 3 Riordan Road in Bella Vista: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

• Intrust Bank, 3300 Market, Suite 130 in Rogers: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

• Gravette Civic Center, 401 Charlotte Street S.E. in Gravette: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

• Rogers/Lowell Chamber of Commerce, 506 Enterprise Drive in Lowell: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

• Centerton Fire House, 755 W. Centerton Blvd. in Centerton: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

• NEBCO Community Building, 17823 Marshall St. in Garfield: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26.

Source: Benton County Clerk’s Office

Clinard will run on his record of five years in office. Moehring has outspent him on campaign signs, commercials, cards and mailings, but Clinard believes his experience trumps money and politics.

"I call this a dollars and sense campaign," Clinard said. "It's my opponent's dollars against my common sense. I would hope the county judge's office is not for sale. I think voters will look at my experience, leadership and common sense and decide who is best qualified to provide county services to all of the people."

Moehring says he has received a great deal of encouragement in the form of financial support and personal support.

"The reason I have hundreds of signs is because people are requesting them," he said. "People convey their support for my campaign in a number of ways, and I appreciate all of them. There's a lot of people in Benton County that want to see change, change of all types."

Moehring agrees Clinard's experience is an issue but said his time in office has shown Clinard can't provide the leadership the county needs to move forward. County government has to change to meet the needs of a growing and changing population, said Moehring, who stressed the need for planning across all areas of county government, a need he said Clinard has not met.

"We live in a very prosperous and rapidly growing area. A lot of our cities and communities have a vision for the future and have assembled a coalition of the willing to help carry out that vision. In Benton County, we have none of those things," Moehring said

Clinard says he has upgraded the Road Department, led the county through a long process to keep rural ambulance service available, and has the knowledge and background in construction to oversee the building of a new justice facility to house the circuit courts and related offices for the next 100 years.

Moehring has targeted the Road Department as one area where he would implement change through planning. Having a list of road projects every year doesn't address the transportation needs, he said.

"I believe that in transportation and infrastructure we could do a much better job of solving real traffic problems and needs by really collaborating with the cities and communities, with the school districts, to address not just current traffic problems but the growth that's coming," Moehring said.

The proposed justice facility also shows differences between his approach and Clinard's, Moehring said.

"We need to start from the idea that we don't need to raise taxes to do this," Moehring said. "The judge's position is one of believing we will need to raise taxes. He should not be let off the hook by saying it's the Quorum Court's decision on the funding. He should have to bring a fiscally responsible plan to the Quorum Court for us to consider.

"We need to make maximum use of the facilities we have downtown. They are old, tired and, in some cases, dilapidated. We need to bring them back and make them useful again. Are we going to need more space? We are probably going to need to expand, but I believe we can do so modestly. We can solve the needs that are in front of us. We can bring all of the judges together, except for Judge Smith and the juvenile court, and allow for two more judges in the near future. We can do this without raising taxes. I believe if a proposal for a tax fails, and I think it will, we will have set this effort back several years."

Clinard takes issue with Moehring saying he has failed to show leadership on the courts facility project. Clinard said he has tried to provide solutions, but the justices of the peace, who have to approve spending the money, have insisted on limiting options and that the building must be in downtown Bentonville.

Any new facility has to have room to expand and have space around it to accommodate traffic and parking needs into the future as well, Clinard said.

"We're looking too short-sighted at some of the options," he said. "The smallest projection now takes us out 15 years and says we'll have eight judges. It needs to have the capacity to double in size and footprint, to handle double the parking and traffic. This is a need. It's not a want. We have to provide a safe, secure courts facility. Our current facility is antiquated and stretched beyond its capabilities. It can't be retrofitted."

NW News on 02/13/2016

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