BENTONVILLE -- The justices of the peace serving as Benton County's Legislative Committee said Monday they want at least 48 hours notice before considering any ordinances or resolutions.
The committee unanimously recommended a proposal by Brent Meyers, justice of the peace for District 14, requiring any items to be considered at Quorum Court or committee meetings be emailed to the justices of the peace at least 48 hours before the meeting. Meyers said too many items come to the Quorum Court or to committees without the justices of the peace having had time to study them. The change would allow a majority of the Quorum Court or a committee to allow an item to be considered. The proposal was sent to the Committee of the Whole for further discussion.
The committee also discussed issues the justices of the peace want to have considered by the state Legislature when it meets in 2017. The first item on the list is increasing state reimbursement to counties for housing state prisoners. Kevin Harrison of District 5 and committee chairman, said counties need to keep the issue of jail fees active. Harrison said the state increased the reimbursement rate $2 to $30 per day last year but the county spends $49 per day. Harrison said the state reimbursement rate remained flat for 20 years before the increase.
"If we don't keep discussing it we're going to fall into the same place as we were before and nothing will get done for another 20 years," Harrison said.
Shirley Sandlin of District 8 said Benton County has to work with other counties through the Association of Arkansas Counties and sheriffs and county judges associations.
"If it's just Benton County doing it, we might as well sit here talking to the walls," Sandlin said. "We've got to get the association to buy into it. And the sheriffs and the county judges."
Harrison also raised a proposal that would have any elected official charged with a felony be automatically suspended from office until the resolution of the charge. The proposal was sharply criticized by other justices of the peace and dropped.
"I take exception to that," Michelle Chiocco of District 10 said of Harrison's suggestion. "We're supposed to be presumed innocent until we are found guilty. That leads to the presumption of guilt."
The panel also agreed to take up the question of regular increases in pay for elected officials, including justices of the peace. The committee agreed to ask Barb Ludwig, human resources administrator, to brief them on the proposals that were discussed, but not adopted, during work on the 2016 budget.
NW News on 01/26/2016