BENTONVILLE -- Benton County officials will continue to refine options for a courts building Tuesday at the second of three public workshops on the project.
"I think we're going to make some serious headway at this next workshop," Circuit Judge Doug Schrantz said. "They're going to have some more detailed concepts for us and possibly some initial cost figures. Those things are going to drive the final decision, in my view."
Courts workshop
Benton County officials will hold the second of three public meetings to discuss the location and design of a new courts building at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Quorum Courtroom at the County Administration Building, 215 E. Central Ave. in Bentonville.
Source: Staff Report
Benton County officials have been discussing plans for a new building to house circuit courts and related offices for several years. An initial study identified three possible sites: two in downtown Bentonville and one on 14th Street near the county jail.
County Judge Bob Clinard has favored the 14th Street location, citing the greater ease of construction, proximity to the jail and prisoner transportation, and greater room for expansion.
The justices of the peace, in a meeting of the Public Safety Committee, voted to keep the courts downtown. Downtown Bentonville business interests and the Walton family have supported keeping the courts downtown.
Walton family interests have made a $2.8 million grant available to do renovation work on the courthouse and have pledged money for land acquisition and construction if the courts are downtown. Walton family interests have also indicated they'll build a parking garage on Northeast B Street, near the downtown sites, and make space available for county and courts-related parking if the courts building stays downtown.
Barry Moehring, justice of the peace for District 15, is the Republican Party candidate for county judge. Moehring defeated Clinard in the Republican primary in March and faces Ronnie Smith, Libertarian Party candidate, and Jeff Broadston, a write-in candidate, in the Nov. 8 general election.
Moehring said the offer to build a parking garage in downtown Bentonville greatly strengthens the arguments in favor of keeping the courts downtown.
Moehring said he considers the two downtown sites to be part of a single "campus" of county buildings. Using the area on both the north and south sides of Second Street gives the county ample room for expansion, he said.
Among the decisions facing officials is the future of the old post office building now used by Circuit Judge Brad Karren. The building sits at one corner of the downtown Bentonville square, at Northeast A and Second streets, one of three sites the county is considering for a courts building.
The county's consultants have been directed to prepare two concept plans for that site, one showing the area with the old post office building incorporated into the design and one using the entire site with the old post office building having been removed.
Joel Jones, justice of the peace for District 7 and chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said the fate of the old post office won't be decided Tuesday night. Jones suggested the building could be moved, saying he doesn't favor having it demolished.
"But that's a broader discussion we're going to have to have. I'm not going to say tear it down. What we're seeing in Bentonville lately are a lot of old historic structures being moved," he said.
Glenn Jones, chairman of the Historical Preservation Commission, said moving the old post office isn't practical. Jones said he'll fight to keep the building in place and intact.
"If we were in New York city, it could be moved, but we don't have the resources to do that here. If they could move it instead of tearing it down I would be thrilled to death," he said.
Glenn Jones said he also wants the county to preserve the old jail, which is on the second downtown site being eyed for a courts building. He added the need for historic preservation of the two county buildings argues against a downtown building project.
"If they put the courts building downtown, within two or three years, they're going to tear that down too. I guarantee it," he said.
NW News on 10/01/2016