Benton County to brief new officials on courts plan

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's new justices of the peace will begin a crash course in the courts project at tonight's Committee of the Whole meeting.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced last week he appointed Barney Hayes to the District 3 seat on the court and Bill Burnett to the District 5 seat. Both districts are primarily in Rogers.

Benton County has been considering the need for additional space for the circuit courts for several years. A tour of the courthouse and the other courts facilities in downtown Bentonville is scheduled for today, immediately after the Committee of the Whole meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.

The District 3 seat was vacated after Mary Jane Comstock declared she wouldn't serve after being elected in November. Comstock cited personal reasons for her decision not to serve. Jay Harrison, the incumbent for District 3, agreed to serve until a replacement was sworn in. Kevin Harrison, the District 5 incumbent, was re-elected in November, but took a job with the Benton County Sheriff's Office after the election and resigned from the Quorum Court.

Hayes and Burnett will not be eligible to run for the positions they have been appointed to in the 2018 election cycle.

Hayes, 65, is a longtime resident of Rogers. His family moved to the city from Harrison in 1960. Hayes was a longtime employee of the Rogers School District and Rogers. He also served six terms on the City Council and was appointed to the Rogers Planning Commission in 2016. Hayes doesn't expect any problems to arise from his Rogers planning work and his duties with the county.

"I've discussed it with city and county officials and I don't think there will be any conflicts," he said.

Hayes said serving on the Quorum Court is a continuation of his career.

"I just like public service," he said.

Burnett, 44, said serving on the Quorum Court will be a new experience for him. He moved to Rogers 22 years ago to take a position with Crafton Tull, where he still works. He said his only "political" experience has been serving on the Rogers Board of Adjustment, which works with developers who are seeking variances from the city's design and development regulations. He said he was approached about serving on the Quorum Court and agreed to be considered for the position.

"I think this is probably a 'one-and-done' for me," Burnett said. "I don't see myself chasing anything like that in the future."

County Judge Barry Moehring said tonight's tour and a special Committee of the Whole meeting set for Feb. 28 are meant to acquaint new justices of the peace with the courthouse projects. The 15-member Quorum Court will have seven new justices of the peace once Hayes and Burnett are seated.

Moehring said he wants the county to make some decisions on the project this year, after spending the past several years having studies done and considering the information gathered. Studies have identified sites in downtown Bentonville and on county property near the Road Department and Sheriff's Office on Southwest 14th Street, and provided some conceptual design work on how courts buildings could fit on those sites and a ranges of costs.

"Within the next couple of weeks we need to start taking some affirmative steps," Moehring said, adding he hopes to reach a decision on the project this year.

Benton County Circuit Judge Doug Schrantz, who will lead the courthouse tour, said he also wants to see the process get moving, and the tour and special meeting will get the new justices of the peace comfortable with making some decisions.

"I think it's time for some decision making" Schrantz said. "I hope the Quorum Court will be ready for it. We've got to recognize we have new folks and they've got to do their due diligence and get up to speed. But frankly it needs a push. We've been at this studying and talking for five years now."

NW News on 02/16/2017