BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace on Thursday declared the county's intent to build a courts facility in downtown Bentonville.
The Quorum Court's Committee of the Whole approved a resolution supporting a courts building on Northeast Second Street. The justices of the peace endorsed the resolution, 12-2. Bob Bland, justice of the peace for District 11 and Brent Meyers, justice of the peace for District 15, voted against the resolution
Fire dues vote
Benton County’s justices of the peace approved the second reading of a proposal calling for a July 11, 2017, special election increasing the annual dues for the Beaver Lake Fire Department from $75 to $150. The proposal will be on the agenda for the April meeting on its final reading.
Source: Staff Report
The resolution cited the findings of several studies the downtown location is suitable and allows for the continued use of the County Courthouse. The resolution calls for "continued planning for consolidated and expanded court facilities" on the Second Street location.
Officials have discussed plans for a building to house circuit courts and related offices for several years. The six circuit courts are spread over four locations. Three are housed in the courthouse built in 1928. Other sites include two other buildings in the downtown Bentonville area and at the Juvenile Justice facility on Melissa Drive.
A study in 2014 identified three sites: two downtown and one on Southwest 14th Street near the jail.
A second study last year by Perkowitz, Ruth, Cromwell and Dewberry presented six building options, with two options on Southwest 14th Street, one for property behind the courthouse and three for property on Northeast Second Street, just off the downtown square.
Two Bentonville residents asked the justices of the peace to work to preserve the city's old Post Office, which now houses Circuit Judge Brad Karren's court. Both said the rapid growth of Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas has contributed to losing many older buildings important to the community's heritage.
"I'm asking you to consider preserving our old Post Office building," Cindy Acree told the justices of the peace.
Caroline Eastman told the justices of the peace Bentonville has already acquired a reputation for tearing down historic buildings. She recounted a conversation she recently overheard while in Eureka Springs, where Bentonville was labeled as "Stepford" and "all fake."
"That's the perception some people have, " Eastman said. "We're seeing what made Bentonville, Bentonville, being torn down."
Several justices of the peace stressed no decision has been made regarding the building.
"I strongly support leaving the old Post Office," Susan Anglin, justice of the peace for District 9, said. "But we desperately need a new courts facility. It's time to do something."
Also Thursday, the justices of the peace approved the 2015 audit report from the state's Legislative Audit.
The report states Connie Guild, former senior accounting specialist, was the custodian of the travel fund. According to the report, $1,106,569 in disbursements from the fund were "undocumented and/or posted to the general ledger but not the travel log during the period from Jan. 1, 2007, through Sept. 7, 2016." Guild was fired Sept. 7, according to the audit. She began working for the county in 2000. The report also indicated Guild "appears to have charged $30,037 in credit card purchases without an apparent business purpose during the period Oct. 7, 2015, through Sept. 5, 2016."
The matter is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI. Those agencies have said their policies bar them from confirming or denying any investigation. Prosecutor Nathan Smith has said the federal agencies did the investigation and will handle any prosecution, and he sees no need to file state charges.
NW News on 03/31/2017