Benton County officials want special election

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace agreed Tuesday to have a proposal calling for an election on the $30 million courts building project ready for the May 24 Quorum Court meeting.

The court's Committee of the Whole voted 9-2 to have an ordinance prepared asking voters to approve a one-eighth percent sales tax as part of the funding plan for the courts building.

E-cigarettes snuffed

Benton County’s justices of the peace deadlocked Tuesday on plans for the Sheriff’s Office to allow inmates in the county jail to use e-cigarettes. A proposal transferring money to start the program failed when the justices of the peace ended with six in favor and six against the proposal.

Source: Staff report

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Justices of the Peace Brent Meyers, from District 14, and Mike McKenzie, from District 1, voted against the motion. Meyers said he has too many unanswered questions about the plan to vote for anything and McKenzie said he's opposed to any tax increase.

"Too much information is missing," Meyers sad. "We could be going to deep into debt and wiping out the county's reserves."

Tom Allen, justice of the peace for District 4, said having the ordinance ready this month gives the justices of the peace time to consider having the vote at the November general election or in a special election.

"I want us to have that flexibility," Allen said. "We do risk not passing it on the first reading but we've still got time to go to the Quorum Court with changes."

A one-eighth percent sales tax would raise about $24.5 million over four years and three months. The remaining costs would be covered by reserve and other revenue sources. The Finance Committee last month recommended the sales tax as the preferred method of paying for the $30 million building. The county is also planning another $5 million in contingency costs, including renovating the courthouse once a new building is completed and other work related to the project.

Plans are for an 86,000-square-foot building on a site on Northeast Second Street with space for eight courtrooms, jury deliberation rooms and judges' chambers. It would include space for the circuit clerk, county clerk and other related offices.

The county has six circuit court judges with five in the downtown area and the sixth at the Juvenile Justice Center on Melissa Drive. The fourth floor of the new building, with room for two of the eight courtrooms, would be left as a shell and finished when needed. The cost of finishing the fourth floor isn't included in the estimated $30 million cost.

The county budgeted $1.5 million this year for architectural and engineering work on the building. The $1.5 million is part of the total estimated cost.

If the justices of the peace agree on a funding plan and obtain voter approval, if needed, construction could begin early in 2019. Construction is expected to be completed in 24 to 36 months.

If the proposed funding plan is to appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot, the Quorum Court has to have an ordinance calling for an election on any ballot measure approved by Aug. 28. The justices of the peace discussed having a special election in January or February. A special election would cost the county about $11,000, according to information from the Benton County Clerk's Office.

NW News on 05/09/2018

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