BENTONVILLE — Democratic challenger Shey Bland will try to wrestle the Benton County Justice of the Peace District 5 seat from Republican incumbent Carrie Perrien Smith.
District 5 sits squarely in northwest Rogers. For the most part, the north-south boundaries are Arkansas 102 and Walnut Street. The east-west boundaries are Second Street in downtown Rogers and Interstate 49. It includes an area between 28th and 13th streets covering voters as far south as Oak Street.
The Benton County Quorum Court is made up of 15 Republicans. Justices of the peace serve two year terms.
Quorum Court members are paid $244 for each Committee of the Whole meeting and Quorum Court meeting they attend, and $152 for each meeting of another committee they serve on, according to the county.
The election is Nov. 3. Early voting starts Oct. 19. A voter may request an absentee ballot application by contacting the county clerk in the county where the voter is registered to vote, according to the Arkansas Secretary of State website. Voters may download the application from the county websites.
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette emailed the same questions to the candidates. Their responses are below. Candidates were limited to 200 words per answer.
Question: Benton County’s share of tax revenue is expected to shrink after the census. Where can the county cut costs or raise revenue?
Bland: We will have to look at that when that time comes, considering the census data has not been reported yet. There will need to be many considerations on what to prioritize and what can be done.
Smith: Our region continues to rally despite covid-19 challenges. The county departments tightened their belts this year to reduce our expenses when we didn’t know how the pandemic would affect our tax revenue.
It was almost a test run for what could happen after the 2020 census data changes our taxable areas. We found where we could and could not make cuts.
I’m a fan of the concept of creating more commercial zones where businesses can launch and expand. That would improve property values, increase sales tax revenue and encourage residential development.
I’d like our county to put the same energy into exploring those possibilities that they put into cutting expenses.
Question: What is the biggest challenge facing county government? How would you address it?
Smith: It seems the only part of county government that grows in our quickly growing county is the burden on the court and jail system. In 2020, we finally resolved the need for more courtroom space, and we’ll see that constructed in 2021.
In the coming two years, one of our greatest challenges will be funding the jail expansion to address jail overcrowding. Our sheriff’s department leaders have explored all options to address the issue.
I expect to hear more about that as we head into the budget preparations for the 2021 year. Construction costs continue to rise, and history tells us that our voters will not approve a tax increase.
We don’t have construction estimates yet.
However, my hope is that every county department will consider this an all-hands-on deck situation and tighten our belts to save as much money for it as possible so we can limit the amount of debt financing we might need. We proved we can do it during this year’s covid-19 crisis.
Bland: Right now the biggest challenge is getting through and recovering from the effects that this pandemic has had on our county’s economy.
Revenue has been lost, and it will take time to get to where the county had planned to be by now.
We need a long term plan, not just for next year, but the years after that.
This community continues to grow. We need to be able to support the needs of the county. I believe that by working together the allocation of funds can be utilized in the most effective way possible.
Question: What makes you the best candidate for this position?
Bland: I can bring an open mind and a fresh point of view to issues that exist and new ones that come up in the future. Facts and opinions are not the same and need to be treated as what they are.
Opinions matter, but need to be weighed against the facts or reality of a situation before decisions are made. “This is how we have always done it” is not necessarily the best solution to a problem.
I want to know why something is being done a certain way and be open to possible alternatives.
Smith: In my time on the Quorum Court, I viewed most decisions through the lens of fiscal conservatism and how our actions affect the people who live and work here, with a greater emphasis on people.
For that reason, my key areas of interest are the human resources and law enforcement operations (officers, jail and administrative staff, and inmates). I want to know that Benton County is a great place to build a career, employees safely return home from work each day and everyone is treated with respect.
It’s such an honor to serve my community, and I’ve learned so much. We live in a vibrant area, and I hope voters will allow me to serve them for another term.
Shey Bland
• Age: 37
• Residency: Has lived in District 5 for two years.
• Employment: Executive director of Downtown Rogers Inc.
• Education: Graduate, Rogers High School
• Political Experience: None
Carrie Perrien Smith
• Age: 55
• Residency:
Has lived in District 5 for 17 years.
• Employment:
Self-employed as a marketing, communication and publishing consultant.
• Education: Master’s in business administration in leadership and ethics, John Brown University
• Political Experience: Serving first term as justice of the peace. Unsuccessful candidate in Rogers municipal elections.
Mike Jones may be reached by email at [email protected] .