Benton County earmarks $2 million for courts building

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's Finance Committee voted Tuesday to set aside $2 million in the special capital reserve fund with an eye toward paying for some of the new courts building.

The justices of the peace voted unanimously to take $2 million received in turnback, money budgeted in 2014 but not spent, and transfer it to reserve. The measure will go to the Committee of the Whole on March 10 and, if approved, to the Quorum Court at its March meeting, which has been moved to March 19.

County Finances

Benton County’s justices of the peace heard reports Tuesday from Brenda Guenther, comptroller, and Mike Crandall, accounting manager, on the county’s finances. The February sales tax report showed an increase over the same month in 2014 of $53,788 or 8.1 percent. For the year, the county is showing an increase of $95,979 or 7.72 percent. year.

Source: Staff Report

"For the 2015 budget we met all the capital, we met all the requests," Joel Jones, justice of the peace for District 7, said during the discussion. "I'd like to see us put a significant amount into capital projects."

Mike Crandall, accounting manager, said the capital projects fund balance at the beginning of 2015 was $1,125,000. Adding the $2 million would increase the balance to $3,125,000, he said.

Tom Allen of District 4, committee chairman, supported the suggestion.

"I like the idea of the $2 million," Allen said. "It's not like we can't get it if we need it, it just requires a bigger vote."

The Quorum Court has adopted requiring two-thirds approval of any transfer out of the capital projects fund. The fund has been used in the past for major building projects, including the administration building and the juvenile justice center.

Allen noted the county has about $6.5 million in state-mandated reserve and another $16.3 million in other reserve. He said setting aside money for the building project is something the county needs to begin to do.

"I know from my own experience that if I have extra revenue coming in, I want to set it aside," Allen said. "Otherwise, it's going to be spent."

Jones said he wanted to put the money into the fund now to discourage officials from bringing spending requests to the Quorum Court. He said in past years when the county has had $1 million or more in turnback it has often been spent on new requests in the middle of the budget year.

"I think it also sets the tone that we don't have that $1 million so don't come ask for it," Jones said.

Benton County is still working to repair storm damage from the flood of August 2013, with the Finance Committee approving a request Tuesday to carry over $1.3 million remaining from last year's budget.

The committee voted unanimously to spend the money in the 2015 budget. Brenda Guenther, comptroller, said the county has some projects unfinished.

"This is money that was appropriated in 2014 but the work was not completed," Guenther said.

Also Tuesday, the committee approved $200,000 to remove microbial growth from the Benton County Sheriff's Office. The money was earmarked in this year's budget after the problems with the building were identified. The exterior walls of the building allowed moisture to seep through, promoting the microbial growth inside the building. The walls have been sealed and the work remaining will removed the growth from the interior of the building.

Lt. Robin Heath with the Sheriff's Office said the work was initially expected to take about 20 days, but that estimate has been "stretched out" to a couple of months. Crandall said the original bid was for $116,000 but if more growth is found, the cost could increase.

The committee also approved spending $70,000 for the Sheriff's Office to finish upgrading the security system in the jail. The work was begun in 2014 and is expected to be completed this year.

NW News on 03/04/2015

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