Jeff Arey said he never intended to get into politics. But when he did, he did so in a big way.
Arey, 52, served his hometown of Haskell as mayor for 16 years. As the newly elected Saline County judge, he hopes to serve in that capacity for the foreseeable future.
“I never even thought about running for public office of any kind,” he said, noting that he was happy with life, working in the family business, Arey’s General Store, and raising his children.
“In 1996, Bill Quartz, who was the mayor of Haskell for 20 years, came to me to encourage me to run for City Council. I told him I wasn’t interested whatsoever,” Arey said.
“He kept coming back to me, telling me that my family was in business in the community and that I needed to get involved. So I consented and ran for alderman, and served a term as an alderman,” Arey said.
“Then in two years, he came to me again and told me he had decided to resign as mayor,” Arey said, with a smile. “He told me he wanted to make a recommendation that the mayor’s position become a full-time position and that I should run for the position.
“Again, I told him I definitely was not interested.
“But he continued, and basically, guilted me into running,” Arey said, laughing. “That one term turned into four terms. I felt like I was really making a difference in my community.
“I had a great staff and a great community that was willing to work with us,” he said. “I’m very proud of what we accomplished together. It was a team effort. I was just one cog in the gears.”
Arey said that over the years, he worked with former Saline County Judge Lanny Fite.
“We became friends,” Arey said. “He was a mentor for me.
“When he decided to run for state representative (District 23) in 2014, I decided I would run for county judge,” Arey said. “I had sold the family business in 2008, and I had more time on my hands. I thought, ‘Why not?’”
Arey sought, and won, the Republican nomination for Saline County judge in the May 2014 primary. He faced opposition in the November 2014 general election but won that race as well, taking office as Saline County judge on Jan. 1. His term is for two years.
“I definitely plan to run again,” he said. “You can write that down.”
Arey grew up in Haskell, the son of the late Raymond and Glenda Arey, who owned and operated Arey’s General Store for many years. Arey bought the business from his father in 2008.
Arey graduated from Benton Harmony Grove High School in 1981 and attended North Arkansas Community College in Harrison. He came back to central Arkansas and studied business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“I didn’t graduate,” he said. “I met a girl (Betsy) from Shreveport, Louisiana, got married and went to work in the family business.
“Betsy grew up in Houston (Texas) and New Orleans,” Arey said. “She was a city girl. It was quite a big shock when she moved to Haskell, but she grew to love it, just like I do. It’s home.”
Arey said his parents managed the general store in Haskell.
“I grew up working in it,” he said. “We sold everything there — hardware, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, groceries, feed and seed. We had a full restaurant as well, specializing in the ‘blue plate’ lunch. The store had been there since the 1940s.
“It was right in the center of town. Everybody knew where it was. We tried to offer anything anyone would need so they would not need to drive into Benton.”
Jeff and Betsy raised their children, twins Jake and Rachel, now 26, in Haskell. Betsy is a past president of the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce and served on its executive board of directors from 2002 to 2006. She was named Volunteer of the Year in 2005.
The Areys attend Celebration Baptist Church in Haskell.
The county judge said he is the “chief executive officer of Saline County.”
“The road department is one of my primary responsibilities,” he said. “We’ve been the hero so far in maintaining the roads, but after this weather, we may go to zero.
“I am also responsible for the county property,” Arey said. “I am the grant administrator for the county, and all the hiring done by the human resources department goes through this office. I am also in charge of the purchasing department, and the office of emergency management is also under my direction.”
Arey said there are 340 county employees, including those who work part time.
“About 101 of those are under my umbrella,” he said.
Arey said his plans for his first year in office are “to get my feet on the ground.”
“I want to make sure everything I inherited is running properly and everything is being done correctly. I want to make sure I know and understand my job and responsibilities. This first year will be a learning process.
“Right now, I am concentrating on the roads. The roads have taken a beating with the weather being so bad.”
Arey said the county is relocating the road department, which has been behind the old airport at Fairfield Drive and Airline Road.
“That area is being turned into a park by the city of Benton,” he said, noting that the property was scheduled to be sold at auction on March 13. “As far as I know, the city is the only bidder.”
Arey said the county has purchased property on Synamide Road in the industrial area of Benton on which to build the new facility for the road department.
As administrator of the county property, Arey is also responsible for maintaining the Saline County Courthouse, which was built in 1902.
“I’m working on a restoration grant through the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to take care of several things at the courthouse,” he said. “We need to replace the tile on the first floor, which is cracking. We just replaced the tile on the second floor, and it looks really good.
“We need to replace the treads on the steps in the stairwell and restain all of the banisters. We are also working on the clock tower. The bell, which used to chime, does not work. It used to chime on the hour.
“I want to fix whatever we can in the courthouse. It is so important to Saline County. I want to be sure we do whatever we can to keep it in good condition so the citizens can continue to be proud of it.”
Another special project for Arey is the Saline County Single Parent Scholarship Fund, which is sponsored by the Central Arkansas Development Council.
“This scholarship is for single parents to help further their education,” Arey said. “It provides $500 per semester for full-time students or $250 per semester for part-time students. It can help improve their lives. It’s not a handout but a hand up.”
Arey said the 14th annual lLuncheon on the Courthouse Lawn to support this program will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 14 at the Saline County Courthouse, 200 N. Main St. in Benton. Elected officials will be on hand to greet the public.
Lunch will include hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, chips, dessert and a drink.
Door prizes will be given. Attendees will also have an opportunity to bid on a variety of items in a silent auction.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the Saline County judge’s office by calling (501) 303-5640 or from Garry Elrod at (501) 778-1133. All proceeds will benefit the Saline County Single Parent Scholarship Fund.
Arey said Fite started this benefit picnic when he was county judge.
“I got involved in it about a year ago, and I continue to help organize it,” Arey said.