BENTONVILLE -- Benton County justices of the peace had mixed views Monday on the schedule for three public meetings to air details of a proposed courts building.
The schedule was announced by County Judge Bob Clinard on Friday.
What’s next
Benton County’s Public Safety Committee is set to discuss the county’s proposed new courts building when the panel meets at 6 p.m. Aug. 30 in the Quorum Courtroom at the County Administration Building, 215. E. Central Ave., in Bentonville.
Source: Staff report
Clinard told the justices of the peace by email Friday he set public meetings for Monday, Oct. 4 and Nov. 1. All of the meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Quorum Courtroom in the County Administration Building. Several justices of the peace questioned the process at meetings earlier this month, saying they wanted more opportunity for input into the process.
Clinard said Monday the work group he formed will meet directly with the consultants hired to gather information and recommend the size and location of a building to house the circuit courts and other related offices. The group includes representatives of the circuit judges, prosecuting attorney's office, public defender, circuit clerk, county clerk, sheriff's office and quorum court.
The first meeting will consider multiple design options at the three locations being considered -- two in downtown Bentonville and one on Southwest 14th Street near the Road Department and Sheriff's Office, Clinard said. After that meeting, the work group and consultants will refine their work and narrow the choices at the three locations for a second meeting. The work group will review all of the information it has and present a recommendation to the county after the second meeting, Clinard said.
The Quorum Court approved spending $178,000 on the next phase of the study, but some justices of the peace raised the possibility of rescinding money the study if they weren't satisfied with their role in the process. While the study will proceed, the schedule announced left some justices of the peace with questions.
"Two weeks is a tight turnaround," Joel Jones, justice of the peace and chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said Monday. Jones wanted to have two committee meetings -- one with only the justices of the peace and one with the justices of the peace and the architects working on the project -- before the first public meeting. Jones also wondered about the short time between the first and second public meeting.
"The first set of meetings with Public Safety is for the JPs to gather their input as to the parameters of the project," Jones said. "That fits in nicely with the first meeting. The second meeting seems a little bit tight."
Jones also said he wanted the consultants to give the Quorum Court multiple options to discuss.
"That's everything that we heard, that we'd get multiple sites to consider," Jones said. "Everything I heard was that we were going to get information on multiple sites and make the choice ourselves. That's been my understanding throughout this entire process."
Barry Moehring, justice of the peace, said he thinks the process is being rushed before the end of this year when Clinard leaves office.
Moehring defeated Clinard in the Republican Party primary and faces Libertarian Party candidate Ronnie L. Smith and write-in candidate Jeff Broadston in the Nov. 8 general election to decide who will be the next Benton County judge. Moehring also thinks the justices of the peace should receive the recommend from consultants on all three locations and make the decision on how to proceed.
"My belief was that phase II was going to be one of gathering public input on things the consultants should consider," Moehring said. "All of that would then be applied to each of the three sites. I thought we'd have the pros and cons for each site, the implications of what is feasible and what's not at each site. In my view that would make phase II much more credible and appropriate instead of them coming up with a final recommendation."
Moehring said there will be several new justices of the peace on the Quorum Court in January, in addition to a new county judge. Those people will have to see any proposal through to completion, he said.
"There's a next generation of leadership at the county, regardless of who is going to be county judge, that's going to be responsible for what happens with the courts facility," he said.
Pat Adams, justice of the peace, said he's not concerned about the schedule of the public meetings, having decided no decision will be made this year. Justices of the peace will have their say in the matter since the Quorum Court has to approve any financing plan, he said.
"Most of the JPs, they want to have their say," Adams said. "They don't want to sign a blank check, and they're not going to."
Adams is tired of the process being delayed but thinks a decision will be made next year.
"This should have been done a year ago," Adams said. "Or even two years ago."
Kevin Harrison, justice of the peace, said he's satisfied with the process as it stands and will wait for the results.
"I'm just going to take a deep breath and let them do their due diligence," Harrison said. "We've been assured we can have our input. I'm 99.9 percent sure we're not going to be approving anything this year, so I'm just going to stay cool and calm and let them work. I do anticipate next year we should be able to determine the plan and the location and start working on the financing."
NW News on 08/16/2016