BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace on Thursday unanimously approved allowing Simmons Foods to proceed with a bond issue for the a new plant near Gentry.
The Quorum Court approved issuing industrial revenue bonds for the company, with the amount not to exceed $400 million. There was no public comment on the ordinance at Thursday's meeting.
Traffic enforcement grant
The Benton County Quorum Court approved an application for a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant from the Arkansas State Police. The county is asking for up to $106,000 for traffic enforcement efforts aimed at reducing accidents, injuries and fatalities. The county will provide in-kind services by deputies to match up to 50 percent of the amount of the grant.
Source: Benton County
Tom Allen, justice of the peace for District 4, said he strongly supports the proposal and called the company's plans "great news" particularly for western Benton County.
County Judge Barry Moehring said after the meeting he was glad Benton County played a role in bringing the plans to fruition.
"It's a great project for Benton County," Moehring said. "There will be additional jobs, additional economic development and additional revenue for the county, the cities and the school districts."
Simmons plans to build a 400,000-square-foot poultry processing facility at 9802 Arkansas 59, according to information submitted to Benton County. The building site would take about 100 acres.
David Jackson, Simmons president and chief operating officer for prepared foods, said after the vote he appreciated the support the company has received, citing the public support of Benton County; Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission; and the mayors and community leaders in Gentry, Decatur and Siloam Springs. Jackson said the company is on schedule to open the plant by November 2019.
Jackson has said at other meetings the company needs to move from downtown Decatur because space is limited and the company wants to expand the operation. Jackson said the company has about 700 employees at the Decatur location and will have about 900 at the new location when it opens. Over three to four years, the company plans to expand to 2,300 employees, he said.
The Simmons plant would operate 24 hours a day Sunday through Friday with three shifts each day -- two production shifts and one cleanup shift, Jackson said. He estimated the plant will have trucks driving on and off the site about every six minutes. Jackson said the company has asked for a traffic signal at the plant entrance and is awaiting the Department of Transportation's decision. Turn lanes will be added to Arkansas 59 for both northbound and southbound traffic, he said.
Businesses using industrial revenue bond financing from the state can negotiate with the local community for property tax relief for eligible businesses in the form of payment in lieu of taxes, as Simmons has done.
According to information, the Simmons plant in Decatur generates about $154,283 in property taxes. Under the payment in lieu of taxes program, the company would pay $1,092,000 annually as a payment in lieu of taxes, increasing the property tax revenue by about $937,717. The amount is less than the company would pay in assessed property taxes at the new site. According to the county, the 870-acres near Gentry where the company is planning the plant generates about $2,400 in property taxes.
Residents have opposed plans for the facility throughout the planning process and during the Quorum Court meeting at which the bond issue was considered.
More than 50 people attended a Dec. 6 Planning Board meeting, with people sitting in the aisles and standing in the doorway throughout the public hearing about the Simmons proposal. Residents voiced concerns about increased traffic, adverse effect on property value, possible groundwater contamination and the potential leaks of hazardous chemicals used in the facility. Residents made similar comments at the Feb. 22 Quorum Court meeting, where the bond issue ordinance was on its first reading and at a public hearing on the proposal at the Quorum Court's March meeting.
Also Thursday, the justices of the peace approved a policy allowing inmates in the Benton County Jail to earn "good time" and possibly reduce their sentences.
According to the proposal, the Sheriff's Office will have a three-member "classification committee" to determine an inmate's classification in regard to earning meritorious good time. The committee will assign inmates to one of three classifications: Class I, Class II or Class III.
All inmates are assigned to Class I status when they are sentenced to time in jail. Class I inmates will receive credit for 10 days for every 30 days the inmates actually serves. Class II inmates, those who participate in an inmate work program, will receive one day credit for every day they serve. Class III inmates don't qualify for meritorious good time. Inmates are moved to the Class III designation for disciplinary infractions. An inmate moved to the Class III status will lose any good time they may have accrued.
NW News on 04/27/2018