BENTONVILLE -- Benton County Circuit Judge Doug Schrantz is moving into new office and courtroom space.
Schrantz canceled court for a week in order to move to 221 S. Main St. in Bentonville. The county leases space on Central Avenue across from the Benton County Courthouse, but the building was sold, and the county had to find another spot.
Ribbon cutting
A ribbon cutting for the relocated court facilities will be 3:30 p.m. May 24 at 221 S. Main St. in Bentonville.
Source: Staff report
Schrantz hopes his stay in the Main Street building is short, only until a new courthouse is built downtown on Second Street.
Schrantz didn't hold court Thursday and Friday. His first day in the relocated courtroom will be May 22.
County Judge Barry Moehring said work on the building has gone smoothly.
The gallery is smaller in the new courtroom, but the jury box is larger, Schrantz said. Jurors now have more space and will be more comfortable when they are seated for trials, he said.
Schrantz said the new building has rooms where lawyers can meet with their clients. There also are offices for Schrantz's staff.
Brenda Guenther, comptroller, said Benton County spent $275,000 on the renovation and relocation. The Main Street building has previously been used to house office space for the assessor, and the building was used by Benton County's public defenders.
The county was leasing the space for Schrantz's old office and courtroom, but his new office and courtroom is in a county-owned building.
Schrantz said one change may be in providing security for the new courtroom since it's farther from the courthouse. One sheriff's deputy manned the door at the Central Avenue court, but Schrantz said the Benton County Sheriff's Office may have to add a second deputy for the new facilities. Sgt. Shannon Jenkins, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, said officials are currently discussing the staffing.
The next project for Benton County is remodeling office space in Rogers, construction of office space for the coroner and maintenance at the Road Department on Arkansas 102.
Moehring said the county will demolish part of the old county jail occupied by the coroner and the Maintenance Department and some space used by the Board of Equalization. The site is across Second Street from the location of the planned $30 million courts building and will be used as a staging area during construction.
The county has budgeted $225,000 to build the space for the coroner and maintenance staff. Moehring hopes the coroner and maintenance staff are in their new space near the end of the year.
The renovation costs for the building in Rogers will be $120,000, Guenther said.
Moehring said he hopes to begin demolishing the old office space that housed the coroner and maintenance staff by the end of the year. Moehring said he hopes to begin the demolition in December when the courts are not as active to lessen the impact.
NW News on 05/14/2018