BENTON COUNTY — A Benton County justice of the peace has asked Benton County Prosecutor Van Stone to investigate the county’s bidding processes dating back to debris cleanup from the ice storm last January.
Robert Stephenson, justice of the peace for District 9, filed the complaint as a result of a report in Northwest Arkansas Newspapers’ Sunday editions. The report involved Benton County Judge Dave Bisbee hiring hisown construction company to perform a $15,000 remodeling job for the county.
“I would also appreciate your checking into the bidding process pertaining to the debris cleanup/ removal following the ice storm in January 2009,” Stephenson wrote in his letter to Stone. “Specifically, the manner in which bids were solicited, awarded, revoked and ultimately, rewarded.”
Bill Sadler, a spokesman for Arkansas State Police, said a criminal case file has been opened and an investigation has been initiated by special agents of the State Police Criminal Division.
Stephenson also filed a complaint with the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board concerning Bisbee’s decision to allow a former employee to work under his license to do a job at the county’s satellite office in Rogers.
Bisbee, after a town hall meeting in Rogers on Friday, said he welcomes both investigations. Both will show he hasn’t violated any laws, Bisbee said.
“That’s one thing about being squeaky clean,” Bisbee said. “Come investigate.”
Stephenson stressed his filing of the complaints weren’t malicious or a vendetta against Bisbee.
Stephenson said he feels some of the county’s contract situations seem to be fouled up, and he believes an investigation is needed to resolve them.
Stephenson said issues came up with the 2009 ice storm cleanup, the renovation of the Siloam Springs Health Unit and the remodeling project at the satellite county office in Rogers.
“I’m not accusing anyone of anything,” Stephenson said. “This is the chance to get it investigated. I don’t see how the situation can be resolved without an investigation.”
Bisbee was confident Friday, saying he knows how each investigation will turn out since he hasn’t committed any illegal act.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Bisbee said of the investigations. “It couldn’t be better for me.”
Community, Pages 3 on 01/20/2010