BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's circuit court judges agree two plans for a new courts' building in downtown Bentonville are inadequate and they cannot support either. The six judges sent a letter to the 15 justices of the peace and County Judge Bob Clinard detailing their concerns in areas ranging from safety and security to functionality and parking. The letter is signed by Robin Green, Brad Karren, Thomas E. Smith, John R. Scott, Xollie Duncan and Doug Schrantz.
"After due consideration, our conclusion is that the two proposals for downtown are inadequate," the judges said in the letter. "Simply put, the land mass proposed is not large enough for a building of the size necessary to accommodate the security concerns, the functionality needed, nor the expected expansion necessary to meet the needs of the justice system in Benton County in the foreseeable future. Therefore, we cannot support the existing proposals for a courthouse located downtown nor the expenditure of taxpayer dollars for either of the two plans."
The judges weren't taking a position on the eventual location of a new building, but simply expressing their opinions on the plans, Schrantz said.
"As we understand it, the Quorum Court is about to address the question of which of the downtown plans they propose to proceed with," he said. "We're not taking a position on the location, just on the proposed plans. We want something that is adequate and safe. That's our goal."
The county has worked to develop plans for a building for the past few years. A study in January 2014 identified three sites -- two downtown and one on county property on Southwest 14th Street near the jail and Road Department.
The Quorum Court wants to keep courts and related offices downtown. Downtown business interests and the Walton Family Foundation developed what has become known as the "G-2" plan for a building on Second Street, across from the courthouse and administration building. Clinard prefers the Southwest 14th Street location, but he also has developed his own plan for a building on the same Second Street property.
The judges have been concerned their views weren't being communicated to the justices of the peace, Duncan said. The circuit judges have been meeting with the principals involved in both designs and raising the same concerns for more than a year, she said. They wanted to be certain the justices of the peace knew of them before making any decision, she said.
"We have been talking to the various 'factions' that have been proposing these plans," Duncan said. "Each time we met with them, we expressed our concerns with the inadequate security, the inadequate footprint for the type of facility Benton County needs. We've talked about our concerns for parking and the need to provide for future growth."
The judges felt they have an obligation to be clear about the problems they see, Duncan said.
"We couldn't sit by silently," she said. "We've been voicing these concerns for months, for more than a year now. We wanted to make sure the people who were making the decisions heard them."
Clinard, reached by phone in Tennessee on Tuesday, said the judges' letter only reinforces his view the county should build the courts facility on Southwest 14th Street.
"That's what I've thought all along," Clinard said. "It's kind of refreshing to have someone else recognize that."
The Finance Committee was to discuss the project Monday night.
"It will certainly make the conversation more interesting," Clinard said.
Clinard said he has fought for the best possible solution in the face of pressure to keep the courts system downtown.
"I haven't gotten all the constituencies together and agreed to their plan," he said. "This started with their minds made up as to what they wanted and that was to have it downtown, regardless of the best engineering, design, security and other concerns."
General News on 09/30/2015