Money talks in Benton County
For the benefit of the general public, the sheriff's office, judges, and other court officials, the logical location for the new Benton County court facility is on 14th Street next to the jail. It's either the congestion and difficulty of driving into downtown Bentonville, perhaps to a parking garage, but still having to walk some distance in whatever kind of weather to wherever the court you seek may be located -- or, driving along 14th Street, turning into a parking lot and walking a few feet into a spacious building knowing that's the location of the court you're looking for. Also, of no small consideration is the sheriff's office either busing prisoners downtown and securing them for court appearances or walking them a short distance out of the jail and over to the court.
However, common sense and routine politics have been absent in Benton County for some time. A number of editorials in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette have made a commendable effort to enlighten Benton County residents of what has been happening. There was an election with one candidate furnished $80,000 campaign support, the power to influence numerous voters, and then, of course, the usual irresponsible voters; so the qualified candidate was not chosen.
Consequently, for the past several months the Quorum Court has continued to haggle over the appropriate location for the courts and to spend more on consulting fees. Now a parking garage has been promised for downtown Bentonville, but with one condition. If this puzzles you, there's the misguided and selfish belief that to preserve the historic nature of downtown Bentonville, "Everything needs to be kept downtown."
For the benefit of the people, Benton County court facilities should be on 14th Street, and for the benefit of the tourists -- who won't know or care where the courts are -- our 90-year-old courthouse along with the Walmart museum displaying Mr. Sam's pickup truck (which is special), will still be on the square. The unsurpassed generosity of that company, the family and the foundation deserves appreciation, but an unfortunate disservice is being done to Benton County.
Barbara Foreman
Siloam Springs
Editorial on 08/24/2016