Marketing/executive assistant position for Benton to be split

The Benton City Council has approved a measure that will see two new positions created in the wake of the resignation of current Mayor’s Executive Assistant/director of Marketing and Special Events Tina Coston.

According to Benton Mayor Tom Farmer, in the search for Coston’s replacement, the city found two individuals who would each be suited for different parts of the joint position. Rather than continue the search, the council voted to split the responsibilities and hire one individual as Farmer’s executive assistant and one as the director of marketing and special events.

In addition to splitting the job, the measure also reclassified the wage structure for both positions in order for the city to be more competitive in the mar

ketplace.

Alderman Shane Knight asked Farmer if the expectation was that both positions would begin at the minimum salary for the pay grade assigned to each position and Farmer said that it was.

The ordinance splitting the job was unanimously approved by the council.

The council also approved a resolution amending the previously approved 2021 budget to allow for the changes in the positions and the wage classifications.

Coston will be leaving to take up a new post as part of the staff of Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Barbara Womack Webb.

The Saline Courier featured Coston in the Jan. 1 edition as she reflected on her time working for the city and her plans moving forward in her new position.