Treasurer to seek re-election

FAYETTEVILLE — Bobby Hill will seek a third term as Washington County treasurer.

“This is the only job I’ve ever had that I didn’t dread every morning getting up and going to work,” Hill said Tuesday.

Hill, a Republican, was first elected in 2014. He was hired as a deputy treasurer in 1997 and promoted to chief deputy in 2008. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, according to a news release.

Hill, 50, earns $103,531 as treasurer, partly determined by state law and county ordinance.

The treasurer oversees revenue for the county, but not expenditures, which are kept by the county comptroller. If elected, Hill will serve his first four-year term. A new state law changed most county elected officials terms to four years starting next year.

Hill keeps tabs on the fiscal health of the county, he said. This year’s budget is about $68 million with $5 million less in revenue than planned spending, he said. The county’s finances are stable, Hill said, partly because sales tax revenue continues to grow and county departments continue to spend less than their budgets.

Property taxes are also increasing, he said.

Hill touted his experience. “Our annual budgeting process has razor-thin margins between revenue and expenditures, and experience is a must,” according to his new release.

Hill routinely provides the Quorum Court with revenue projections. His office’s budget is $305,782, and Hill said he tries to come in under budget to save the county money. He also has increased interest returns for the county’s money, he said.

“Most of the money belonging to our county taxpayers resides in banks with a physical presence in Washington County,” he said. “You can’t lose when you invest in your community.”

Hill helped create an inhouse computer program to save money and increase security, he said. Hill plans to stop printing payroll stubs for employee pay checks directly deposited into banks in the next year or so, he said. The move will save thousands of dollars, he said.

Hill has lived in Washington County for 24 years, most of that in Elkins, he said. He frequently attends Johnson Church of Christ, has been married to his wife, Pam, for 27 years, and has three children and one grandchild. He is a former outdoor columnist for the Northwest Arkansas Times, he said.

Recently, Hill became a member of the Arkansas County Treasurers’ Association Continuing Education Board.

No other candidates have announced plans to run against Hill, who ran unopposed in 2016.

The candidate filing period is from noon Feb. 22 to noon March 1. The primary election is May 22.

Hill