County budget talks continue

BENTONVILLE — Crime in Benton County isn’t slowing down. That’s why Nathan Smith and Shawn Holloway went before the Budget Committee to ask for more resources Tuesday night.

Smith, county prosecutor, wants to add another deputy prosecutor to his staff in 2019. The salary would be $80,339, according to information provided by Brenda Guenther, comptroller.

The office filed 1,928 felony cases in 2014 and 2,497 such cases in 2017, Smith said. The office is on track to file 2,700 felony cases this year and handle another 2,300 misdemeanor cases. The county has 19 deputy prosecutors.

Committee Chairman Tom Allen asked Smith if his office has enough space for another deputy prosecutor.

“If you approve the position, we will get them a desk,” Smith said.

Sheriff Holloway wants to beef up the part-time division, according to his budget request. Holloway said part-time deputies are a huge help because they help free up other deputies, especially during busy times such a Friday or Saturday night. Holloway wants to hire 30

part-time deputies. There are between 20 to 25 part-time deputies now, but not all of them are in the field. Holloway would like to hire certified law enforcement officers from other departments who need additional work.

Capital requests for the Sheriff’s Office include replacing 16 vehicles — mostly a mix of Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Tahoes — because of high mileage. At the jail, capital requests include a $175,000 body scanner. Inmates would be scanned when they are booked into the jail. Having a body scanner would help eliminate contraband getting into the jail, Capt. Jeremy Guyll told the committee. There were 597 inmates in the jail on Tuesday.

“It’s a safety issue for my employees and other inmates,” Guyll said of the need for the body scanner. This is the third consecutive time a body scanner has been asked for at the jail.

Budgets for the coroner, circuit court, juvenile probation, county clerk, assessor

and treasurer, sheriff also were analyzed Tuesday night.

The committee heard budget requests from the departments under County Judge Barry Moehring on Oct. 8. Moehring previously told the committee the departments under his supervision will show little change from 2018 to 2019. Moehring also gave a brief budget update Tuesday night.

The committee on Tuesday night also heard an update on the healthcare plan and started to discuss a salary study. The meeting held in the Quorum Courtroom in the County Administration Building stretched 3½ hours.

The committee will meet twice next week as the budget process continues.