In Benton County, time is now

Anew, safe and efficient courthouse for the citizens of Benton County is not a partisan issue. That is why thousands of Republicans and Democrats alike are joining hands to support the passage of the 1/8-cent sales tax to fund construction of the proposed new courthouse in downtown Bentonville.

The effort that has gone into selecting a site, preparing a design and presenting a plan to let us vote to prepare our county court system for safe and efficient use for the next 50 years should be appreciated by everyone.

Our beautiful A.O. Clarke-designed courthouse on the square has served us well since 1928. But for well more than 25 years, it has been inadequate to meet the safety and efficiency needs of our county.

I have been blessed to represent Benton County clients from all walks of life for 43 years. When I began my practice in 1976, Benton County was in a two-county judicial district. Judge William Enfield maintained his chambers in Bentonville and was in court every day, while Judge Ted Coxsey, from Berryville, was in Bentonville only on Monday mornings and Thursdays.

My, how times have changed! Now, we have six full-time, Benton County-only, judges. Three of them are crammed into the 1928 Courthouse, and three more are in three separate buildings dispersed throughout Bentonville. It is very confusing for litigants, witnesses and jurors to know which courtroom to attend. It is even more difficult, expensive and inefficient for our sheriff’s office to adequately staff and secure all these buildings.

The growth in Benton County will no doubt continue. So will the need for more judges and courtrooms. The citizens of Benton County will be much better served by having all of our judicial offices under one roof. And now is the time to assure this. Some may remember that there was an effort to build a new courthouse back in 1994. That effort failed. We cannot afford to let another 25 years go by without taking the steps to prepare for the future.

The most significant benefit from the new courthouse will be the enhanced safety for our dedicated police officers and those who need to attend court for any reason. Our nation’s courthouses can be very dangerous places. Emotions frequently boil over in the pressure-packed environment of contested court cases and high-stakes criminal proceedings. It seem like every year there is a tragedy at a courthouse somewhere. Benton County is no exception. Old timers here will remember that we have had a tragedy before when Jailer Ed Rose was stabbed to death in our old, inadequate jail back in November 1976. We owe it to the brave men and women who protect us to place them in as safe an environment as possible.

Another significant benefit will be incorporating the new courthouse into the amazing and exciting development of downtown Bentonville. Even an old Rogers Mountie like me appreciates the national attention our county-seat town is receiving. A new, modern, efficient and safe courthouse will only serve to enhance the vitality of the Bentonville square area. Plus, as an added and much-needed benefit, the gift of a new, free 400-car parking garage will make visiting our county seat a more pleasurable experience whether it is for court, shopping, taking care of other county business, or just meeting friends to hang out on the square.

Finally, construction of a new courthouse building will allow all of our other county officials to move their offices back into the historic, and beautiful, 1928 courthouse for decades to come. The money generated by this small, temporary 1/8-cent sales tax will also provide for the renovation of A.O. Clarke’s dream courthouse.

The inscription over the front door of that historic courthouse says, “Sovereignty rests with the people.” I hope you will join me and thousands more in exercising that sovereignty by voting “For” the project on March 12.