Democratic incumbent faces GOP challenger

FAYETTEVILLE — Eva Madison, the Democratic incumbent, faces Republican Jim Stockland for the District 9 seat on the Washington County Quorum Court.

District 9 covers the east-central part of Fayetteville.

Justices of the peace serve two-year terms. The Quorum Court is made up of eight Republicans and seven Democrats. Justices of the peace are paid $200 per diem on days they attend Quorum Court or committee meetings.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Nov. 2. A voter may request an absentee ballot application by contacting the county clerk in the county where the voter is registered, according to the Arkansas Secretary of State website. Voters may download the application from the county websites.

The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette emailed the same questions to the candidates. Their responses are below. Candidates were limited to 200 words per answer.

Question: Why did you decide to run for justice of the peace and what makes you the best candidate for the position?

Madison: I am seeking a sixth term because the Quorum Court needs experienced members with a deep knowledge of county government who will ensure checks and balances with the executive branch and transparency and accountability in county business. Of those JPs potentially returning next term, I am second in seniority and could be the most senior member of the court. Having experience and knowledge is very helpful in conducting the court’s business. Not only does this experience make me the best candidate, but my personal values and Democratic politics are a good match for the people of District 9.

Stockland: I am running for JP because I think everyone has a civic duty to make Washington County a better place to live and raise a family. This is not on my bucket list. However, I have the skill sets to be a very productive member of the Quorum Court. I am a good listener. I am a good communicator and work great with others regardless of their personal beliefs. I started and have run a very successful business in Fayetteville since 1991. I don’t have a personal agenda. I will work hard to help the county move in a positive direction in the future.

Question: What area of county government are you most interested in and what specific plans or goals do you have in that area?

Stockland: I am interested in all areas of the county government. One area of interest is the overcrowding issue in our jail. I have kept up with the issues and have read some of the Quorum Court’s suggestions and have listened to Sheriff Helder’s concerns. My goal would be to help resolve this issue so our jails could run the most efficient while keeping the tax burden as low as possible on the citizens of Washington County.

Madison: Because District 9 is entirely within the City of Fayetteville, my constituents receive most of their services from the city, not the county, yet they pay property and sales tax just like residents outside the city. In keeping with that, I have always viewed my role as a “City JP” to be keeping the county’s finances in check and operating the county without additional taxes. Thus, my primary interest is in the budget and county expenditures. As a secondary issue given my background as an employment attorney, I want to make sure the county is a responsible employer and is good to its employees. I hope to bring back the issue of paid family leave following the birth or adoption of a child and to amend the county’s nondiscrimination policy to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories. I am also concerned

about what appears to be the discontinuation of environmental services by the county. We outsourced what work we did to Boston Mountain Solid Waste District, and now we have terminated our contract with them. Those services need to continue.

Question: County Treasurer Bobby Hill is projecting a drop of about $1 million in Washington County’s share of the revenue from the countywide 1% sales tax after the results of the 2020 census are in. How can the Quorum Court deal with that drop in revenue while maintaining services?

Madison: I took office in 2011 when Washington County faced a significant reduction in sales tax revenue due to the 2010 census, and we were successful in absorbing the loss without cutting services. While we have struggled to keep reserves at an appropriate level, we have worked to get budgets in line with expenditures and have cut costs in many areas. There is not much more room to cut in our smaller budgets. That leaves the big ones: jail and roads. They should operate within their dedicated revenue streams. The general fund usually has to help fund the jail, but by working to control the pretrial detainee population, we should be able to operate the jail on its dedicated sales tax. The Road Department has a dedicated millage and receives part of the statewide road sales tax, yet we continue to give them a healthy share of our general purpose sales tax revenue. They frequently do not spend their budget. I remain concerned the department does not operate efficiently and that modernization of its functions could lead to savings. As the county geographic area shrinks, the Road Department has less responsibility and should be able to operate on its dedicated revenue.

Stockland: This would be easier to answer if I were already on the Quorum Court and dealing with budget items on a monthly basis. I have owned my business for 29 years, and I have a partner in another business for 27 years. Over the years, there have been ups and downs, and I have learned how to budget and appropriate monies to the areas needed. I don’t believe this will be a problem.

Question: The Quorum Court has been discussing an ongoing problem with crowding at the Washington County Detention Center. A study recently commissioned by the Quorum Court offers some recommendations on ways to address the problem. What do you think the county should do to better manage the population at the detention center?

Stockland: There have been some good ideas on how to approach this issue. I do think you start with the sheriff and get his ideas. I personally like the idea of sharing costs of a new detention center with our neighboring counties. One thing that has to happen is the state needs to step up and pay what it costs to house inmates. The state is not doing us any favors paying us less than half of what it costs the taxpayers of Washington County on a daily basis. No matter what the resolution is, the Quorum Court needs to make sure they are spending taxpayers money in a responsible manner.

Madison: As the study reveals, Washington County must do more to control its pretrial detainee population, especially the issue of detention for failure to appear in court. At the very minimum, we need to implement a criminal justice coordinating committee to increase systemwide communication and coordination. I am most interested in (1) the implementation of a pretrial services program and (2) overhauling how bonds are set. Pretrial services would help identify the root cause of detainee problems and perhaps get detainees the help they need. We must also revise our method of setting bonds to account for ability to pay. Not only is this a constitutional issue, but too often bonds are set high because the individual cannot pay, leading to lengthy pretrial detention of nonviolent offenders and overcrowding at the jail.