Benton County budget discussions wind down

BENTONVILLE — Benton County’s Budget Committee on Thursday night wrapped up hearing requests for next year.

The prosecutor, public defender, circuit judges, health department, coroner and juvenile probation went before justices of the peace in the Quorum Courtroom in the County Administration Building.

The Finance Committee will meet at 6 p. m. Nov. 5 and that will be followed by a Budget Committee meeting as the 2021 budget begins to finalized.

“Overall, we are in a pretty good spot,” Chairman Tom Allen said of the budget process. “It has gone very well so far.”

Benton County so far is looking at a total budget (general and road) of $59.3 million for 2021. The county has $12.6 million in reserve. Projections show the county with a surplus of $1.6 million, according to county documents.

Proposed 2021 budgets for the county’s circuit judges offices include $158,582 for Circuit Judge Robin Green, $ 186,358 for Circuit Judge Brad Karren, $121,695 for Circuit Judge John Scott, $148,427 for Circuit Judge Xollie Duncan, $167,143 for Circuit Judge Doug Schrantz and $161, 711 for Circuit Judge Christine Horwart, according to county documents.

Horwart was elected in March and will take office Jan. 1. The Arkansas Legislature

added the judgeship to assist with an increasing caseload.

Circuit Judge Tom Smith, who oversees juvenile court, has a budget request of $383,892.

The state pays the circuit judges’ salaries and salaries for their trial court assistants and court reporters.

The proposed budget for the Prosecutor’s Office is $2.3 million. The proposed budget for the Public Defender’s Office is a little over $1 million, according to documents.

Other budget requests presented Thursday night were the county Health Department ($66,885), county coroner ($408,509) and juvenile probation ($1.1 million), according to county documents.

The Budget Committee on Monday night heard budget requests from the Sheriff’s Office ($12.4 million), jail ($11.4 million) circuit clerk ($2.7 million), county clerk ($1.3 million), treasurer ($423,576) and assessor ($6.7 million).

Budget talks started last week with the county administration. County Judge Barry Moehring is responsible for 10 departments including the

Road Department. The total proposed budget for those departments is $26.5 million, according to documents. A $13.4 million budget is proposed for the Road Department. The collector’s office ($2.4 million) budget also was looked at last week.

Proposed personnel changes for 2021 include adding 14 positions including six at the county jail and six at Central Communications, according to documents.