Judge gives update on expansion

BENTONVILLE — Benton County Judge Barry Moehring updated the Quorum Court on the downtown courthouse expansion Thursday night.

The $3.1 million project will add 5,500 square feet to the 28,000-square-foot courthouse and provide a new courtroom for Christine Horwart, who became the county’s seventh circuit court judge in January. Construction began Feb. 1.

A new electric transformer has been installed and the exterior brickwork and interior framing are finished. Interior finishes, plumbing and electric are being installed. Paving of the north side of the parking lot was set to start Monday, according to the report.

Construction is on schedule, said Bryan Beeson, county facilities administrator. The goal is to have the expansion open by Jan. 1, he said.

Horwart’s courtroom and office will be on the second floor of the addition. A lobby will be on the first floor.

The county is financing the project with a loan from Regions Bank for five years at 1.59% with no prepayment penalty, said Brenda Peacock, county comptroller.

In May, the county received a $485,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation to beautify the area between the Benton County Courthouse and the County Administration Building, according to a county news release.

The grant will pay for landscaping and improvements to

the parking area between Northeast Second Street and East Central Avenue. That work should start late this fall, Beeson said.

Enhancements include brick pavers along the surrounding sidewalks, flowering shrubs, evergreen shrubs, perennial mixes, maple trees, benches and additional planters, according to the release.

Moehring also discussed the Community Health Workers grant. Benton

County is the lead agency and partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with letters of support from Washington County and other organizations.

The county initially will receive $1.99 million. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant is for three years for a total of $6 million, Peacock said.

The grant will provide training for community health workers, allow for funding for 50 health workers to be placed in nonprofit health care and community-based nonprofit organizations; increase skills, capacity and roles of community health workers to provide services and support for covid-19 public health response efforts among priority populations; and increase use of community resources and clinical services for those at highest risk for poor health outcomes among priority populations, according to the presentation.

At the end of the session, justices of the peace voted to move the September Quorum Court meeting to Sept. 30. It will start at 6 p.m.