New faces to take places in new year

Benton County Quorum Court sets Jan. 10 meetings

BENTONVILLE — Benton County’s three new justices of the peace will bring varied experience to the court, County Judge Barry Moehring said.

Debra Hobbs, Carrie Perrien Smith and Dustin Todd won election to the court Nov. 6. Hobbs served on the court before and is a former state representative. Smith is a longtime Rogers business owner, and Todd has a background in law enforcement.

“They are not neophytes to local government,” Moehring said. “They will get up to speed and contribute quickly.”

Hobbs will represent District 3. J.D. Hayes, the incumbent, was appointed to the position and wasn’t eligible to run for the seat. District 3 is in southwestern Rogers.

Hobbs wants the county to do more long-range planning for growth in its budgeting and daily operation.

“We’ve got some 38 people a day moving into the area,” she said previously.

Smith won in District 5. Mike Jeffcoat, who holds the seat, was appointed to fill an unexpired term and wasn’t eligible to run for the position. District 5 includes parts of Rogers east of Interstate 49 and south of U.S. 62.

Smith said she is in favor of a proposed one-eighth percent sales tax increase to build a $30 million courts building in downtown Bentonville. The sales tax increase would be for 54 months if approved by voters March 12, according to county documents.

“It’s a temporary, consumption-based tax. I’m fiscally conservative, but we are at a place in the county where we need an expanded courts building,” she previously said.

Todd won in District 11. Bob Bland, the incumbent, didn’t seek re-election. District 11 covers most of the northwestern corner of Benton County, including

Gravette and Decatur.

Todd has said he wants to watch the county’s budget and avoid unnecessary expenses. The county should use its reserves to avoid borrowing money, he said.

Smith has attended several county meetings since she was elected in November and said she looks forward to the first meetings Jan. 10.

“I am excited to learn from the other justices of the peace,” she said. “I want to hear from them what has helped make them successful in this job.”

New justice of the peace orientation is scheduled for 4 p.m. Jan. 10 followed by an organizational meeting at 6 p.m. A Finance Committee meeting will follow. All meetings will be in the Quorum Courtroom on the third floor of the County Administration Building.

Justice of the Peace Michelle Chiocco said there is one nugget of information new justices of the peace need to remember.

“Ask questions if you don’t understand what is going on,” she said. “Open communication is the biggest key.”

The Quorum Court’s committee structure will be established at the organizational meeting.

The judge appoints the head of each committee and its members. Benton County has committees for Finance, which also meets as the Budget Committee; Legislative; Personnel; Public Safety; and Transportation.

Each committee is made up of seven justices of the peace. There also is a five-member Grievance Council, and the Quorum Court meets as a Committee of the Whole.

Moehring has proposed a change in the meeting times for Finance Committee, Committee of the Whole and Quorum Court.

Finance would meet on the second Tuesday of the month, Committee of the Whole on the third Tuesday and Quorum Court on the fourth Thursday. That schedule will be discussed at the organizational meeting.

Chiocco heads the Grievance Council and also sits on the Personnel and Finance committees. She would like to remain on the same committees but says she knows that decision is up to Moehring and the committee chairman.

“I enjoy the committees I am on,” she said. “It’s been a great time for me.”

Fifteen Republicans make up the Quorum Court. The political party affiliation will remain the same.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson will name a replacement justice of the peace for District 7 this year. That most likely will go to another Republican.

Joel Jones, a Republican who won a fifth term in the Nov. 6 general election, moved out of the district that includes eastern Bella Vista and the area southeast toward Bentonville. Jones and his family moved to another part of Bentonville. The move was for personal reasons, he said.

Jones’ fourth term ended Dec. 31. A vacancy must be declared, and the Quorum Court will have to approve it, county attorney George Spence said. Hutchinson would then name a replacement. State law says Jones will serve on the court until his replacement is named, Spence said.

Moehring said he expects the Quorum Court will work much as it has when he was a justice of the peace and into his second term as county judge.

“They are going to speak up about issues,” he said of the court. “At the end of the day, they will get along and be respective of one another. I don’t expect the tone or tenor of the court to change.”

New justice of the peace orientation is scheduled for 4 p.m. Jan. 10 followed by an organizational meeting at 6 p.m.