Benton County board confirms agenda changes, approves minutes and reviews 2023 meeting calendar; staff report staffing and IT updates

At the start of the meeting Chair Nancy Wise announced one agenda change: item 4.4 would be moved to the Dec. 20 meeting. Wise moved to approve the minutes with spelling corrections; the motion was seconded and the chair announced, "Motion carries."

Staff then presented the proposed 2023 meeting calendar and flagged several potential scheduling conflicts. County staff suggested time changes and date swaps — for example, adjusting a Jan. elective meeting's start time to avoid conflicts with a leadership meeting and considering moving the July meeting that falls near Independence Day to July 10 or another date. Commissioners asked staff to check with the sheriff, district attorney and city managers and to bring back concrete date/time proposals.

The county administrator provided administrative updates: he announced that Ben McKee's last week is this week and that recruitment for a replacement would begin shortly with continuous recruitment and a first review date; he noted the Dec. 27 meeting had been canceled; and he described progress on boardroom AV/IT work, saying equipment substitutions were necessary due to supply-chain delays but tests and training are expected in the coming weeks.

Staff also said they are working with finance to document current service levels and to develop policy-package proposals to align with the upcoming budget process.

The board recessed briefly for executive session and, upon returning, adjourned the meeting at 1:41 p.m.

Votes and formal action

- Motion to approve minutes (with corrections): moved and seconded; chair announced, "Motion carries."