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Benton County adopts amended Industrial Development Authority after heated debate
Summary
After hours of public comment and exchanges among justices over eminent domain and board accountability, the Benton County Quorum Court approved creation of a Northwest Arkansas regional Industrial Development Authority with two county-specific guardrails and a severability clause.
The Benton County Quorum Court voted Jan. 29 to create a Northwest Arkansas regional Industrial Development Authority (IDA), approving an amended ordinance after an extended public-comment period and more than three hours of debate.
Supporters from area school districts, higher-education institutions and chambers of commerce urged the court to act so the region could present shovel-ready sites and attract higher-paying employers. Janet Schwenhauser, deputy superintendent at Bentonville Schools, told the court the IDA “will strengthen our local economy” and create career pathways that help keep students in the region.
Regional economic developer Ron Maloney offered concrete examples of lost opportunities, saying developers required large, specialized buildings…
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