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Ward Plant elected chairman as commissioners suspend Pro‑Tem vote
Summary
Benton County commissioners elected Ward Plant as chairman and postponed the Pro‑Tem election after successive inconclusive ballots; Plant pledged fairness and adherence to rules.
Ward Plant was elected chairman of the Benton County Commission in a roll-call vote at the Sept. 17 meeting, receiving 10 votes to Phil Melton’s six with one pass. Plant thanked colleagues and said he would “be fair to everyone and go by the rules.”
The vote followed nominations opened by Chair Wanda Malin. Nominees included Ward Plant, Mayor Brett Lashlee and Phil Melton; Lashlee declined the nomination. Don Patton nominated Plant, and Ronnie Hopper seconded that nomination.
The commission also attempted to elect a Pro‑Tem, with Norman Frazier and Darrell Hicks as nominees. Two ballots produced the same result — 6 votes for Frazier, 8 for Hicks and multiple passes — and no candidate reached the 10‑vote threshold required. Commissioners then voted 10 Aye, 3 Nay and 4 Pass to suspend the Pro‑Tem election until the October meeting.
The leadership changes set the commission’s procedural path for the next month. The suspension of the Pro‑Tem vote means the commission will revisit that selection at its next regular meeting.
