Residents urge storm shelters; mayor says he will propose budget item after commissioners reject animal‑control hire

At the March 18 Benton County Commission meeting, residents urged county leaders to add storm shelters and warning‑system funding to the budget, and the county mayor said he would prepare a proposal to address those needs.

During Citizens Forum, Ben Richardson told commissioners that the county needs storm shelters and that grant funds are available to help pay for them. Bonnie Evans and Jerri Hopper also voiced support for safety improvements and praised recent road‑sign and guardrail upgrades.

In Commissioners Forum, Rachelle Hill said she was upset with the conduct of meetings and urged better adherence to rules and guidelines. Dayna Ferguson and other commissioners responded that people were present to bring information and that attendance was low for certain matters.

Mayor Lashlee told the commissioners he would consult the county attorney about meeting‑rule questions raised by commissioners and indicated he would consider adding funding for storm shelters and warning‑system improvements to the budget and bring a proposal back to the commission.

Separately, the commission voted on a staffing appropriation for the animal‑control office. Resolution 20190318‑13, which would have appropriated $6,105 from the unassigned fund balance to hire a full‑time Animal Control Officer for the remainder of the 2018–2019 fiscal year, failed on a roll‑call vote (8 Ayes, 5 Nays, 3 Passes). Supporters cited operational needs for animal control; the motion lacked enough affirmative votes to pass.

Next steps: The mayor’s pledge to prepare a budget proposal creates a follow‑up item; commissioners did not adopt new storm‑shelter funding at the March 18 meeting.