Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget And Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Benton County commissioners elect new chair, approve grants, appropriations and appointments
Summary
At its Sept. 20, 2021 meeting the Benton County Board of Commissioners elected Rosanne Ward chair, approved a series of resolutions including grant recognitions and appropriations totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, reappointed E‑911 board members and named Phil Melton to the Electric Board; one invoice was postponed for legal review.
Rosanne Ward was elected chairman of the Benton County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 20, 2021 after a roll-call vote of 14 Ayes and 1 Pass. The board also elected Darrell Hicks as chairman pro-tem unanimously and approved the meeting agenda and minutes.
The commissioners approved a slate of budget and administrative resolutions including: reappointment of Jerold Johnson and Dewayne Presson to the Benton County E‑911 Board (Resolution 20210920-01); appointment of County Commissioner Phil Melton to the Benton County Electric Board for a four-year term (20210920-02; vote recorded 13 Ayes, 1 Nay, 1 Pass); acceptance of a $5,000 gift from Chemours for STEAM supplies (20210920-08); recognition and budgeting of State Department of Education STREAM funds of $41,784.82 (20210920-09; roll-call 14 Ayes, 1 Abstain); recognition of a second Governor’s grant of $323,950.00 and smaller state reimbursements for an Asian Carp grant (20210920-11, -12, -13); and appropriation of $661,787.52 reverted from Governor Grant 1 into specified capital project accounts (20210920-14). The highway superintendent’s request to appropriate $300,000 from the Unassigned Fund Balance to Highway Fund 131 for equipment was approved (20210920-17). Several smaller appropriations and budget recognitions were also approved, including vehicle-insurance recovery ($2,299.40) and sheriff revenue adjustments ($2,548.75).
Commissioner Ward objected to an invoice from The Barrette Group (Resolution 20210920-16), saying the amount was not included in the contractual agreement and the county did not owe the payment; Mayor Randy Shannon asked the county attorney to review the matter. The board voted to postpone consideration of that resolution until next month.
The meeting also included public comments about the status of ballpark fields and a discussion of radio communication towers by Sheriff Kenny Christopher and E‑911 staff. Commissioner Keleah Dye submitted a letter of resignation effective Sept. 20; the county will advertise to fill the vacant seats for District 1 (Don Patton) and District 3 (Keleah Dye). The meeting adjourned by voice vote.
