Benton County authorizes negotiated purchases of two parcels adjacent to county airport

The Benton County Commission on June 16 approved two separate resolutions authorizing purchase steps for parcels adjacent to the Benton County Airport aimed at future airport expansion.

For the Higdon parcel, the commission approved Amendment No. 1 to Resolution 20250616-05, which deletes prior language and requires the county mayor to negotiate a purchase price and return to the commission for approval before any contract is signed. The amended resolution passed on a roll-call vote, 10 Ayes, 5 No, 3 Absent. The sponsor indicated the parcel is approximately two acres and would "square up" current property lines to support future airport growth; the mayor was authorized to negotiate but not to sign a purchase without the commission’s subsequent approval.

On a related item, the commission amended and approved Resolution 20250616-06 to authorize the mayor to acquire approximately two acres owned by Barbara and Stanley Deaton adjacent to the airport with a purchase-price limit of $32,000. The amended resolution passed 11 Ayes, 4 No, 3 Absent. The Deaton action explicitly included the $32,000 purchase-price cap in the resolution’s authorization.

Both measures were handled by the Property Committee and included motions and roll-call votes; a short recess occurred during consideration of the Higdon item. The resolutions do not record finalized sale prices or closing timelines; both authorize the mayor to negotiate (Higdon) or to purchase up to the stated price (Deaton) and to execute related documents on the county’s behalf as described in the approved resolutions.

Next steps indicated by the resolutions and amendments: the mayor may negotiate the Higdon parcel purchase and must return to the commission to approve any final purchase price; for the Deaton parcel the mayor is authorized to finalize acquisition up to the $32,000 limit and execute documents as necessary.