Benton County liaison says April 7 commissioners meeting will consider RFQ and public engagement for historic courthouse reuse

David Shepherd, a county commissioner and liaison to the Historic Resources Commission, told the HRC on a virtual meeting that the Board of Commissioners will put discussion of the courthouse preservation committee’s charge on the April 7 agenda and that the county plans to seek a contractor to lead public engagement around reuse options.

"April 7, the board of commissioners are going to have on our agenda a discussion about the courthouse preservation committee," Shepherd said, noting the item is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. He said the county wants a broader, more targeted procurement after an earlier attempt at outreach did not produce a suitable partner.

The move is aimed at creating a framework for reuse planning before the county vacates the historic courthouse. Shepherd said the county intends for a contractor to help organize community input — possibly facilitated public meetings, surveys and synthesized story-collection — and that any RFQ will be shaped with input from the HRC and the cities' historic resource commissions.

Adrienne, chair of the Historic Resources Commission, said the group will be circumspect about public statements because items discussed in the HRC are published online, but she supported using Preservation Month activities in May to prime public engagement. "We might decide that a survey is what works," Shepherd said, adding that pre-work (such as collecting stories and synthesizing themes) could provide a useful data package for a future contractor.

Committee members described a range of engagement ideas: booths during Preservation Month events, a social-media campaign inviting people to post courthouse memories, and a well-facilitated public convening to spark broader ideas. Gary Stockoff, interim community development director, said the contractor should be prepared to build on earlier studies and to incorporate existing research from other advisory bodies.

Members debated reuse models and the practical constraints of historic designation. Adrienne said her preliminary research shows National Register listing typically focuses on the exterior, while participation in state or federal tax-credit programs can trigger interior review — a distinction she said a hired consultant should clarify.

The HRC did not take formal action; Shepherd said he will raise the RFQ and engagement options at the April 7 commissioners meeting and will ask staff to prepare materials to brief the board. The next procedural step is that the commission's liaison will bring the item forward to the Board of Commissioners’ public agenda on April 7.