If anyone lost track during Monday night’s County Commission meeting, they weren’t the only one. With several new commissioners and a new chairman, it seemed the group really bogged down in procedural confusion.
Chairman Ward Plant lost his place several times, and at one point County Clerk Wanda Malin had to ask commissioners to call their names when they spoke, in an effort to keep track of who was saying what. People spoke out of turn and over each other, and although “Robert’s Rules of Order” were cited frequently, it was not at all clear that they were truly understood.
Unfortunately, with the resignation of Jerry Brandon at the close of the meeting, the commission lost a member with some meeting experience. He urged remaining commissioners to be kind to each other and to work together for the good of the county. Citing a need to spend more time with his family, Brandon stated, “Although it has not always been a pleasure, it has been my honor and a privilege to serve on this commission.”
At least the group succeeded in the third try to elect a chairman pro tempore. Again Darrell Hicks and Norman Frazier were nominated, and Rosanne Ward’s name also was put forth. After a round of voting in which no one received the needed 10 votes, four people changed their votes at the last minute in a confusing bout of call outs to give Ward the needed majority. Noted Ward, “I’m surprised by this, but I appreciate your votes and I’m glad to serve as the pro tem.”
The group passed all of the resolutions on the agenda save one. After some argument, the proposal to rescind last year’s resolution that would decrease the size of the county commission, effective in September 2022, from 18 to 12 members and introduce staggered terms was tabled until the next meeting. Plant asked that new county attorney Shon Johnson review the matter to determine if the original passage of the resolution was legal in the first place.
Resolutions that were approved Monday night included:
Increased the litigation tax fee in all civil and criminal cases instituted in the county from $50 to $60.
Appropriated $200 from the general sessions court (GSC) data processing reserve and moved to the GSC judge budget.
Appropriated $350 from the courtroom security reserve and moved to the chancery court budget.
Voted to contract Heathcoat and Davis for professional engineering consultation services.
Renamed the airport committee as the “Benton County Airport Authority and Zoning Board of Appeals” and voted to restructure it with 5 members instead of 3.
Appointed Bobby Latendresse to a vacant seat on the TRRD Board.
Appointed Jennifer Hedge to the Benton County Audit Committee to replace Shawn Hatler, who resigned.
Appropriated $19,164 from the schools unassigned fund balance and budgeted to the Medical Personnel Expenditure Account.
Transferred $55,623 within the schools budget from teachers to a computer programmer.
Budgeted $425 to the medical examiner budget, $633.90 to the library budget, $1,200.93 to the animal shelter budget, $60,044 to the Capital Projects Fund 171, $78,692 to the airport budget, a combined $7,914.19 to the sheriff’s budget, and a combined $104,500 to the schools budget.
For anyone unable to attend the meeting, County Commission meetings are broadcast live on WRJB 95.9 FM radio. Most meetings also can be viewed live on the Facebook page “We the People of Benton County” (www.facebook.com/WeThePeopleBCoTN). An audio recording of any commission meeting can be obtained after the meeting is held from the County Clerk’s Office via transfer to a USB storage device.
