Why I’m Running for County Judge

I’ve studied the challenges facing Benton County citizens and businesses — the exponential growth, rising costs, the grip of jail overcrowding that is squeezing our criminal justice system, and more. We can do more in county government to improve quality of life using collaboration, innovation, technology, and, most of all, efficiency. I’ve developed a plan to address the biggest issues we face.

I‘m running to take how county government serves you to the next level — eleven initiatives that I am uniquely qualified and value-driven to also deliver during the next four years. I’ve listened to you as we’ve walked these challenges together. If it mattered to you, it mattered to me.

Make no mistake, I will execute the typical duties of county judge: Maintaining and having custody of county property; Overseeing public roads and bridges outside city limits; Administering county ordinances; Presiding over the Quorum Court, where the judge has veto power but not a vote; Authorizing county spending or paying of bills; Accepting grants from outside entities, Hiring county employees that don’t work for another county official, Hearing property tax appeals (this is where that judge title comes in); and Meeting with local mayors at least once a year for intergovernmental meetings.

In a few short years, we will become the most populated county in the state. We’ve already been the state’s economic engine for decades, built by hard work, local entrepreneurial spirit, vision, hustle, and grit. The area continues to rally economically despite tough national economic conditions, a pandemic, and rising costs and interest rates. The state’s general fund sales tax policy distributes sales tax receipts to municipalities according to population. As the population grows in our cities, the percentage the county receives drops. This endangers our need to achieve a diversified portfolio of funding sources. There are many challenges ahead.

Eleven Key Initiatives for the Future of Benton County

Initiative 1

Create a long-range plan for jail expansion, reduce recidivism, develop an inmate job training program, provide tools for the juvenile detention center to create lasting success, and support our court system with special emphasis on the drug, veterans, and mental health courts.

On day one, the plan can move into action to tackle jail overcrowding and recidivism through trade job training for qualified inmates. This plan includes the launch of a non-profit organization (independent of county government) that will raise funding and recruit volunteers for job training and mentoring — that means no additional cost to taxpayers. Our employers need skilled trade workers. This plan is based on interviews with existing and emerging transitional living organizations and our community college. Renewed energy behind the stalled federal First Step Act of 2018 and the Second Chance Act of 2008 may help pave the way.

I’d be proud to continue the funding and facilities support of the best juvenile detention program and drug, veteran, and mental health court programs in the state. These are changing broken lives and saving families devastated by addiction and bad behavior.

Initiative 2

Plan strategically for population growth, tax base development, and energy needs.

Benton County will soon be the most populated county in the state. This initiative helps our cities and rural areas prepare for growth and advocate for utility infrastructure funding and improvement. The growth of artificial intelligence, used in all aspects of personal and professional life, requires far more power resources than we have readily available. Coupled with our explosive regional growth, we face a future of brownouts and slowing business growth opportunity.

The county already employs a grant administrator to apply for and manage grants. Expanding the duties of the grant administrator to include tax base development would provide needed assistance to smaller cities. This would include assisting communities in applying for grants and attracting area-appropriate business to open in their city. This initiative would assist mayors of our smaller cities (many are part time) and strengthen their support network to plan for and attract residents and businesses that make sense for their community goals.

This initiative ensures regular contact with state and federal officials to remind them of our infrastructure needs. We will interact with government entities and energy-related organizations to create a plan that makes sense for our region and provides the best return on the investment to rein in utility cost.

I will attend the quarterly economic business breakfasts and subscribe to the NWA Business Journal at my own expense. I will build strong relationships with the experts in the region to make sure we are relevant and fully aware of our population growth and issues so we can plan the future.

We will plan for and drive funding for water/sewer infrastructure throughout the county.

We’ll engage often with our cities to encourage them to fix as many of their water leaks as possible. Every month, cities in Benton County lose millions of gallons of water through leaks. In a drought year, this could lead to a public health and safety issue. We can’t stop every water leak, but we need to provide better stewardship of critical resources.

Initiative 3

Work to bring down homeowners’ insurance and improve emergency response times for county citizens by strengthening volunteer fire departments.

Insurance costs in Arkansas are skyrocketing as insurance companies work to recover extreme losses from storm claims over the last few years. Your fire department’s ISO rating heavily influences your insurance premium.

This initiative begins with a thorough review of how county taxpayer dollars can be best used to improve emergency response times and improve ISO ratings. Providing funding for 24-hour staffing in our fire departments would deliver many times more savings in insurance premiums for our taxpayers in the county.

Ambulance service for citizens in remote areas of the county experience slow response times. It is time to explore equipping remote volunteer fire departments with an ambulance and trained staff to triage, stabilize, and transport individuals to a nearby hospital.

Initiative 4

Make Benton County the best place for veterans to retire.

In addition to the tax benefits, a new VA hospital in Bentonville, and a new veterans medical treatment clinic in Bella Vista, there has never been a better place for veterans to retire.

We will work to create new ways to engage this important group of neighbors in emergency preparation and volunteer roles throughout the county. It will strengthen their bonds and relationships while strengthening our county’s emergency readiness.

Initiative 5

Protect our farms and farmers, current and future.

I will continue to place a high priority on attending the events that advocate for and celebrate our farmers. I am one of the few JPs who attend events on a regular basis to represent our Quorum Court. I’ve been to almost every Benton County Farm Family of the Year presentation since I was elected. I’ve attended most of the Farm Bureau and Conservation District meetings. I’ve judged 4-H contests and county fair beauty pageants.

I support our food farmers, whether they are large ranches or small homesteads with a dairy cow and a few chickens. I will work to cultivate a business environment where the farm-direct-to-customer business models can thrive with as little regulation as possible.

I promise to champion our farmers’ needs at the local, state, regional, and federal level. I am always ready to have a conversation and advocate for them.

Initiative 6

Make Benton County government a great place to work to improve recruiting and retention.

Northwest Arkansas is a competitive job market. We must explore options to connect the workforce with employment options that work for their lives.

We will explore filling our hard-to-fill positions as part-time employment, perhaps in a job-sharing arrangement to offer maximum flexibility while ensuring reliable coverage. Just like many professional firefighters who serve our volunteer fire departments, these volunteer and professional firefighters and EMTs would make skilled and prepared part-time 911 operators. Utilizing part-time employees, the county would not be responsible for providing health insurance, saving tax dollars.

I am committed to finding low-cost and no-cost benefits that make Benton County government the most desirable place to build a career.

Training and leadership development builds employee bench strength, engagement, and loyalty. I will place a focus on ensuring cost-effective training and employee development opportunities that fit the needs of our employees.

Initiative 7

Improve customer service and efficiency in the planning department.

Processes were overhauled in 2024, improving customer service. Much more work is still needed to reduce bureaucracy. We are burdening the people who want to improve their property and build facilities that provide new jobs with unnecessary cost and red tape. That must stop.

Current policies have significantly increased the cost of building in the county in recent years — especially on commercial projects. We require permits and inspections on projects we shouldn’t. We have requirements that make no sense on property in the county. We have policies that we cannot consistently enforce. We must evaluate the need and value of each policy and eliminate the ones we can. The county cannot afford to add more employees so their efforts need to be reserved for major projects. Simplifying and limiting our county planning processes and policies will eliminate project holdups that add cost to building in Benton County.

The first month in office, I will initiate a meeting of knowledgeable parties to determine what our cities need the county to include in the county planning process — mayors, fire administration, state licensing board representatives, insurance professionals, and builders to collaborate and establish the most basic requirements. The county should direct plans for roads, drainage, utility infrastructure, and collect details such as plats, plans, and septic tank layouts in a limited radius that should be established with each city.

I support property owner rights. I also believe in being good neighbors. Things are changing too fast sometimes in Benton County. I have witnessed the value for the planning board’s oversight to ensure that new development and land use can exist in harmony with existing development. I will continue to support the work of our planning board.

I support limited permitting because it gives property owners a chance to connect proactively with our planning department and discuss potential project issues such as ability to safely fight a fire, drainage, and insurability. A simple conversation between our planners and property owners can save the owners a lot of grief and money. They can inform them about state statutes related to their project. Additionally, our planning department should be able to provide basic information about how to handle contractor issues.

Initiative 8

Drive creation of three nonprofit organizations (not connected to the county) to raise donor money to support county inmate job training, volunteer fire departments, and juvenile detention programs.

Utilizing my extensive experience and network in the nonprofit community, I will work to develop three nonprofits that will reduce burden on taxpayers where it makes sense. These organizations will also work to recruit volunteers, raise money, and create public awareness.

Years ago, raising money from non-profit charitable organizations was how we funded community needs in Northwest Arkansas. It’s time to resurrect that practice to fund support of some county services we provide without burdening taxpayers or waiting on grants.

Initiative 9

Pursue state and regional solutions to improve rural broadband internet access, as well as water, sewer, and storm drainage.

Efforts are just beginning to address regional water, sewer, and storm drainage issues. Broadband network expansion is happening now. Progress will move forward in 2026 before I am in office. However, I will ensure that every community in Benton County is seen and heard. I will be a squeaky wheel that keeps these needs on the front burner.

We’ll utilize our communication network and related external organizations to create and deliver public service announcements that educate people to understand that our watershed care affects our supply of clean drinking water and how to protect it. We’ll take an active role in teaching our residents how and why to handle drainage on their own property rather than sending it flowing into a storm drain or the neighbor’s property.

Initiative 10

Ensure that Benton County is storm ready and prepared for any mass emergency.

There are more emergencies than storms to prepare for. We’ve seen areas around the country where train accidents and major fires create toxic smoke and environmental disasters. Conversations around a possible major earthquake in Arkansas have circulated for years. I’ll assemble a task force to determine what plans we have in place and where our emergency response gaps lie. We will ensure our citizens and companies have tools that improve their readiness and reduce their fear of emergencies.

We will create a registry of organizations and volunteers who are trained to jump into action so we have a plan in place to handle those rare emergencies.

Initiative 11

Create a culture of cost-cutting, innovation, and efficiency.

Our employees know better than anyone where potential costs are. We will create programs to encourage employees to help the county cut costs, and we will celebrate those great ideas that are implemented.