Cisneros, Farmer candidates for Benton County JP District 2

BENTONVILLE -- Democrat Elizabeth Cisneros will face Republican Ken Farmer for the Benton County Justice of the Peace District 2 seat.

Republican Josh Bryant holds the seat, but didn't seek reelection.

District 2 covers southeast Rogers, south to Cross Hollows and east to Beaver Lake. It includes the Monte Ne, Beaver Shores and Crow's Nest areas on Beaver Lake.

Justices of the peace serve two-year terms and are paid $244 for each Committee of the Whole meeting and Quorum Court meeting they attend, and $152 for each meeting of another committee they serve on, according to the county.

The Benton County Quorum Court is made up exclusively of 15 Republicans The election is Nov. 3. Early voting starts Oct. 19. A voter may request an absentee ballot application by contacting the county clerk in the county where he's registered to vote, according to the Arkansas Secretary of State website. Voters may download the application from the county websites.

The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette emailed the same questions to the candidates. Their responses are below. Candidates were limited to 200 words per answer.

Question: Benton County's share of tax revenue is expected to shrink after the census. Where can the county cut costs or raise revenue?

Cisneros: Earlier this year there was talk of expanding jail space to house inmates brought in on misdemeanor charges. Benton County, like the rest of the country, is reeling from the effects of covid-19. In 2011, Benton County spent $1.5 million to create a pod that would house inmates on Southwest 14th Street in Bentonville.

While I completely agree that our law enforcement officers need the tools and facilities to carry out their duties, we must be cognizant of the realities we face. The proposed plans for the new Benton County pod will cost a whopping $3.26 million for 19,844 square feet.

According to the Association of Arkansas Counties, "county jail operations are one of the largest financial burdens on county governments in Arkansas." We need to be more creative and ensure that our limited resources are spent on improving the quality of life of all the residents.

I believe this particular expense is an unjust burden on the taxpayers of Benton County.

That amount of money would be better spent raising the salary of our police officers, while finding innovative ways to lower their workload, and look for ways to lower the prison population.

Farmer: I believe with the continued growth and building in the area, the revenue will return to an acceptable level before too long.

Tax collections are delayed so short term cuts may be necessary. The most practical cuts would be delay major projects and a temporary hiring freeze. I do not believe that county voters would support additional taxes for operations.

Question: What is the biggest challenge facing county government? How would you address it?

Farmer: Maintaining and improving infrastructure to support the growth of the area.

Our court facilities are not adequate. The renovation of an existing building to house the new circuit judge is a temporary fix and will need to be addressed again.

Our county jail is over 21 years old. It opened in the spring of 1999. A major renovation of the existing facility or a new jail will need to be considered before long.

County roads must be maintained and new roads will be added with growth. Many of the bridges in the county are old and need to be replaced. Our county road department does an outstanding job with bridge construction, but they have to have money in the budget to do it.

All these things require money to accomplish.

The way to address this issue is to develop and implement a long-range plan that prioritizes the needs and allows us to approach construction in a controlled manner, before anything becomes an emergency.

Cisneros: I believe the biggest challenge Benton County is facing is the crumbling infrastructure. The amount of economic opportunity that surrounds Benton County is unique. However, to sustain our economic prosperity, we must ensure that the roughly 1,700 miles of roads and hundreds of bridges that fall under the jurisdiction of the Quorum Court are well kept and repaired.

I will work hard and diligently to ensure our roads and bridges receive the attention they deserve. I will address this issue by working with our road department, urban planners and other specialists to find solutions.

In addition, we are one of the biking meccas of the world. I believe there are ways in which we can intertwine the love that Benton County residents have for biking to improve infrastructure and generate revenue.

Thanks to the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group we have almost 1,000 miles of manicured gravel bike trails, and NWA is hosting the UCI World Cyclocross Championships in 2022.

The entire area is being transformed by a commitment to building bicycle infrastructure, and I know by mimicking efforts from other states we can build our infrastructure, support small businesses, and generate tax revenue.

Question: What makes you the best candidate for this position?

Cisneros: I believe I am the perfect candidate for this position because I can bring in a fresh set of ideas and perspectives that some of the current justices perhaps do not have.

While I am a Democrat, I have absolutely no problem working with folks from across the aisle. I am seeking a position to serve the public and that is what I plan to do.

I could care less about party affiliation. As long as the aim of any proposal is to improve the quality of life of my constituents, I will happily work with my Republican colleagues.

In addition, I strongly believe that elected officials should be representative of their communities. This is how democracy works best.

I look at my district, and I see a vibrant diverse community. Whether you are a farmer in the eastern part of my district or have just moved here from out of state. On the other hand, when I look at the composition of the Quorum Court, the lack of representation is glaring.

Currently, all members of the Quorum Court belong to the same party and same demographic. While there is nothing wrong with that, I believe differing opinions are important.

Farmer: I am politically and fiscally conservative. My work as a police chief gave me experience in government budgets, long-range planning, policy development, ordinance development and working with people under sometimes difficult circumstances.

I know the responsibilities and limitations of a justice of the peace.

I believe this experience will allow me to be a productive member of the Quorum Court immediately when I take office. While working as a police chief, I had an open door policy for employees and residents.

I will continue that policy during the campaign and as a JP. I will be available to the residents of District 2. I will carefully consider all issues and vote my conscience with the best interest of this district and Benton County in mind.