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Cornwell seeks re-election |
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Wednesday, 23 January 2008 |
State Rep. Lamont Cornwell, D-Benton, is seeking re-election to a second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He represents District 28, which includes Benton, Haskell, Traskwood and Newcomb and Fairplay townships.
Cornwell, 60, said he drew on the knowledge and experience to serve Saline County in his first term. He cited his experience as a utility executive, a small business owner [Sears of Benton until 2003, when his sons, Monty and Brian, took over], and his community volunteer work as a charter member and chairman of the Benton Utilities Commission, Saline Hospital Foundation Board chairman, president of the Benton Chamber of Commerce and various other organization.
During the legislative session, Cornwell was able to secure more than $500,000 in state turnback funds for various groups in Saline County, including city and volunteer fire departments, women’s shelters, boys and girls clubs, senior adult center, and the cities of Benton, Haskell and Traskwood.
Cornwell co-sponsored bills allowing Prosecuting Attorney Ken Casady to hire additional criminal investigators; legislation that would provide an additional judgeship for the Saline County judicial district; legislation that would restructure the district courts to allow them to better serve Saline County constituents and expedite criminal prosecution, a bill which would further protect abused children and battered women.
Additionally, he sponsored a bill that would allow Benton to purchase or make electric energy with other municipalities and thus drive down energy cost, making it more readily available for the future. He presented to the House of Representative a bill that would assist military personnel in the transition from active duty back into the workforce. He called this “helmets to hardhats.”
Cornwell is the vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s House Courts & Civil Law Subcommittee. He also is a member of the state Legislative Council and its Administrative Rules and Regulations Committee, Claims Review Committee, Code Revision Subcommittee and Game & Fish/State Police Committee. He is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the House City, County & Local Affairs Committee and its House Planning Subcommittee. He is an alternate member of the House Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development and the Joint Energy committees.
Cornwell said: “My main job during the session was to pass good legislation and stop bad legislation from being passed, which would affect the people of Saline County.The first question I asked anyone trying to pass a bill, or as I myself tried to draft a bill, was “how does it affect the people of Saline County?”
He said further: “However, one night I received a phone call from a man in my district whose wife had had an accident and was paralyzed; and, he was frustrated with the red tape involved in trying to secure disability benefits for his wife. This was my defining moment.
“It was then I realized that helping people was why I was elected. I was able to cut through the red tape and help this family get the benefits that they deserved. Since that time I have assisted many residents with problems from getting their American citizenship to various personal and work-related issues.
“When I asked the citizens of District 28 to elect me, I committed to you that my desire was to serve not to be served by you. If elected to my second term, I will continue that effort by focusing on energy, economic development, education and crime. My desire is still for Saline County to be a place where my six - soon to be seven - grandchildren will be able to grow up, find a job and raise their families, as I have mine.”
Cornwell and his wife, Billie, have four children: sons Monty Cornwell and wife, Stacie, and children, Brinson, Samuel and Claire; Brian Cornwell and wife, Stacy, and children, Ashlyn and Nathan Watkins; Mitchell Bolding and wife, Jacqueline, and daughter, Elle, all residents of Benton; and daughter Meredith Bolding of Little Rock.
“I would like to thank the people of District 28 for electing me to my first term in the House of Representatives, and would once again ask for your vote and support as I seek re-election to my second term,” Cornwell said.
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Razorbacks