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Council OKs October annex vote |
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Wednesday, 23 July 2008 |
Residents of the North Lake Road of Saline County and the nearby area will be voting Oct. 14 on whether that territory is to become part of the city of Benton.
Meeting in a special session Monday night, Benton City Council unanimously approved an ordinance calling for an Oct. 14 election to annex this area into the city.
The area targeted for annexation is the same property Bryant proposes to annex in a Sept. 9 election.
If both annexation issues pass, a third election will be held in which the residents of the affected area will vote to decide which city they wish to be part of, said Benton City Attorney Brent Houston.
In Monday’s meeting, Mayor Rick Holland commended the council members for the unified stance they were taking on the issue.
He noted that the action is “time -sensitive” and vital to the growth of the city.
“The council’s decision to focus only on the area also proposed for annexation by Bryant means that the issue will no longer be city versus county, but will instead be a question of whether residents will choose Benton over Bryant,” Holland said before the meeting.
Previously, the council had approved an Aug. 12 special election on the annexation of areas north and west of Hurricane Lake Estates, which would have included the North Lake area.
In the ordinance calling to annex the North Lake area, the residents are promised immediate fire and police protection after the annexation becomes final and all other services within three years.
The document notes that property owners desiring certain utility services may be required to participate in the cost of running extensions in order to connect their property to the city’s utility infrastructure as well as pay any applicable connection fees.
Last week, the council voted to cancel its planned Aug. 12 the election in response to the objections of Salem community residents who objected to becoming part of an incorporated area.
“The aldermen acted in response to the wishes of residents in the area and passed an ordinance repealing the planned Aug. 12 election.” Holland said.
The initial area targeted for annexation had included the Salem community, where many of the residents had expressed strong opposition to becoming part of Benton or any incorporated area.
Holland noted that the annexation originally was proposed in response to Bryant’s breach of a 2005 agreement that defined the areas in which Benton and Bryant would grow.
“We felt we had to protect our interests in this area,” Holland said. “We have put a number of infrastructure improvements in place to serve current and future residents, and we cannot afford to let these improvements be wasted.”
However, residents in the Salem community, in particular, have been passionate that they do not want to be annexed, he noted.
Holland added: “Even though we thought it would be beneficial to the residents of both areas, we care about what people in the Salem community think. We would prefer not to force anyone to come into Benton.”
Historically, Benton has grown through voluntary annexations, Alderman Doug Stracener pointed out in a previous council session.
Holland pointed to the recent annexation of 500 acres at Interstate Exit 114 as an example, saying, “We expect many other voluntary annexations to occur in the near future. As a result of all the publicity over the Salem annexation, a landowner in the Scott-Salem Road area asked to annex 200 acres, saying that he did not want to be in Bryant.
“We know that other people north and west of Benton value the benefits of living in our city,” Holland said. “We will welcome them with open arms if they decide to seek annexation. Even those landowners whose properties are not currently contiguous with the Benton city limits can be assisted with preannexation agreements.”
Holland explained that the annexation will have no effect on school district lines.
“We are fortunate to have three fine school districts in Benton,” he said, adding that “while the majority of Benton residents attend Benton schools, many others attend Bryant or Bauxite schools.”
City officials have pointed out that people whose properties are annexed will see little change in their lifestyles or financial status.
“While their property taxes may increase, they will no longer have to pay volunteer fire department dues and they may receive a decrease in homeowners’ insurance due to the low ISO rating (3) of the Benton Fire Department,” Holland said.
“As the county seat and medical center for Saline County, Benton has a lot to offer besides the history and beauty of downtown,” Holland said.
“We think the decision to live in Benton is a quality lifestyle choice. We hope the residents in the North Lake Road area will embrace Benton as their new hometown.” |
 |  |  |  |  | Just being with family and eating good food is the best part!!- Liz McGee Quantz (Haskell, AR)
The Mabelvale United Methodist Church in Mabelvale, AR will
be hosting a fall carnival on Sunday evening October 26th from 5 to 7pm in the
Fellowship Hall. Kids will love it, parents will too! - Roger Poole (Bryant, AR)
I make an awesome Pina Colda Cake. You buy a boxed yellow
cake mix and mix it and bake it per the instructions on the box. After you bake the
cake allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke
medium size holes all in the cake. Take a can of Eagle Brand Milk and Cream of
Coconut and alternate pouring them into the holes. Place the cake in the fridge for
about one hour, remove and put Cool Whip on top, as much or as little as you like.
The cake is better if you let it sit all night in the fridge before eatting. It is
wonderful!!! - Kelly Chase (Alexander, AK)
My favorite memories of Thanksgiving were when we lived in
Tulsa, Ok. There were always folks that didn't have a place to go for the holiday-
so they wound up at our house along with most of my husband's family from Benton.
The house was packed. The Thanksgiving meal was wonderful. But the celebration
didn't end there. At night, all weekend, there were pallets spread throughout the
house and the good eats seemed to never end. And on Friday morning (after
Thanksgiving) all the females were up before dawn and Christmas shopping by 8:00
a.m. Those are memories that I will cherish forever. - Billie Loe (Texas)
I always get to make the turkey for our Thanksgiving. So
you can add more butter or flour for consistency. Wash your turkey, pat dry, take
another stick of butter and rub all over turkey. Then take with your hands and smear
the batter a little thick, all over the turkey. Once all of the turkey has the
batter on it, I will melt the another bar of butter and put it in the bottom of the
pan of my turkey. It will make a wonderful gravy to use on your turkey when done.
So, then get enough aluminum foil to make a "tent" over your turkey. Put in oven and
bake @ 375 all night. It will be so moist, the crispies are great and the gravy
makes it better. Now the flip side to this is, it will be so tender it will fall apart.
So, I do not serve as a whole turkey. I go ahead and slice up, pour some grave
over some of the sliced up turkey for those who like it and then slice up some
turkey without gravy. You will have many compliments on this. Happy Thanksgiving
and Enjoy! - Liz Johnson (Benton) We prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that morning.
Then we pack it all up and travel to deer camp in South Arkansas. We serve dinner to
all those who don't have family with which to share. We'll spend the afternoon
playin' dominos, pitchin' horseshoes and just visitin'. It's a wonderful time. - Pat Stuckey (Bismarck) We invite all the family in and cook the traditional feast.
Everyone gets silly when they get full. That is entertaining. - Jim Perry (Benton) Frozen pizza - Greg Marsh (Medicine Hat) The whole family gets together and we have dinner and noon
visit for a while then go home to take naps and get ready for black friday sales! - Terrie Schulz (Benton)
My childhood memories are of the sumptuous dinners my
grandfather, Byron Yarbrough, Sr. would prepare. Family members came from all over
Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to our home of South East Street. It was a wondeful
time I really didn't learn to appreciate until he and my grandmother passed away.
Later, my cousin Eleen Murray brought the tradition back and family members gathered
at their home near Lake Norrell. Today, it's the memories of
Thanksgivings past that I treasure. It was because of these gatherings that I came
to realize the importance of family. - David Hughes (Herndon, VA)
My favorite time of remembering Thanksgiving is when all of
my family would get together and enjoy the most wonderful feast I have ever tasted.
My mom would make at least 2 to 3 different stuffings, actually her and my sister
Tammy Parker(Schultz) would make everything. I am not quite the chef my mom and
sister are. I live now and have lived for most of my life away from home in
different states so I have tasted many other dishes. None can compare to my
mom's(Pat Brumley). But most of all it is the family being altogether and just
laughing and having fun. My husband experienced this tradition for the first time in
1999 and still to this day can not stop talking about it. His traditions were not
the same. He couldn't believe the amount of food, fun, and family we had for the
holidays. I didn't understand it because I am used to it always being that way. I am
very lucky to have the family I have. My ex-step dad (David Hughes) still treats me
and my sister like his own so I have extended family to share the holidays with too. Even if it
is just a phone call, prayer, or written. I sure so miss Benton. I was raised
there and even though I am in Hoosier state since 2001 I let everybody know I am
proud to be a Razorback. I will never be anything else. God bless everyone in
Benton and someday I hope to see you soon. - Debbie Brooks (Schultz) (Columbus, IN) |
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Razorbacks
