BENTONVILLE -- At least two Benton County justices of the peace want the Quorum Court to have some control over medical marijuana cultivation facilities that might locate in the county.
Brent Meyers, justice of the peace for district 14, raised the issue at the end of Thursday's regular meeting. Meyers noted the Planning Board reviewed a proposal for such a facility near Gentry and set a Sept. 6 public hearing on the plan.
Dive team
Benton County’s justices of the peace on Thursday approved the first reading of an ordinance moving the county’s dive team under the authority of the Sheriff’s Office. The ordinance will be read two more times before a final vote by the Quorum Court.
Source: Staff report
"I think the Planning Commission is jumping ahead of itself," Meyers said. "The state hasn't come up with anything yet and the feds still say it's illegal. So we're going to have a place in Gentry that's growing an illegal crop. I think the county judge should look at that."
After County Judge Barry Moehring told Meyers he would look into the issue, Pat Adams, justice of the peace for District 6, said the Quorum Court has some say in the matter through its control over the Planning Commission.
"We can call the Planning Commission before the court if we feel there's some changes that need to be made," Adams said.
Susan Anglin, justice of the peace for District 9, said she attended a workshop on the medical marijuana question put on by the Association of Arkansas Counties and was told counties have no control over the permitting and operation of the facilities. Anglin said the state has adopted rules and regulations and set up governing bodies that have authority over the cultivation facilities.
"The Quorum Court can't interfere," Anglin said.
George Spence, county attorney, said the system of medical marijuana cultivation and dispensaries was approved by voters statewide. If federal authorities choose to, they can try to intervene, Spence said.
"Our planning board doesn't need to be in the business of running the medical marijuana growing business," Spence said.
Meyers remained unsatisfied and he and Adams both said they wanted a review of the planning regulations.
"This is something that was never even considered before and I think it ought to be considered," Meyers said.
The justices of the peace also heard from two residents the monument to Confederate soldiers on the downtown Bentonville square should remain in place. The placement of Confederate monuments has been debated in cities and states across the country since a recent protest over similar statues in Charlottesville, Va., ended with one woman dead after she was hit by a car driven into a crowd. Two state troopers also died in a helicopter crash while monitoring the protest.
The Bentonville statue was placed in the square in 1908 by a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, according to records. The statue recognizes Confederate soldiers and a plaque on one side of the statue honors James Berry, who served as a second lieutenant in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He also was elected the state's 14th governor in 1882.
Don Deckard of Gateway said the statue represents "our history" which he acknowledged has "some ugly places and some ugly times." Deckard urged the Quorum Court not to bow to "political correctness" or to "hate groups" and to preserve the monument.
Mike Kalagias of Garfield told the justices of the peace they need to be careful in any decision they make.
"It doesn't matter what decision you make," he said. "People are going to be offended. People are going to be upset."
General News on 08/30/2017