Satellite shops considered
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007
BENTON COUNTY — Some county officials believe satellite shops could save money and improve operations of the Benton County Road Department.
Currently, activity in the county’s four road districts stems mostly from the main Road Department facility on Arkansas Highway 102 in Bentonville. Satellite offices would give each district its own bays, storage building and administrative office.
Assistant county administrator Travis Harp shared the new idea with members of the Benton County Long Range Planning and Properties Committee last week.
By cutting down on the number of trips to and from the Road Department on Arkansas Highway 102 in Bentonville, the county could save on fuel costs and driving time, Harp said at the committee meeting.
Satellite shops could also allow county officials to decrease the size and cost of a new Road Department facility planned for the future.
In 2006, county officials discussed building a 41, 500 square-foot facility with a estimated construction cost of approximately $ 3. 1 million for new offices and a service center. The project is still on the table along with several other expensive capital projects.
“(Satellite shops ) means what we will want to do out here (in Bentonville ) will take less bays, ” Harp said. “ We think we can do this a lot less expensively. ”
Justice of the Peace Chris Glass said the idea could be something positive for the committee to look into further.
“ That’s something in our districts that people would appreciate, ” he said. “ They would see people come and go and doing work on their county roads. ”
Harp said Benton Count Judge Gary Black is working now with some landowners who might be willing to donate land for the projects.
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