5 Republicans vying for top post in county
Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Editor's note: This story is the last in a series of stories on contested races The Daily Record will run leading up to the May 20 election.
BENTON COUNTY - When Benton County voters head out to their local polling places May 20, a familiar name will not appear on the ballot for the top spot in the county. Benton County Judge Gary Black announced earlier this year he won't seek re-election for a fifth term.
Vying for the position are five Republicans - Bill Adams, Dave Bisbee, Chris Glass, Kevin Harrison and Greg Hines. Bill Williams will run unopposed on the Democratic side of the ticket.
Williams will face the Republican winner in November. Bill Adams For Adams, who has served as a senior partner in a businessconsulting firm and in several positions in the corporate-finance and direct-import divisions of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the focus is on reinventing the way county government goes about its business. That, he said, is necessary to more efficiently and effectively serve the people of a county that has grown tremendously in recent years.
"As county judge, I want to see the state allocate more funds to the region and provide a fair system of appropriation that will allow us to keep up with the growth that requires the infrastructure," Adams stated prominently on his campaign Web site. "From time to time, government must reinvent itself to keep up with the times. If it doesn't, we will be faced with an antiquated system that is costly and serves only a few."
Adams points to the work Rogers Mayor Steve Womack had done with the 287 (g ) program, allowing local police to assist in cracking down on illegal aliens in Benton County. Adams said he will support any other communities that wish "to contribute toward eradicating this drain on our economy and tax resources."
"I believe that making county government efficient is the key to sustainability and growth without raising taxes," Adams said. "We must improve the roads and infrastructure, and it must be done now. By making government efficient, we can redirect savings from many areas toward improving our road system without raising taxes on the citizens. "Dave Bisbee Longtime state Sen. Bisbee, who rose from private to captain in the U. S. Marine Corps and has undertaken several business ventures in Benton County while serving the area's interests in Little Rock, believes the hands-on nature of the position of judge would bring out the best in him.
"My style of leadership is, you have to lead from the front," Bisbee said. "If you want to build roads, you better know about roads. I'll probably be out there shoveling some gravel for roads if I'm judge. Anyone who's been to Little Rock knows that's how I legislated. I prefer the hands-on. That's where I thrive."
Bisbee explained that a county judge can't hide because he's not representing and administrating from a remote location. As judge, the top position in the county, you're rooted in your community every day. Bisbee said he was recruited by several people with stakes in Benton County and that he did not hesitate in announcing his candidacy.
"This job is very different," Bisbee said. "It's executive, not legislative. People tell me I'm a lot better suited for an executive role anyway.
"I'm a give-me-a-job-and-letme-do-it kind of person. I can tell you I'll work harder than anyone else. I've always worked hard, no matter what it is I'm involved in. That's the way you get things done. "Chris Glass When Glass - who boasts experience as a lawyer and as a Benton County Quorum Court justice of the peace - announced his candidacy, he felt it was time for a county judge who is familiar with the issues facing the unincorporated areas of Benton County. A resident of Garfield, Glass believes he's that person.
"I don't see a lot of cooperation between the cities," Glass told The Daily Record during an interview earlier this year.
Glass said he will be a dynamic leader - one that exhibits the right leadership traits and will account for every tax dollar to make sure residents are getting the most in return.
"We spend a lot of money," Glass said. "And we get very little returned. Not more taxes but creative stewardship (is needed ). I'm a fiscal conservative. We can't spend money we don't have, but we can work to ensure we get the most return on the tax-dollar investment.
"Having the right leader that can really negotiate and work with a variety of people is something we need. I believe my negotiating experience as an attorney will benefit the county. The question to any candidate running for judge should be," Are you willing to think outside the box ?"
Glass also said communication between the JPs and county administration has to improve. As a current JP, he has been frustrated by this issue and believes the county must work to establish an open-door policy, where residents and those working within the county truly feel as though everything is transparent.
"When everything is transparent, that's when you know you're representing the best interests of the public. And that's what I believe county government is all about."
Glass worked at a Stanford, Conn., law firm and later as a lawyer for Wal-Mart, as well as in the company's real-estateoperations division. Kevin Harrison Having been a developer in Benton County for several years, Harrison believes he will bring a different perspective to the position of county judge.
When Harrison announced his candidacy earlier this year, he outlined the three main points of his platform as economic development, county roads and county zoning. And he continues to focus on that trio of issues.
"The first two are tied together," Harrison said. "We have to increase the economic base to improve roads."
As a self-employed developer, Harrison said he has been responsible for bringing more than $ 20 million in economic growth to Benton County. As judge, he plans to work with all communities to develop strategies to attract new economic development and solidify a plan to guide future growth of the area.
"I want to work with all the cities and towns comprising Benton County to increase the tax base and not raise taxes," Harrison said in a written statement earlier this year.
Harrison said he hopes to form an economic board comprised of representatives from the county's chambers of commerce, private businesses and local governments to discuss strategies for bringing new industries here. He has pledged to prioritize improvements to the county's roads and eliminate those roads that "do not serve the needs of the general public. "Greg Hines Hines continually has repeated his campaign theme, "Passing the Torch to a New Generation," since announcing his candidacy.
"It's time for folks of my generation to step forward in leadership roles," said Hines, 32. "I'm raising children here. This is my home. I've taken it upon myself to get involved in a number of areas of public service.
"I look at all the other elected positions in this state - young people being elected to the state House, younger city councils. It seems like we've accepted the notion that the younger generation is fit to serve, but the county-judge seat still seems to be this retirement position. I've said from day 1, if we continue to have that view of the position, we're going to continue to get retired results. I contend that if Benton County is going to progress or move forward, that has to change."
Over the past 10 years, Hines has become involved in a variety service roles, most recently as a member of the Rogers City Council and an investigator with the Benton County Sheriff's Office.
"We need someone with energy and who's willing to think five to 10 years into the future to plan our facility and capital needs," Hines said.
Hines said his vision for Benton County is to form positive relationships with all its communities, and that a regional approach must be embraced in order to solve common problems for the entire county.
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