Local Events

  • Monday, May 8 from 5 - 5:30 p.m., Vote Mama Foundation Report Release Party - virtual event hosted by Board Chair Gayatri Agnew

  • Monday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m., Democratic Party of Benton County (DBPBC) Monthly Meeting; this month’s meeting features a City Council Panel with representatives from Bella Vista, Bentonville, Lowell & Rogers; in person at the Arvest Conf. Center on Legion Ln off the square in downtown Bentonville or online via zoom

  • Tuesday, May 9 starting at 5:30 p.m., DPBC May happy Hour at Ozark Brewing Company (109 N. Arkansas St., Rogers); anyone welcome to attend

  • Saturday, May 13 from 11 - 1 p.m., The Equality Crew’s LGBTQ+ Youth Needs Assessment Lunch & Learn; join this meeting to hear about results of a UAMS College of Public Health partnered assessment conducted in NWA - register by May 10th HERE (location disclosed upon registration)

  • Monday, May 15 from 11 - 1 p.m., Mother’s Monday Celebration - online event including panel discussions focused on three key issues significantly impacting working mothers and other caregivers: childcare, parental leave, and return to work support

Community Involvement Opportunities

Join the Benton County Planning Board!

Benton County has an opening on the Benton County Planning Board. This position is an appointment made by the Benton County Judge.

Candidates are required to attend meetings every first and third Wednesday of the month. The Benton County Planning Board is responsible for reviewing plans, changing land development proposals, crafting ordinances and recommendations regarding land planning matters. Proposed ordinances are then considered by the Benton County Quorum Court for legislative adoption.

Applicants must be county residents – whether living in incorporated or unincorporated Benton County. Board members are paid mileage and $125 for attendance at meetings. Planning board members serve four-year terms and may serve a maximum of two consecutive full terms.

Interested parties should send a resume and a cover letter to [email protected].

A background in architecture, engineering, construction, building codes, fire prevention and/or environmental health is not required, but preferential.

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, May 15 at 5:30 p.m. (612 W. Lancashire) - Work Session

  • Items of Note:

    • Bluebird Sculpture Trail unveiling on May 11 at 5 p.m. at the Bluebird Trail on the former Berksdale West Golf Course (parking off Riordan Road); read more HERE

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • City wastewater rates will increase 5% on July 1 and 5% on Jan. 1; read more HERE

    • City council pay increased from $10,405 to $14,600 annually to better align with similar cities in the region

    • Coffee with mayor virtual event May 16 from 8 - 9 a.m., this month highlighting the Bentonville Fire Department; register HERE

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)

Centerton

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Coffee with Mayor at Old City Hall on May 20th at 9 a.m.

Gravette

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE) - Committee of the Whole

Lowell

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)

Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 5:30 p.m. (911 Weston St.) Committee of the Whole

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

  • Items of Note:

    • Mark Kruger, Roger’s longest serving council member, passed away last week; the city will declare his Ward 1 position vacant at the next meeting and decide if a replacement will serve the remainder of the term via appointment or city wide vote

    • Rogers residents can connect to the city using a new mobile app, Rogers Connect. Details and download links can be found HERE.

Siloam Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)

  • Items of Note:

    • View video of May 2nd Board of Directors meeting HERE

Springdale

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)

County Government Awareness

Don’t forget to assess your property by Wednesday, May 31! Use the county’s website at: https://bentoncountyar.gov/assessor/

Benton County Quorum Court

  • Planning/Building Codes Subcommittee Meeting; May 8 at 6 p.m.

  • Finance Committee; May 9 at 6 p.m.

  • Committee of the Whole; May 16 at 6 p.m.

  • Planning Board Meeting; May 17 at 6 p.m.

Bentonville School District

The district will be hosting community forums later this month with community members to discuss changes to school boundaries that will go into effect in 2024/25. The proposal will be reviewed at the May 16th board meeting and the community forums will be on May 22nd at 5:30 pm at Fulbright JH and on May 23 at 5:30 pm at Old High Middle School. Final votes on the proposal will occur at the July board meeting.

Arkansas Learns

From the Public Policy Center of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture newsletter:

Clock Starts on Arkansas LEARNS Referendum Effort

May 1 marked the official end of the 94th Arkansas General Assembly's legislative session and the start of a 90-day marathon for a group of citizens who want to put a new educational law on the ballot for voters to decide.

Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) submitted a ballot title on April 10 to the Arkansas Attorney General's Office for review, signifying their intent to challenge Act 237, known as the LEARNS Act.

Before a single voter signature can be collected, the Arkansas Attorney General's Office has to certify that the proposed ballot title is free from misleading language.

On April 24, the Attorney General Tim Griffin's office issued its rejection via Opinion No. 2023-023.The opinion lists reasons including insufficient and inaccurate summaries of the 145-page law. But the main reason was the title didn't tell voters that voting FOR the act meant they wanted to keep it and voting AGAINST meant they want to veto it, a common mix up for most referendums.

"This means that most people who support the referendum effort and are fully informed will step into the voting booth and vote "against" on the issue. Because nothing in your popular name or ballot title indicates the impact of a vote for or against the measure, I must reject your draft and instruct you to redesign it," the opinion prepared by Deputy Attorney General Ryan Owsley stated.

CAPES representatives have since resubmitted their ballot title after some corrections.

"We feel very good about the new submission and we think he's going to approve it," organizer Steve Grappe told the Arkansas Advocate after the group resubmitted the ballot title.

By the time CAPES hears back next from the Attorney General's Office about their submission, they will have less than 90 days to collect the required 54,422 voter signatures from 50 Arkansas counties.

If approved by the Attorney General's Office, the referendum would be the first to face a new 50-county rule passed by the legislature. Previously, ballot issue groups needed to collect voter signatures from at least 15 counties. Legislators passed Act 236, which increased the number to 50 counties. A lawsuit over the constitutionality of Act 236 has yet to have its first day in court.

Follow the court case 60CV-23-1816 online.

Election Information

Election Day is Tuesday, May 9th from 7:30 - 7:30. Voting locations can be found HERE.

What’s on the Ballot?

  • School Board Elections (can only vote if you live in the zone):

  • Beaver Lake Volunteer Fire Department annual dues increase question

  • City of Springdale Bond Issue

  • NWACC Millage - all voters in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts are eligible to vote - please vote FOR✅ ; additional info on the millage:

    • The millage would restore the rate from 2.6 to 3.0 (the originally established amount approved by voters). The projected increase will be about $20-25 per year based on the average home cost in the area.

    • The millage will be used to bring staff salaries more in line with typical salaries for similar employees across the state of Arkansas; allowing the school to obtain high quality candidates and to eliminate many currently unfilled positions.

    • The millage will allow for development of further certificate and degree programs like the currently in development LPN program and trails related certifications.

    • The millage will provide a discount of almost 1/2 the cost of out-of district tuition to in district students. Allowing for example, a 2 year RN nursing degree to be obtained for around $4,500.

    • Last year tuition was raised for the first time in 8 years, the millage restoration will help limit the need to consider additional increases in the near future.

***For any of you that live in or know voters in the Fayetteville School District (Washington County), please vote for Keaton Smith✅ for the At-Large school position!

Political Training Opportunities

DNC Best Practices Institute - Train the Trainer (T3) Webinar Training Program

T3 is a FREE six-week, twelve-part webinar course, covering several aspects of grassroots campaigning. This program seeks to expand the skills of progressive activists and volunteers, by ensuring that comprehensive training is free and accessible for Democrats all over the country.

T3 trainings are held every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 - 7 p.m., from May 16, through June 22. The deadline to register is Sunday, May 14 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Participants must complete all twelve sessions in order to receive certification. All training sessions will include a skills test to track retention and participation. Trainings will be recorded and made available following each session via a weekly wrap-up email, delivered on Fridays, so you can still complete the program if you miss a live session.

Register for T3 Training

National Democratic Training Committee - Free!

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