Benton meeting Nov 18th to consider filling Buc-ee’s hole; Courthouse lighting approved in Oct
The Benton Advertising & Promotion Commission will meet Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, to review commercial property development at Interstate 30’s Exit 114, examine municipal tax collections, and receive departmental operational updates. The regular session comes on the heels of major actions taken during the commission’s previous meeting, including funding permanent architectural lighting for the Saline County Courthouse Annex and advancing site work near the Buc-ee’s development. Read more below.
The meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Benton City Hall, located at 410 River St. The meeting date was moved back one week from its normal schedule due to the Veterans Day holiday.
Commissioners Frank Baptist, Steve Brown, Alison Burch, Bill Eldridge, Elgin Hamner IV, Luke Moody, and Greg Shinn will open the session with a formal statement of compliance under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as amended by Act 505 of 2025. Commissioners will then review and approve the minutes from their previous meeting.
Nov. 18 Agenda – Financial Reports, Facilities, and Exit 114
Under administrative and financial business, the commission will examine several monthly records detailing city advertising and promotion funds:
- Bank Balances and Collections Report: Presented by Mandy Spicer.
- Delinquency Report: Presented by Mandy Spicer.
- Profit and Loss Reports: Presented by Jordan Woolbright.
The agenda lists no formal outside funding requests for consideration. Departmental reports follow, including an operational update on the Benton Event Center by Nikki Chumley, a tourism and social media marketing report by Rachel Rivers, and an update on the development of property at Exit 114 presented by Commissioner Bill Eldridge.
Following new and unfinished business, the commission’s next regular meeting is set for Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026.
Oct. Recap – Courthouse Lights, Buc-ee’s Hole, Collections up 28%, 1M Event Center Visits
At the commission’s previous meeting on Oct. 21, Saline County Judge Matt Brumley presented a request for county-city partnership funding to install permanent exterior LED architectural lighting on the Saline County Courthouse Annex. The 1902 historic courthouse structure had already received lighting upgrades, and Brumley sought one-time matching funds to complete the 1990s annex portion—covering roughly 5,500 linear feet of roofline.
After discussion regarding fund balances and tourism benefits for downtown Benton, the commission voted unanimously to approve up to $80,000 from its general operating reserves to cover approximately 33 percent of the $244,650 overall project.
Commissioners also voted during the October meeting to solicit bids for dirt transportation to fill a deep retention basin at the Exit 114 site near Buc-ee’s. City officials explained that state law requires bidding for hauling expenditures estimated between $200,000 and $300,000 to transform the donated parcel into required green space.
Staff reported record monthly collections of $232,626 for September—a nearly 28 percent increase over the prior year.
The Benton Event Center celebrated reaching a cumulative milestone of more than 1 million visitors since opening.
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