Benton Mayor recuses himself before Council votes down rezoning request for Christian school

Ordinance 24 would have changed a property’s zoning from residential multi-family to a school-related designation.

Normally a ten-person group of elected officials, Benton City Council filled one vacant position this week and still only had nine votes available in their regular meeting on April 27th.

An organization looking to build a private school off Interstate 30’s Exit 114 asked for a change that ended up taking away one council member’s ability to vote, and the mayor’s about to break a tie.

In a packed session on Monday night, the Benton City Council effectively voted 6-3 against a rezoning request that would have allowed a new private educational institution on the city’s western edge.

The proposal, brought forward by the organization Jesus Plus Nothing LLC, sought to rezone approximately 93 acres of land off Jackman Trail near Arkansas Highway 229. The group aimed to transition the property from its current designation of Residential Multi-Family, to a School designation, to facilitate the construction of a private Christian school.

The proceedings began with a procedural shift. Mayor Tom Farmer was asked by a representative of Jesus Plus Nothing LLC to abstain from the proceedings, citing a potential conflict of interest because his son, Tad Farmer, serves as the president of the Benton School Board. Farmer explained that he believed he could be impartial, but would accept the request.

The Mayor then asked the Council to elect a chairman from among themselves to preside over the agenda item. The Council selected Member Steve Brown to chair the discussion, a move that reduced the available number of voting members from ten to nine.

The applicants stated the school would provide a valuable alternative for local families. They said that the organization’s vision is to provide a “centered educational environment” and that the current residential multi-family zoning is the only hurdle to beginning the project.

Advocates stated that the project would involve significant private investment and argued that a school is a “low-impact” neighbor compared to a high-density apartment complex that could be built on the site if left in the current zoning.

The proposal faced opposition from community members, including leaders of the Benton School District. Superintendent Chris Nail and newly elected school board member Lori Tudor addressed the Council, speaking against the rezoning. Their presence underscored a significant tension between the proposed private development and the established public school infrastructure.

Following extensive public comments and a discussion among the Council, the vote ultimately resulted in the ordinance’s failure.

A key moment occurred when Council Member Jeff Morrow announced his abstention. “In the spirit of full transparency, legally and ethically, I’m going to abstain my vote because since the last vote I bought some Benton School District bonds sometime in February,” Morrow stated. Under the council’s rules, his abstention was recorded as a “no” vote.

Morrow was joined in that “no” vote by Council Members Judd Hart, Frank Baptist, Ann Spencer-Cole, Evelyn Reed, and Chad Slaughter, bringing the total to six votes against the measure.

The proposal received a “yes” vote from three members—Trevor Villines, Steve Lee, and Jeff Hamm.

With a final tally of 6-3 against the ordinance, the request for rezoning was denied. The 93-acre tract on Jackman Trail will retain its Residential Multi-family status for the foreseeable future. Representatives from Jesus Plus Nothing LLC did not immediately comment on whether they would seek an alternative location or appeal the decision.

View the entire meeting below: