CAVE SPRINGS, Ark. — Benton County residents went to the polls Tuesday (July 13) in a special election to vote against annexing a portion of land south of Bentonville into the City of Cave Springs.
The City of Cave Springs wanted to annex 2,800 acres of land south of Bentonville after receiving requests from people living in those areas for water and sewer service.
“It’s disappointing, but we are a growing city," Mayor Randall Noblett said. "We are one of the fastest-growing cities in Arkansas."
According to the Benton County Elections Commission, 24.24% (119) voted for the ordinance, while 75.76% (372) voted against it.
The ordinance says that the land was needed to accommodate Cave Springs' growth and for other municipal purposes.
Mayor Noblett says they’ve always had to decline water and sewer services to people living outside city limits because of a lack of infrastructure. Since the sales tax increase was approved in 2019, he says they have the funds to improve their water and sewer systems.
“It just made sense at this time that if we are going to be providing part of the service and we are going to have a capability of providing the other that we might be able to start answering yes when people ask for those services,” he said.
Hayes Wade lives just outside Cave Springs city limits. He voted against the annexation because it would raise his taxes, and the water and sewer lines the city is extending wouldn’t reach his home.
“Just a lot of concern, and there wasn’t a whole lot there to say this is a great thing for everybody,” he said.
Wade chose to build his house where it is because he wanted the freedom of being outside out of a city.
“Probably all this stuff in this area is probably all going to go to a town at some point or another and nothing against that," he said. "When the time comes, that will be a good thing, but it’s just got to be a deal where people who get annexed actually get something for that versus getting it just forced on them."
The City of Cave Springs says even if people living outside city limits request services, they will still try and make those services available where they can. They have no plans to bring the annexation of the land before voters again anytime soon.