Bentley releases evidence against Wilson for voter’s review

SEE CORRECTION BELOW

Trevis Bentley is one of two candidates running against incumbent Council Member Juanita Wilson. Wilson occupies the Ward-4 Pos-2 seat on the Alexander City Council. The other candidate running against Wilson is Stephanie Beck.

With Early Voting in full swing, and Election Day next week, it’s Bentley who’s doing most of the campaigning. He has been posting information, he acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), concerning Wilson’s recent arrest.

According to the ARCourts website, an arrest warrant was issued for Wilson on June 20, 2026. She was charged with Forgery 2^nd Degree. Wilson turned herself in to the Saline County Sheriff’s Department July 1, 2026. She was released the same day on a signature bond.

According to the documents received by Bentley the forgery charge is based on an allegation that Wilson had a resolution, that establishes who can sign city checks, amended. The original resolution was approved by the city council in November, 2022. Based on the evidence, after then Mayor Paul Mitchell lost the run-off election in December to Crystal Herrmann, his name was later removed from the resolution as a primary signer and replaced with Wilson’s name. She was originally listed as a secondary signer.

The investigation was conducted by Special Agent Drake Champagne, Arkansas State Police. In his report Champagne states, “During the course of the investigation, I discovered that a falsified City of Alexander resolution was used by City Councilwoman Lou Juanita Wilson to obtain a credit card in Wilson's name for the City of Alexander at the First Security Bank in Bryant.”

“The falsified resolution contained the same resolution number as a legitimate resolution that had been passed by the City Council,” Champagne’s report continues. “The falsified resolution appeared to have the signatures of former City Of Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell, as well as former Recorder Sharon Bankhead. The falsified resolution is easily identifiable by its change in font, misspellings, and missing hyphen in the resolution number (R22-21-11-1) as opposed to the original resolution (R-22-21-11-1).”

Champagne also says in his report that both Mitchell and Bankhead stated their signatures appearing “on the falsified resolution does not belong to” them.

In an interview with Vice President of Lending/Merchant Services for First Security Bank in Bryant, Jerry Ponder, Champagne’s report states Ponder “confirmed that Wilson presented him with the falsified resolution on April 11, 2023, to obtain the credit card.”

The information concerning how the resolution was amended came from an interview with former city employee Cheryl Kindervater.

The report states, “Kindervater revealed that on December 30, 2022, Wilson asked Kindervater to edit the previous City Council approved resolution (R-22-21-11-I). Kindervater said that Wilson told her to put Wilson's name in place of Mitchell's name, making her a primary signature authority for the City of Alexander's banking activities. Kindervater advised that she thought ‘something wasn't right’ and slightly changed the font of the document to make it easily discernible from the original.”

Some time later Kindervater left the employment of the City of Alexander.

“I obtained the documents presented to First Security Bank by Wilson, which included the falsified resolution and a copy of the City Council meeting minutes from November 21, 2022, which appear to have been falsified as well,” the report concludes. “The minutes presented to the bank appear identical to the original minutes provided to me by Cheryl Kindervater, with the addition of a bullet point stating ‘Authorized Sinage (sic): Juanita Wilson-Councilman, JoAn Allen-Churchill-City Treasurer, Sharon Bankhead-City Recorder.’"

Prior to charges being filed, Wilson stated at a city council meeting she obtained the credit card for the use of then Police Chief Robert Burnett. According to Wilson, Burnett told her Mayor Crystal Herrmann wasn’t allowing him to make purchases using the city credit card controlled by her. At that same meeting Wilson said since the city automatically is allowed three cards she didn’t see a problem.

In the original article covering the three candidates for the Ward-4 Position-2 seat, Bentley commented on the charges against Wilson.

He said, “Let me be clear…..an arrest is not a conviction, and every person is innocent until proven guilty, but public officials should still expect their public record, their participation, and their conduct in office to be examined by the people they serve.”

In regard to participation, Bentley has also reviewed Council Member Juanita Wilson’s recent attendance record.

“According to the City of Alexander’s council meeting minutes, our Ward 4 Position 2 representative has not attended a city council meeting since April 20, 2026, and has missed 6 of the 9 council meetings held this year. Why? That is a record the voters have every right to question.”

Despite rumors to the contrary, Wilson is still a member of the Alexander City Council. On advice of her attorney Wilson says she was told not to attend any council meetings until the completion of the trial. A jury trial has been set for December 1, 2026.

Wilson has also been advised to not comment on the charges or upcoming trial.

EARLY VOTING

Early voting begins October 19. A list of the early voting locations for Pulaski and Saline counties can be found at these two websites.

Pulaski County

https://www.facebook.com/PulaskiClerkAR/posts/notice-of-election-november-3-2026-arkansas-general-electionearly-voting-period-/1734703101988853/

Saline County

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1524266629730755&set=a.305351321622298

CORRECTION (10/28/26 – 2:38 pm)

Based on new information the sentence, “Wilson later retrieved the card from Burnett when she learned he was allowing other officers to use it for department purchases.” has been removed. We apologize for the error.

Alexander Mayor explains wish list for 2027 budget; Subdivision request approved

Alexander council members were provided a list of new, or one-time, expenditures to be included in the 2027 budget. The list includes items for the General Fund, the Street Department, and Parks and Recreation.

Listed under the General Fund are proposed expenditures for, “HVAC Units for the 3 remaining cottages, HVAC unit at Community Center #1, New roofs for cottages, Brownfield grant expense of $500,000.00, Design plan expense of $100,000.00, Property signs,” and “Increase community engagement (classes, etc.).”

Mayor Crystal Herrmann told council members the HVAC units listed in the proposed budget are the same age as the ones that needed to be replaced this past summer.

“So we've already replaced two units this year,” she said. “So we're looking at three more units that are the same age of the ones that we just had this year that completely gave up. ... And then we're looking at the small community center.”

The “small community center.” referred to is Community Center #1. It’s located along Main Street in the Pulaski County portion of Alexander.

About the roofs needed for the cottages at the former Human Development Center (HDC) Herrmann said, “We're losing shingles every time the wind blows.”

Moving on to the burned out hospital building on the former HDC property, Herrmann said there’s been a rule change involving the funding. The grant applicant must now provide a 50/50 match and there is a funding cap.

“But the deal is, is now they've changed the funding for the Brownsville (Brownfield) cleanup,” Herrmann said. “Prior it was a zero match. And now the federal government is requiring a match, 50/50. 50/50 match and the only thing that they will supply is $500,000. So we would have to be able to match the $500,000. Meanwhile, the abatement, the abatement, the amount, I believe it came in close at like $900,000 just to abate the whole building.”

Herrmann and the city council have been attempting to acquire a Brownfield Grant in order to make the HDC property safe for development. The grant program is funded by the EPA. According to the EPA website, "A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant." The expectation is the hospital building contains asbestos, lead paint and potentially other unknown hazards.

The HDC property, along Highway 111, was originally built as a tuberculosis sanitarium for African-Americans. Eventually it was converted into a home for adults with special needs that required care and training from professionals.

When the Arkansas Department of Human Services no longer had a use for the property it was deeded to Alexander in 2018. Under state law the property could not be sold to an individual. It could only be taken over by another government entity such as a municipality or county.

“I just want y'all to understand, that's not fixing it,” Herrmann added. “That's just cleaning out all the asbestos and the materials that are considered toxic.”

The goal is to eventually have it demolished and removed so the property can be developed for commercial use. The city failed to be approved in the 2026 cycle. Herrmann says the next submission cycle begins January, 2027.

Explaining what she means be, “Increase community engagement (classes, etc.)” Herrmann said, “And then I would like to put some funds aside for our general funds for increased community engagement. I think it's very important in my opinion that the citizens have alternatives in our own city, which they don't have to draw some of our ills for different activities. Maybe some senior classes or maybe some dance classes or that extra. Yes, some activities maybe for the kids this summer. Maybe a couple of art classes in the big community center. I mean, maybe we could host a good night. Yeah, and the night or we could give a lot of negative coverage and for the business stuff.”

Moving on to streets and parks the Mayor lumped two wish lists into one. The list includes, “Replacement of Dump Truck, Stormwater Expense/Planning, Overlays of streets, Replacement of corrected culverts, Street sign replacements, Benches and trash cans,” and “Comm(unity) Center #2 upgrades.”

“And then we've got stormwater expense and planning,” Herrmann began. “So we did receive our grant and had the flood study done on the West County fund. And we do have some suggestions for improvements as far as the flood study goes.”

Herrmann also wants the city’s unspent revenue to start earning interest.

“But for us to do the best that we can with our cash dollars, I think we need to make a little different for some of the funds and next month we'll have one of the representatives from over the First Security (Bank) because we have options if we go to put back a million dollars while we wait to see if we get this grant, or if we're being proven, we need to put that into a CD or something,” she began. “It needs to be, it needs to not just be sitting in that, that account. ... Yes, so where we have six months of our payroll, sitting there in case of emergency, we can walk that six months of payroll into a CD or money market account. Those are things that they put in the bank or the resident comes over. I think y'all would be interested in possibly what we would for me because I was thinking about the capital improvement line out of and we want to build that in this seems like an event while we are saving for the capital improvement. I was talking about the plan on what capital improvement we want to do first. Well then at least the money's not just sitting and depreciating in the bank account.”

Subdividing lots facing 3^rd Street and Alexander Road approved

Also at the October 19 council meeting, council members approved a request to subdivide property located on the north side of 3rd St. (Hwy 111) between Alexander Road, Main Street and an alley. According to the written request the new owner, Zuleima Hernandez, wants to combine existing lots 7, 8 and 9 into two lots labeled 7R and 8R. A variance request for an existing building, which is eight feet from a boundary line instead of the now required 20 feet was also approved.

Each of the three lots had homes located on them. With the redrawn property lines, the lot that faces Alexander Road (8R) now has two residential structures on it. The plan is to sell that lot so a single home can be built there.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, November 16, at 6:00 PM in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.

Incumbent and challenger square-off for District 81 seat, again

Arkansas House of Representative RJ Hawk (R), representing District 81, is once again being challenged for that seat. And, his opponent is the same person who challenged him in the 2024 election. Former City of Alexander Council member Gina Thomas-Littlejohn (D) is making her second attempt to unseat Hawk.

A questionnaire was Emailed to the two candidates. The responses are below.

This is Part-3 of a three part series on the election. Candidates are listed alphabetically.

State Rep. RJ Hawk (R)

Address: P.O. Box 1021, Bryant, AR 72089

Email: RJHawkStRep@gmail.com

Representative Hawk began representing District 81 on January 9, 2023. He is seeking a third term in office.

RJ Hawk was born in Midland, Texas. He graduated from Athens High School and earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications from the University of Central Arkansas in 2008.

Hawk owns Realty One Group Pinnacle (Bryant), Hornet Ice (Bryant), Panther Ice (Benton) and Hawk Family Properties. Before being elected to the State House he was a member of the Bryant City Council (2018-2022). He has lived in Bryant the past seven years.

Representative Hawk touts three accomplishments during his first two terms.

“Since I was elected State Representative, I have sponsored or co-sponsored legislation to lower the state income tax, made breakfast FREE and available to every kid in public school, and increased the homestead tax credit for homeowners in Arkansas,” Hawk said.

Gina Thomas-Littlejohn (D)

Address: 15431 Walnut Glen Drive, Alexander, AR. 72002

Email: ginarthomas52@gmail.com

[Did not respond to questionnaire.]

EARLY VOTING

Early voting begins October 19. A list of the early voting locations for Pulaski and Saline counties can be found at these two websites.

Pulaski County

https://www.facebook.com/PulaskiClerkAR/posts/notice-of-election-november-3-2026-arkansas-general-electionearly-voting-period-/1734703101988853/

Saline County

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1524266629730755&set=a.305351321622298