Attend a city council meeting in nearly any of the major towns of Benton County--Bentonville, Rogers, Lowell, Cave Springs -- and one face you're bound to get familiar with is Bill Watkins.
The principal attorney at the law firm of Watkins, Boyer, Gray & Curry is quick to say that he's not a specialist, but he's been practicing land use and planning law for about 40 years now. Many of the large scale development projects that change our towns in their appearance and ability to function are ushered through the processes of city government with his help.
Watkins' has had a hand in so many of these businesses and neighborhoods coming to fruition, that when asked to look back on even the highlights, it's hard to sort through it all casually.
"There have been hundreds," Watkins says.
But one of the most recent was the walkable community of mixed use developments -- meaning an assortment of apartments, shopping and restaurants -- that now sits across from Pinnacle area in Rogers. That particular project was made possible through Johnelle Hunt and Watkins says it's among the most rewarding experiences of his career. "That one was fun," he says. "It's cool to drive by and see it since I got that project approved."
To do a job like Watkins' well, one needs not just a keen understanding of law and of the way each city functions, but also a tendency not to shy away from conflict and a way to help opposing parties come to a productive solution diplomatically.
"From the city's...
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