Myka Bono Sample, a veteran public servant having worked several years as a county employee, has announced her candidacy for the office of Saline County Circuit Clerk. She is seeking the Republican Party’s nomination in the May preferential primary election.
Myka Bono Sample
Sample is no stranger to the operation of the Circuit Clerk’s office with seven and half years of experience in the Saline County Circuit Clerk’s office, as well as the Benton County Circuit Clerk’s office. While in Benton County, she served as a supervisor and was later promoted to office manager, overseeing a staff of 21 employees.
“After spending years at the staff level, I would like to take my experiences and become the circuit clerk of Saline County,” Sample said. “If elected, I pledge to work diligently to keep our systems updated and work for the citizens of the county. I will continue to make improvements and strive to make the office the best and most efficient in the state.
“I plan to introduce electronic recording for the Real Estate Records Department, which will be the second phase of the state program, recently implemented by the current circuit clerk,” she added. “I also plan to introduce Passport Services. Currently, the U.S. Post Office in Benton is the only location in Saline County where citizens can apply for a passport. Not only would this be a convenient service, but would also generate additional money for the county from the $25 execution fee assessed to all applicants.”
Sample currently works for the Saline County Juvenile Office as a certified probation officer. She has also been the coordinator for the Saline County Teen Court for the past three years.
Born and raised in Saline County, Sample graduated from Bauxite High School. She attended Garland County Community College on a basketball scholarship and later attended Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. Sample has been a volunteer basketball coach at the Boys & Girls Club for seven years and is currently a mini-miner basketball coach for Bauxite Public Schools.
She was inducted into the Bauxite Hall of Fame in 2007 and is currently the secretary for the Hall of Fame and Bauxite Old Timers.
She is a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Benton.
Sample is the daughter of the Judy Bono of Benton and the late Jiggs Bono and the daughter-in-law of Jackie Sample, also of Benton and the late Truman Sample. She has been married to Billy Sample for 25 years and they have raised three sons.
Oldest son, Matt, graduated from Pea Ridge High School and attended Crowder Junior College in Missouri and Rogers State University in Oklahoma on a baseball scholarship. He currently plays professional baseball.
Middle son, Aaron, graduated from Pea Ridge High School and served 4 years in the United States Navy aboard the George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier. Aaron recently married Melissa Chun, who is currently serving in the United State Navy and is stationed on the same aircraft carrier in Norfolk, Va.
Youngest son, Briar, graduated from Bauxite High School and is a full-time employee for River Valley, Inc. Briar also competes professionally in the motocross circuit.
