Small Towns Survive Changes
RESIDENTS DEFEND THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH A SENSE OF PRIDE, HISTORY
Posted: July 10, 2011 at 5:47 a.m.
Mike Bonner cuts a watermelon Thursday for customers to sample at his family’s fruit stand in downtown Johnson. Bonner Farm Main Street Market has been in Johnson near the railroad tracks for 11 years. Fayetteville’s northward growth and Springdale’s expansion to the south prompted Johnson to incorporate in 1961. Today, growth in the larger neighboring towns has left Johnson almost surrounded.
While government officials and the general public sometimes joke about sweeping small, landlocked cities into bigger neighboring ones, towns such as Johnson, Little Flock and Bethel Heights remain proud of their small-town roots.
At A Glance
City Of The First Class
The 2010 U.S. Census count made Johnson, population 3,354, a city of the first class. First-class cities, those of 2,500 people or more, operate government differently than smaller towns. Now city leaders are scrambling to decide how they want to organize government under the new rules.
Jennifer Allen, the city’s clerk and recorder, will see her position disappear. She could choose to run for the new city clerk position or city treasurer. It’s also possible the positions will be combined into a single, elected job.
“Depending on what you decide, Jennifer might have to run for one spot, she could be hired as an employee treasurer, or she might have to run at different times for both clerk and treasurer,” said Danny Wright, city attorney. “In the meantime, she’s still operating as a clerk-recorder.”
The next election cycle could also see the city’s eight aldermen running by wards instead of being voted on by the whole city. Officials also need to decide if those seats will all be two-year terms, or four-year terms staggered so half the council runs for election every two years.
“There are a lot of decisions to be made,” Wright said.
Source: Staff Report
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