In the Sept. 17 editorial, the editors have decided they know what is best for Springdale’s forthcoming Don Tyson Parkway and Interstate 540 interchange.
They’ve determined we have not waited long enough for business to come and build near the interchange. I disagree and think you should, too.
Sure, waiting for something fun such as Schlitterbahn sounds good, but have we heard from them? Would they or anyone else be interested in leasing land from the wealthy landowners in that area in order to do business here?
If so, where are they?
How soon will they show up?
Why did they bring up the subject of clutteredsigns that are far away from the area we are discussing?
Why didn’t the city do something previously about those signs? A Love’s Travel Center sign is not “clutter.” It just needs to be higher and larger because of the elevation challenges ... (and how) it will be set back from the highway. I’d prefer one large quality sign rather than the hundreds of short ones I see on U.S. 71B and U.S. 412.
Please contact your Springdale council member and ask them why we should turn away yet another (that’s right, another) large, tax revenueproducing entity for our city, and how long do they think we should wait for something better?
Or do they want to let businesses know that weare not ready for them yet, please call us back in a few years.
DEBBI EMERSON
SpringdaleJORDAN BEST CHOICEThe first time I met Mayor Lioneld Jordan was in 2000. He was then a first-term alderman from Ward 4 and I was beginning a term on the Fayetteville Planning Commission.
Initially, I was drawn to him by his sense of humor and his easy manner with people. I started watching him in other settings and observed him draw everyone in. No person was more important than another. No one’s money or position in the community took more or less of his timethan the next.
I watched him launch a monthly Ward 4 meeting to draw more interest in city government. He never missed a meeting. I attended some of these meetings. He was not there to dictate how it should be, but to listen to the citizens.
When I was on the council, Jordan served as vice mayor and presided over setting the 2008 budget in 2007 because the former mayor was in France.
Lioneld took a crinkled dollar bill from his pocket and said to me, “The buck stops here.” That was not the case with the former mayor, literally or symbolically. The council was fractured.
I have heard Mayor Jordan say “I made a mistake.”
I never heard that from the former mayor. Sixty million dollar-plus seweroverruns or the huge hole in the ground and the crane in front of it were just a “hiccup” or someone else’s fault.
When Lioneld became mayor, his ward meetings grew into city meetings.
There are at least four a year. He has missed none.
The national economy boomed during the former mayor’s reign, yet he dipped into the city’s reserves.
Mayor Jordan’s term began during this ongoing national economic recession plus Fayetteville was hit by perhaps its most severe ice storm.
He managed without having to lay anyone off or raising taxes and has built the reserves higher than at the end of the former mayor’s term.
Mayor Jordan has passion for Fayetteville that is unsurpassed. He cares about ALL the people.
His first act after (he was) elected mayor was serving mashed potatoes to the people of southeast Fayetteville at the Yvonne Richardson Center’s Thanksgiving dinner.
He works tirelessly, often arriving at City Hall before 6 a.m. and leaving 12 hours later.
He loves this place, our place. No one can outwork him and his integrity is unsurpassed.
I am blessed to call him my friend. Mayor Lioneld Jordan is the real deal. He has experience you can trust.
NANCY ALLEN
Fayetteville ALLEN IS CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR LIONELD JORDAN.
Opinion, Pages 14 on 09/30/2012