Jeffery Joins Race For Seat On Rogers Council

San Jeffery

San Jeffery

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

ROGERS -- Sam Jeffery, a Rogers native, entered the crowded race for Ward 4, Position 1 seat on City Council.

Jeffery joins Carlos Chicas, Carrie Smith and Antonio Covington in the race for the seat being vacated by Bob Goodwin. Goodwin is stepping down after nearly three decades on council.

Profile

Position: Ward 4, Position 1

Name: Sam Jeffery

Age: 49

Residency: Rogers native

Family: Wife, Marie

Employment: Rolling Oaks Hospitality

Education: Bachelor’s director, University of the Ozarks, Clarksville; Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif.; master’s degree from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio

This is Jeffery's first run for office.

"I want to preserve the quality of life and economy we enjoy in this town," Jeffery said.

He said he lived in Colorado for nine years, but always wanted to return to his hometown.

"I moved back five years ago. I've always been interested in the city and it's people. This is an opportunity for me to serve the community and be a part of the future of Rogers," Jeffery said.

One of his major interests, he said, is revitalizing the downtown area.

"I work in the hospitality business and have noticed people are coming to Northwest Arkansas to visit, to see Crystal Bridges and the other attractions we have in the area. People like to see historic places, we need to capitalize on that by making our downtown a destination," Jeffery said.

Residents of the east side of Rogers knows about the west side of the city because of the shopping and restaurants available, but residents of the west side don't necessarily know much about the east side of the city, he said.

"People need a reason to go downtown that's why I think the revitalization plan is so important. The economic development plan the city leaders are having done is going to help downtown become a place people want to visit," he said.

He said he feels the area is in a second growth phase, and people from outside the area are beginning to discover Rogers.

"Growth is a good for the community, but it also creates new challenges that must be addressed. Growth raises our sales tax revenue, and that's great. It also means we need more police officers and firefighters to continue to provide the quality service residents expect. Growth also means there may need to be other employees and equipment to keep pace with the growth" he said.

"That's the challenge: to keep the growth and manage what the city needs to do to keep pace, while still being good stewards of the taxpayer dollar," Jeffery said.

He said he has known most of the aldermen for several years. If elected, he said he would be able to work well with the other aldermen.

"I want to learn from the aldermen, and use my knowledge and experience to be a contributing member of the council and keep the city moving in the right direction," Jeffery said.

"I've known Sam for 40 years, and the one thing I know for sure is he is committed to the community. He likes to talk to people, ask questions and get to know a person," said long-time friend Rick Barclay.

"One area he thinks is terribly important is the downtown area. Sam will take great interest in economic study being done for downtown. With his business background and experience I think he will be an asset on the council," Barclay said.

Jeffery is a good listener, Barclay said.

"He likes to know the facts before he makes up his mind. He is also the kind of person that wants to make sure people get good value for the money they spend, especially if it's taxpayer money," Barclay said.

David Harris said he feels the same way about Jeffery.

"He a really good guy, and he has a good heart. He's what some people call 'good people,'," Harris said. Harris has known Jeffery for more than 30 years.

"Sam grew up here and has seen a lot of the changes in the city. His heart is for downtown, but he wants to keep the west strong economically as well. With his management background, he could help manage the growth. He a very level-headed guy who thinks things through. I think he will make a great alderman," Harris said.

NW News on 08/20/2014