Gray, Phaneuf Vie For City Council Seat

FAYETTEVILLE -- Residents on the south side of town have a choice between two very different candidates as they head to the polls for the second time in three weeks.

A Nov. 25 runoff election for Alderwoman Adella Gray's Ward 1 City Council seat pits Gray, a two-term incumbent and longtime Democrat, against Paul Phaneuf, a political newcomer with firm convictions about the limited role of government in a free society.

"From a liberty perspective, we have opposite world views," Phaneuf said in an interview last week. "(Gray) believes that government programs, which use coercion and force, are the answer to most problems. I believe that history proves conclusively that more government always ends up meaning less freedom, and less freedom always ends up meaning less prosperity."

Gray, on the other hand, said the City Council provides needed services.

"I feel that our city government provides many benefits for our residents, and I feel that we just need to be concentrating on those benefits that we offer to our residents rather than constantly being negative about what the government is doing," Gray said.

Gray said she's proud of votes she cast during the past eight years in support of buying land atop Mount Kessler, revising governance documents for the Walton Arts Center, building sidewalks and adopting a streamside protection ordinance.

"It's been a very productive two terms," Gray said. "However, there are many other very important things that I want to see happen."

The winner in the upcoming election will serve on the City Council for the next four years.

Phaneuf led Gray and another challenger, Sonia Davis Gutierrez, after votes were counted in the Nov. 4 general election. According to final but unofficial results from the Washington County Election Commission, Phaneuf received 1,759 votes (39 percent) to Gray's 1,661 (37 percent) and Gutierrez's 1,110 (25 percent).

Because he did not win a 50 percent majority, and because he did not lead Gray by at least 20 percent of votes cast, a runoff was scheduled.

One of the clearest distinctions between Phaneuf and Gray is their viewpoints on a contentious Civil Rights Administration Ordinance the City Council approved Aug. 20.

Gray was one of six council members who voted for the ordinance. A group called Repeal 119 spent the next month collecting signatures to have the ordinance put to a public vote. A Dec. 9 referendum is scheduled.

"I certainly am standing behind my vote," Gray said. "In no way do I feel that it's a perfect ordinance. I wish we could have ironed out some things before it came to us for a vote ... however, I think we have to have a starting place."

She went on to call Phaneuf a "single-issue candidate" and said local government is about more than one policy.

Phaneuf has called the Civil Rights ordinance "an assault on individual and religious freedom."

He acknowledged the ordinance was a key catalyst that motivated him to run for public office.

But he added, "The notion that I'm unaware that the City Council involves other things is radically absurd."

The ordinance, if it withstands repeal in the referendum, will prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on someone's sexual orientation, gender identity and a number of other characteristics. It would also create a municipal civil rights administrator position to field, investigate and, in some cases, mediate complaints of discrimination. Violators would be referred to the city prosecutor's office and could be subject to fines of up to $500.

Roughly two-thirds of Phaneuf's $6,081 in campaign contributions through Oct. 25 came from Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the Springdale couple featured in the reality TV show "19 Kids and Counting," according to a pre-election financial report filed with the Washington County Clerk's Office. Jim Bob Duggar served as a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002.

A woman who identified herself as Michelle Duggar was featured in an automated call to Fayetteville residents the day before the council took a final vote on the ordinance. The woman claimed the ordinance would allow men to use women's and girls' "restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping areas and other areas that are designated for females only." An amendment added at the Aug. 19-20 meeting made clear the ordinance would in no way permit a person "to enter any gender-segregated space for any unlawful purpose."

Phaneuf defended his right to accept campaign contributions from people living outside of Fayetteville.

"I'm proud of people like the Duggars, who list their beliefs," Phaneuf said. "And I'm grateful for their support of my efforts to promote the blessings of liberty to all Fayetteville residents."

All but one of 19 contributors to Gray's re-election campaign as of Oct. 25 listed Fayetteville addresses. One contributor, Tommy Roebuck, a retired dentist, lives in Arkadelphia. Roebuck gave $100 to Gray's campaign. The other 18 contributors listed on her financial report gave $2,925.

Phaneuf said he was not involved with an anonymous flier Ward 1 residents received in the mail several days before the Nov. 4 general election. The flier, which was delivered on the same day and was sent using the same postal permit number as a pro-Phaneuf flier, criticized Gray's attendance record on the City Council.

It stated that Gray holds the "worst attendance record" on the City Council and lists meetings she has missed since taking office in 2007.

"We need someone who will be dedicated to the people of Ward 1 and will make attending council meetings one of their top priorities," the flier stated.

According to Leisa Tolliver-Gay, spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service in Arkansas, the permit number used to send both fliers is registered to DFI Technologies, a document presentation company with a Greenland post office box.

State law does not require a "paid political advertisement" or "paid for by" disclaimer for direct mail as is required for newspaper, broadcast and electronic advertising.

According to attendance records kept by the City Clerk's office, Gray missed more meetings than any other City Council member.

Gray attended more meetings than any other alderman. She has served on the council two years longer than the next most senior alderman, Matthew Petty.

The percentage of meetings Gray missed ranks highest on the council, in addition to the number of meetings. She was absent for 24 of 189 regular City Council meetings since 2007. That's an average of three absences per year, and an attendance record of 87.3 percent. Rhonda Adams missed 11 of 93 meetings, or 88.2 percent, since taking office in 2011, according to city data. None of the aldermen have a perfect attendance record.

Gray said most of the meetings she missed was because she was on "grandparent duty" in California. She added her council role extends beyond attending meetings. She frequently sits on selection committees that review bids from contractors, and, as a retiree, she is able to attend groundbreakings, ribbon-cuttings and other ceremonial events during the day.

She criticized Phaneuf as only having lived in Fayetteville for about a year.

"As far as I'm concerned, this is another way my opponent does not understand what goes on with the City Council," Gray said.

Gray, 74, has lived in Fayetteville since 1973.

She retired as a counselor with the Springdale School District in 2005, after 17 years with the district. She worked as a school counselor in Prairie Grove and as academic coordinator for the University of Arkansas Athletics Department in the early 1980s. In 2012, she narrowly lost her bid to unseat Republican Rep. Charlie Collins.

Phaneuf, 66, owns Liberty Consulting, which advises politicians, political groups and companies.

Phaneuf said he has worked in marketing and advertising, real estate sales and as a professional musician. He is a worship leader and part of the home church movement, a term used to describe independent Christian assemblies that gather in people's houses.

He said he moved to the area from Rhode Island to be closer to his daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Phaneuf said he became very involved with the Libertarian Party in the early 1970s. He published a book earlier this year called "Sovereign Under God."

Phaneuf has contributed to the Tea Party Nation website. A blog post he wrote in May 2012 was critical of President Barack Obama's political advertisement called "The Life of Julia." Phaneuf's blog post envisioned the fictional character "Julia" as someone who cheated on a standardized test, had multiple abortions and remained unemployed while dependent on assistance from the federal government.

The article, which was recently deleted from Teapartynation.com, drew criticism on social media.

"I do not intend to waste any more intellectual capital discussing a piece of satire," Phaneuf said in response to the criticism.

"I represent liberty. I represent the blessings of liberty. And (Gray) represents statism, more government, more regulations, less jobs (and) less business in Fayetteville," Phaneuf said.

Gray said, "I love making decisions for this city and being involved in the governing of this city. That's what I want to continue to do. I think we've done a great job, and I want to keep after it."

Ward 1 encompasses a wide swath of south Fayetteville, including Walker Park, Lake Sequoyah, Mount Kessler, the Senior Activity and Wellness Center, the Yvonne Richardson Community Center, the Arkansas Research and Technology Park and several manufacturing plants, including Pinnacle Foods, Superior Industries and Tyson Foods' Fayetteville complex.

NW News on 11/17/2014