Fayetteville Ward 2 Candidates Debate

Patton, Crawford Challenge Kinion For City Council Seat

FAYETTEVILLE -- Two of the three candidates running for City Council in Ward 2 spent an hour Tuesday introducing themselves and fielding questions from residents during a Chamber of Commerce forum.

The race pits incumbent Mark Kinion against challengers Robert Patton and Joshua Crawford.

At A Glance

Forum Oct. 7

The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce’s third and final forum for candidates running for City Council is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at the chamber, 123 W. Mountain St.

Ward 1 candidates are Adella Gray, Sonia Davis Gutierrez and Paul Phaneuf.

Source: Staff Report

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Robert Patton

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Joshua Crawford

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Mark Kinion

Ward 2 voters elected Kinion, a home mortgage officer with the Bank of Arkansas, to the City Council in 2010. Before that, Kinion served as president of the Fayetteville Housing Authority, president of his neighborhood association and president of the Fayetteville Council of Neighborhoods. He grew up in Prairie Grove and has lived in Fayetteville since 1991.

"It's been a real privilege to me since '91 being back here as a full-time resident to be active in the community and working hard," Kinion said.

Patton is a part-time emergency physician at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks who retired as a captain in the Navy in 2008 and earned a law degree from the University of Arkansas in 2012. Patton grew up in Lewisville, a city of about 1,300 in southwest Arkansas. He has lived in Fayetteville since 2008.

"I have the time and interest and desire to serve the community," Patton said. "That's why I'm running."

Crawford didn't attend Tuesday's forum. He's an information technology specialist with Target Direct Mailing Services in Springdale and teaches pre-calculus at Fayetteville Christian School. Crawford ran an unsuccessful campaign for Washington County assessor in the Republican primary earlier this year. He has lived in Fayetteville for about two years.

One of the first questions Tuesday, from Tom Kennedy, was directed at Patton. Kennedy asked the political newcomer to differentiate himself from Kinion.

One issue Patton mentioned was his support for a proposal in 2011 that would have expanded Fayetteville's smoking ordinance to include all bars and taverns.

"I did not believe that this city should carve out areas where people can smoke, knowing what a terrifically damaging public health issue it is," he said.

Kinion was one of three aldermen to vote against the proposal.

He said Tuesday he cast his vote out of desire to not encroach upon small business owners.

"If you push people out onto the sidewalk, everyone gets impacted by the smoke and the city cleans up the cigarette butts," Kinion added.

Later in the forum, Kennedy asked the candidates for their views on a contentious Civil Rights Administration ordinance the City Council approved -- with Kinion's vote -- Aug. 20. The ordinance has since been challenged by a group called Repeal 119 and will be put to a public referendum. If enacted, it will prohibit specific types of discrimination based on a person's sexual orientation and gender identity and will create a municipal civil rights administrator position.

Kinion stood by his vote Tuesday.

"The easy way out would be to just walk away from it, but I took the politically courageous step and supported it publicly," he said. "It's not bad for business. Every corporation I've ever worked for has this type of protection, including Walmart."

Patton didn't say he opposed the ordinance. He said it should have been studied more and compared to policies in other cities before receiving a council vote.

"It was ambivalent," Patton added. "It was too broad in my opinion."

Another item discussed Tuesday was the need for infrastructure improvements along College Avenue.

Patton said its up to city leaders to expedite redevelopment of Fayetteville's main commercial corridor.

Kinion said city officials have plans to add better sidewalks, lighting and street trees along the section of College Avenue between North and Sycamore streets. And he mentioned his support for a group of business owners advocating for improvements in "Midtown" Fayetteville.

"There's certainly more improvements that need to be made in the area, but there's also a lot of challenges, because we already have an established byway and we have some challenging topography that we've got to work with," Kinion said.

Ward 2 encompasses central and north-central Fayetteville, including West Dickson Street, the Fayetteville square, Wilson Park, the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, Evelyn Hills Shopping Center, Asbell Elementary School, Woodland Junior High School and the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Early voting for the Nov. 4 election begins Oct. 20. Residents have until Oct. 6 to register to vote in the election.

NW News on 10/01/2014

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