FAYETTEVILLE -- Thirteen candidates are vying for four seats on the City Council in Tuesday's general election.
The Ward 1 race pits incumbent Adella Gray, a retired school counselor, against Sonia Davis Gutierrez, co-founder of the New Design School, and Paul Phaneuf, a minister, author and political activist.
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Source: Staff Report
Mark Kinion, Ward 2 Alderman, who works as a home mortgage officer, faces two political newcomers: Joshua Crawford, an information technology specialist; and Robert Patton, a part-time emergency physician who graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2012.
Incumbent Justin Tennant, global accounts director for a major printer and print supply company, is running unopposed in Ward 3.
The Ward 4 race features six candidates: Ray Boudreaux, former director of the Fayetteville Executive Airport; Craig Honchell, an engineer with Bargo Engineering; D'Andre Jones, a full-time student; John La Tour, a certified public accountant; Phillip McKnight, an account manager for a sporting goods and outdoor equipment company; and Robert Williams, a project manager for Milestone Construction.
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, such as Pinnacle Foods, Superior Industries and Tyson Foods' Fayetteville complex.
Ward 2 contains most of downtown 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.
Ward 3 includes most of the neighborhoods in northeast Fayetteville, such as the Root School, Huntington and Candlewood subdivisions, as well as Gulley Park, Lake Fayetteville, the Northwest Arkansas Mall and Washington Regional Medical Center.
Ward 4 spans several neighborhoods west of the University of Arkansas campus and most land west of Interstate 49. It includes the Pratt Place Inn, Holt Middle School, Holcomb Elementary School, Razorback Golf Course, the city's West Side Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville.
The four candidates elected Tuesday -- or in a Nov. 25 run-off election -- will serve four-year terms, beginning in January.
The Northwest Arkansas Times asked each candidate three questions about their candidacy. Answers were limited to 50 words.
QUESTION: What are your top priorities for spending taxpayer money over the next four years?
Ward 1
GRAY: 1. After the forever top priority of a commitment to a safe community with adequate and quality police and fire services; 2. Recycling expansion, especially to multifamily units and the implementation of the Recycling and Trash Master Plan moving toward an 80% diversion from landfills; 3. Attracting businesses to Fayetteville.
GUTIERREZ: We need an efficient public transit [system] that connects to trails and sidewalks so residents and visitors can have a complete network of transportation. ... I would support investments in our fire and police through a wage increase to at least market value and provide them with access to training and resources to keep tools and equipment up-to-date.
PHANEUF: A. Spend less -- (get better estimates); B. Spend smarter -- seek frugal, creative ways to achieve desirable ends, explore free market solutions, government coercion is not the answer to everything; C. Expand the tax base and lower the tax rates for individuals and businesses.
Ward 2
CRAWFORD: The primary duty of local government is to protect its citizens. With this in mind, the top priority for spending taxpayer money should be to provide adequate funding to the police, the fire department and ambulance services. The second duty of local government is too maintain the infrastructure of the city.
KINION: Support vital services of safety (fire, police) and health (water, sewer, solid waste, recycling, infrastructure, parks and recreation). Not a single priority but a balanced consideration of many roles and responsibilities respecting core values expressed in [the] 2030 Plan, Downtown Master Plan and Neighborhood Master Plans.
PATTON: Changing College Avenue zoning from a C-2 designation (thoroughfare) to a form-based zoning ... like downtown general or downtown core. This will allow mixed-use development and increase the ambience and walkability of College. Make sure city employees are paid market rate and have adequate staffing to perform their jobs.
Ward 3
TENNANT: We must "say what we spend and spend what we say." We have too much wasteful spending while ignoring our city staff and public service personnel. It's time we kept our promises without spending based on emotion. We must eliminate our disregard for details and recognize the long-term effects of our decisions.
Ward 4
BOUDREAUX: Safety of our citizens is a top priority. Police and fire should receive what they need. Complete improvements to the I-49/Wedington intersection and provide a safe pedestrian crossing. Complete Rupple Road from Wedington to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Fully develop the regional park with connections to Rupple Road.
HONCHELL: Time is money. When it comes to taxpayer money, infrastructure needs to be addressed first. There needs to be a definitive timeline for the Wedington Corridor and Rupple Road/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard connection to be set. Equally as important are the needs of the men and women that make up our core services: Fire, police, emergency medical services.
JONES: My candidacy has a mission to compassionately create a more vibrant city with a focus of fairness, equality, and inclusiveness. The priorities of my campaign include promoting small businesses -- focusing on minority and women-owned businesses -- thoughtful growth, environmental sustainability, community engagement, thriving neighborhoods, improving transportation and connectivity, and addressing food insecurity.
LA TOUR: I believe the priorities should be: 1. Services that provide protection (fire, police, first responders, etc.); 2. Incentives to attract and support business, thereby building the economy and broadening our tax base; 3. Partnerships that develop and expand traffic corridors in a proactive, not reactive, fashion.
MCKNIGHT: Adding additional fire and police protection in areas of major population growth and also completing the regional park.
WILLIAMS: My priorities for spending taxpayer dollars are the core functions of a city government: police protection, fire protection and infrastructure. The most important pieces of infrastructure are the road department and water and sewer department.
QUESTION: What is the City Council's role in balancing business growth and economic development with residents' quality of life and neighborhood preservation?
Ward 1
GRAY: 1. Based on communication and understanding of what types of business we prefer, being transparent during the approval process and commitment to infill ... ; 2. Being certain that any business we consider matches our core values of living wages, good benefits, clean businesses, inclusive of all, and being aware of quality of life enhancements.
GUTIERREZ: It should be a 50/50 balance. We need a thriving economy, however, it should always be balanced with the values of its residents for natural beauty, access to information, technology, arts and cultural activities, convenience to quality food from farmers' markets, consistent enforcement of the sound ordinances and respect and celebrate history through preservation.
PHANEUF: A. Get out of the way of Fayetteville citizens chasing a dream; B. Transparent government operations -- no stealth anything; C. Use wisdom and compassion to balance government's constitutional duty to protect individual liberty and keep the peace, while providing visionary, common sense government services and infrastructure, responsibly and efficiently.
Ward 2
CRAWFORD: Without business, there are no jobs. Without jobs, there is no quality of life. Proper zoning laws can protect our neighborhoods, however, as we have seen, over-regulation of businesses causes them to move to areas where they can work more freely.
KINION: Promote and protect our rich history, natural beauty and natural resources, our diverse neighborhoods and move forward leaving a legacy that builds on what Fayetteville's all about. ... Recruit clean tech, high tech ... medical, small business entrepreneurial opportunities and nurture the creative economy, while sustaining jobs in the established industrial base.
PATTON: The two should go hand-in-hand, particularly when using form-based development. We need to stop doing traditional zoning. We improve our neighborhoods, reduce our dependence on the automobile, and make a more interesting, walkable city by changing our zoning scheme.
Ward 3
TENNANT: I believe our citizens want us to keep the character of our city intact but also see that, without a growing economic base, the essential services our city offers will suffer. We are tasked with that balance, and I take it very seriously.
Ward 4
BOUDREAUX: Encourage business growth that provides good-paying jobs, which improves the tax base, enabling new trails, parks, green space, good streets and sound infrastructure. It is critical to have a comprehensive zoning plan insuring that growth is managed to protect neighborhoods. Following the 2030 plan is an important step in balancing these issues.
HONCHELL: The council's role is not to impede progress but ... to ensure proper growth as it relates to the surrounding area. Business 71 is a stark reminder of hasty development decisions. Smart growth and communication will be the key.
JONES: While it is the council's role to help expand our economic base, we must do it with thoughtful parameters that ensure the environment, property rights and constituent concerns are addressed. We must also take into consideration both short- and long-term repercussions of our decisions, so we do not overlook unintended adverse consequences.
LA TOUR: The council's role is to foster business growth and economic development by limiting restrictions on growth. As companies locate here and see they are embraced by our community, they will contribute to the enhancement of the quality of life and preservation of the neighborhoods where their employees live and work.
MCKNIGHT: We should use current zoning regulations to plan growth and be willing to adapt the zoning regulations to enhance business and economic development. We need to develop a process that protects the neighborhoods from rental-related issues.
WILLIAMS: To maintain the quality of life we enjoy in Fayetteville, we have to maintain our tax base. That means we need people to move here and spend money at our businesses. The City Council should look at the interaction of the city government with the business community for ways to improve that relationship.
QUESTION: What do you anticipate will be the No. 1 issue you'll face if you're elected to public office?
Ward 1
GRAY: The possible costs to comply with [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] permit standards that will be required as waterways ... are listed as impaired. If we are able to avoid that huge drain of resources, the funding of growth in infrastructure, as well as city services, as our population continues to grow ... will certainly be a No. 1 issue.
GUTIERREZ: I expect that streamlining the process of starting a business in Fayetteville will be a challenge, because it will involve self-evaluation, criticism and change in how things have always been done.
PHANEUF: A. Change Fayetteville's earned reputation as hostile to business by streamlining processes. Review and eliminate unnecessarily obstructive and duplicative rules and regulations; B. Encourage start-ups. Enthusiastically attract companies that train new entries into the job market as well as companies that require advanced skills and knowledge.
Ward 2
CRAWFORD: Finances. As inflation continues to increase, services become more expensive. Learning to live on a budget and not spending taxpayer dollars as if it is an unending fountain of money will become increasingly important in the next few years.
KINION: Smart growth with thoughtful sustainable strategies (environment, economic growth and social responsibility). With my experience on the council, in the community and as a business leader, I am better prepared to meet this challenge every day.
PATTON: The No. 1 issue is to assure the city can fund the infrastructure improvement needed to revitalize College Avenue and other major city thoroughfares. Without that incentive for developers, we will only have piecemeal success in beautifying and improving the walkability of College Avenue and other major city thoroughfares.
Ward 3
TENNANT: In the last few years, I believe a majority of our citizens have lost faith in their local government. They see project cost overruns, wasteful spending, declining morale in our emergency service departments and less city staff. We must re-energize our city government and ensure we are worthy of the public's trust.
Ward 4
BOUDREAUX: Implementing a plan to deal with over-occupancy and public nuisances in neighborhoods. I plan to recommend modifications to the existing business license ordinance holding landlords accountable for their tenant's behavior. Registration of all rental property could fall within those modifications.
HONCHELL: Time. Nothing is cheaper to build tomorrow than what it costs today. The city needs to improve the parameters they follow in any approval process to expedite development and address infrastructure needs. We need to get maximum return on tax dollars spent. Time is money.
JONES: To responsibly manage the city's growth though effective and inclusive change. As we move toward the future, we cannot tilt the balance of our decisions too far in any one direction, and we must always remember that the people of our city are its most important asset and resource.
LA TOUR: There are several issues that are priorities in my mind, but they can all be encompassed in one thing: Our city government must move from one that embraces over-regulation to a government that equips its citizen to freely pursue living and working to their fullest potential within our community.
MCKNIGHT: Planning for growth with a balanced budget process.
WILLIAMS: The budget. The wish list is always more than the balance in the check book.
NW News on 10/30/2014