NWA editorial: On the City Council

Voters in Fayetteville, Springdale have choices to make

On this, our final day of Northwest Arkansas endorsements for the 2016 General Election, we offer our thoughts on the contested city council races in Fayetteville and Springdale.

Early voting started Monday and will continue until Nov. 7. The General Election is on Nov. 8.

FAYETTEVILLE CITY COUNCIL

Ward 1, Position 2

Trust us, we still have our reservations at times about Sarah Marsh -- primarily in the extent she's willing to use government to change how people live their lives, whether those folks like it or not -- but she's our recommendation to continue serving the people of Ward 1.

What we do not question is the extent to which Marsh is a prepared and knowledgeable alderman. Her challenger is Paul Phaneuf, who has campaigned on what amounts to a libertarian approach to government. There's nothing wrong with that. Indeed, any voter who is focused on ideology has a simple choice in this race, as Marsh and Phaneuf couldn't be more different. But voters know what they've gotten with Marsh -- an outspoken advocate for how Fayetteville develops for the tastes of Millennials. Marsh has aggressively embraced the city's transition from car-centric to walking, biking and mass transportation, perhaps more so than most residents. But Ward 1 seems more favorable to that way of thinking than Phaneuf's.

Ward 2, Position 2

Finishing up his second-four year term, Matthew Petty faces a challenge from Gary McHenry, a Washington County justice of the peace appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. McHenry has run a nice, respectful campaign against the incumbent but with few specifics. Petty, however, has outlined in detail the work he's engaged in over his eight years on the City Council, then has laid down the challenge for McHenry to prove voters should oust him from the office.

McHenry did not make the case.

Petty has, in our view, been precisely the kind of alderman the voters in Ward 2 want: a detail-oriented advocate for a new kind of Fayetteville that develops in ways friendly to living on foot and on bikes, not exclusively in automobiles. That has far-reaching impacts, and Petty is ready to pursue them, so much so he's gotten into the development business. Petty has come a long way in his time in public office. He's grown. He's compromised. But always marching toward a vision of a new future of Fayetteville.

We're not saying McHenry wouldn't be a good alderman some day, but he appeared to have not done much homework to prepared for this campaign.

We recommend a vote for Petty.

Ward 3, Position 2

The race in Ward 3 to replace Martin Schoppmeyer, who decided not to seek re-election, drew interest from two people -- Sarah Bunch and Tracy K. Hoskins -- who have spent years helping Fayetteville through service on the Planning Commission, and a young Episcopal minister of youth who sees the City Council as a place to fight food and housing "insecurity" and homelessness.

As well intentioned as Benjamin Garner Harrison IV is, his level of experience is no match for that of Bunch and Hoskins.

Bunch and Hoskins both would make immediate contributions because of their established knowledge of Fayetteville's development codes and their insights into how the city works.

Our recommendation leans toward Hoskins, who will be a solid and unabashed voice that can provide some balance on a City Council. He's a Fayetteville native who wants Fayetteville to grow as its residents intend but he believes that can be done in a simpler fashion. He appears to have a balanced desire to see improvements in the way Fayetteville develops while also applying reason to proposals.

With the strong personalities from what might be called more liberal wards of Fayetteville, having a Tracy Hoskins to represent the traditionally more conservative Ward 3 would help create a healthy dialogue of the different perspectives that ought to be considered.

Ward 4, Position 2

Pastor Nathan Allen challenges first-term Alderman Alan Long to represent this district, but acknowledges the incumbent "works really hard for Ward 4" and listens to people's concerns. That speaks volumes.

Long is one of those alderman who is focused on responding to constituents. He's not necessarily leading the charge on the big-picture city issues, but he'll get to work when a resident calls him about a pothole. There's value in having those kinds of aldermen serving the people of Fayetteville.

We recommend a vote for Long.

SPRINGDALE CITY COUNCIL

Ward 1, Position 2

Springdale residents seem to like keeping their aldermen around for long periods. Eric Ford has been on the City Council 14 years and faces a challenge this year from Colby Fulfer and Paul Jackson Hughes.

If term limits are your thing, Ford isn't your man. Otherwise, though, nobody has made a strong case that Ford's representation deserves replacement.

Now that Springdale has emerged from impacts of the national recession, the community appears headed in a positive direction and Ford says he wants to see the city's efforts through. Transportation improvements, downtown redevelopment, development of the area around Arvest Ballpark and other growth-oriented projects will keep his attention, and we think that's what residents would like.

Ward 2, Position 2

Rick Evans has been on the Springdale City Council 18 years, demonstrating again the voters penchant for keeping people around. We think they should do it again with Evans, who is challenged this year by Ray Dotson. Dotson declined to speak with our editorial board unless he could broadcast the interview on Facebook Live. We had already made a decision not to record our editorial board conversations, so we declined his request. Dotson said he doubted he would get the newspaper's endorsement anyway. And he didn't.

Evans has been a positive contributor of Springdale's efforts to improve transportation infrastructure as well as parks, downtown, the Arvest Ballpark area and much more. His experience and engagement in the issues recommends him for another term.

Ward 3, Position 2

In a race that's likely going to end up in a runoff, three challengers are asking voters to boot 18-year City Council veteran Jeff Watson from his post.

We think voters ought to consider it.

The race also includes Kathryn Birkhead, Mike Nelson and Christopher Pryor.

Watson is never going to be an active agent of change on the City Council. He's the epitome of an entrenched incumbent who doesn't appear to do a lot of homework and goes along to get along. With three challengers, there's someone worthy of a chance to do better. If Springdale voters want to start bringing fresh ideas to the City Council, this might be the position to start with.

We think Springdale deserves aldermen who are fully engaged and independent thinkers. Of the three candidates remaining, Kathryn Birkhead fits that bill. We're not naive enough to think she necessarily has the best chance to win; she's probably more socially liberal than many voters. But she's probably more connected to the "new" Springdale than most and is more likely to help give voice to Latino, Marshallese and other residents than any others. Birkhead worked as director for diversity and inclusion at The Jones Center from 2005 to 2011 and at Northwest Arkansas Community College from 2012 to until her retirement recently. She's fluent in Spanish.

Birkhead would strive to bring all of Springdale into representation on the City Council.

Ward 4, Position 2

Kathy Jaycox has been a good council member in her 18 years of service. She's challenged this year by Jeremy Lynch, who has run a rather generic campaign of an admirable desire to give back to his community. But he's not presented a compelling case to jettison Jaycox's experience and knowledge.

Commentary on 10/26/2016

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