SPRINGDALE -- Doug Sprouse announced Tuesday he will seek a fifth term term as Springdale's mayor.
Sprouse, 67, was first elected mayor in 2008 and took office in January 2009. He announced his intentions at the end of his State of the City Address to the City Council.
"I want to do what's best for Springdale," Sprouse said. "If I'm not the best person to be mayor, the voters will say so. I do believe I'm not finished yet."
Bill Rogers, president of the Springdale Chamber of Commerce, said Sprouse has been "the best mayor in the state" and Springdale has benefited from his leadership. Rogers said the city saw 1,100 new jobs created in 2023 alone and is poised to continue growing rapidly.
"We are living in a great time for our community," Rogers said.
Sprouse said during his State of the City remarks that Springdale has made remarkable progress over the last year, pointing to city projects involving parks and street improvements, the city's attracting and retaining businesses and industries, and large civic projects, including the new Senior Center.
With all those accomplishments, he said, Springdale still faces many challenges. He mentioned the need to accommodate a growing population and to support affordable housing for the city's workforce. He also said that with growth and a changing population the city's crime problem has grown and changed. He said city leaders must also be open to change and find new ways to deal with new problems.
"We've got to do something," he said. "But we want to do the right something."
Sprouse said the city is in a strong position financially but said the council must be aware of the growing need for services. He said the city has nearly $30 million in reserves, but there are existing needs and more will appear in the future.
"While we need to set aside enough to get us through tougher times, we are not here to hoard reserves," Sprouse said. "That money should be returned to residents in services."
Jill Dabbs is executive director of the Downtown Springdale Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes and advocates for the downtown area. Dabbs said the city is in an excellent position to face the challenges of continued growth.
"Economically we're doing very well," Dabbs said. "We have a lot of people working on collaborative, cooperative efforts with a clear vision for where Springdale is going,"
Other business
Also on Tuesday, the City Council approved a proposal to lease the former Bethel Heights police and fire building for use as an ambulance station.
The council approved a resolution authorizing a lease agreement with Pafford Medical Services for the property at 675 Sunrise Drive. The property is just south of East Apple Blossom Avenue and east of North Thompson Street.
There is a 4,347-square-foot building on the property the company would use for its ambulance service and office space. Sprouse told the council the building has two large vehicle bays that would suit the new use as an ambulance station.
Springdale acquired the property after voters approved the consolidation of Bethel Heights and Springdale in an August 2020 special election.
The annexation effort was started in August 2019 by residents of both cities as a way to resolve the issue of the Bethel Heights wastewater treatment system, which was overloaded and spilled untreated wastewater on the surface of the city's two plants and neighboring yards. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality ordered Bethel Heights to close the system.
According to the resolution, Pafford will pay the city $3,000 per month for the property. The lease has an initial term of one year, from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024, and can be terminated by either party's giving 60 days notice prior to the expiration of the lease.
Pafford Medical Services began providing emergency ambulance services in January 2023 in Benton County, Cave Springs, Decatur, Gentry and Highfill, according to information from Benton County. The four-year contract provides emergency medical services to much of the western portion of the county.
The agreement was necessary after the previous emergency ambulance provider -- Northwest Health -- decided to exercise an early termination of the contracts, citing financial reasons, county officials said in 2022.
Springdale mayor
The mayor of Springdale serves a four-year term in office. The person elected in 2024 will take office in January 2025 and serve through the end of 2028. The annual salary for the office is currently $162,000.
Source: Springdale