Pulaski County voters re-elected three Quorum Court justices of the peace Tuesday for another two-year term.
Justice of the Peace Doug Reed, a Republican, beat Democrat Dianna Varady, in District 1, while Justice of the Peace Julie Blackwood, a Democrat, defeated Hunter Windle, a Republican, in District 4. Justice of the Peace Staci Medlock, a Democrat, beat Bill Carson, a Republican, in District 15.
Unofficial results for District 1 were:
Reed 7,531
Varady 4,942
"I'm interested in government being conservative, and most of the people I know out here like me doing it," Reed said.
Reed, first elected in 2007, said he would like to raise the sheriff deputies' salaries.
"I was a proponent of raising the deputies' salaries a long time ago when it wasn't cool," Reed, 56, said.
His wife, Doris, encouraged him to run initially, she said. She said she thought there were a lack of conservatives in the area.
"It really upsets me as a citizen when citizens don't have choices," Doris said.
A physics teacher at Pulaski Academy, Reed worked against implementing the Lake Maumelle Watershed plan, a project designed to protect clean water, because of concerns he had with limiting property owners' rights near the watershed. The Quorum Court eventually approved the project, but he was able to work with the county to address some property owners' concerns, he said.
Varady is an advocate for people with autism and wanted to work with the county to increase progress.
In District 4, unofficial results are:
Blackwood 8,075
Windle 2,653
"I'm just happy that I've won tonight, and I'm hopeful we can do more wonderful things for our district and more progressive things for our district," Blackwood said.
Blackwood, 62, has been on the Quorum Court for 12 years.
"I have always supported the people of my district, and they have always supported me," Blackwood said.
During her next term, she'd like to make the county more environmentally friendly, including the space where the justices of the peace meet. She said that could be as simple as switching from Styrofoam to paper products in the county building.
Blackwood said she is proud of the Give Five initiative she sponsored in her time in office. When county residents pay their property taxes, the project allows them to voluntarily donate $5, or more or less, toward spaying and neutering cats and dogs in the county. In four months, the project raised $40,000.
She also worked to pass the Lake Maumelle Watershed plan.
"It was a hard-, hard-fought battle to get that done, but we made it," she said. "We have clean water."
Blackwood owned her own gym for more than 25 years. She sold the gym a few years ago and has continued training clients on an individual basis.
Windle works as a compliance officer and in-house attorney for Malvern National Bank.
"I'm so glad that I ran a nice, wonderful campaign, an ethical campaign," Blackwood said.
[2018 ELECTION: Full Democrat-Gazette coverage of Arkansas races]
In District 15, unofficial results are:
Medlock 5,924
Carson 4,318
"Again, I'm really passionate about being the voice for my clients, my community, helping it grow," Medlock said.
Medlock, who has been in office for four years, also supports creating more trails in the region, which she said she thinks will bring more people to the area. She is in favor of continuing Pulaski County's partnership with other counties to create an approximately 120-mile trail that would stretch to Hot Springs.
Medlock said she is out in the community daily as a part of her career as a real estate agent.
"I'd like to say or feel like they trust, you know, me to be in that position," Medlock said.
Medlock has been in the real estate business for 14 years. She said this allows her to stay connected with her community and what it wants.
"I'm not a politician. I'm more of a servant," Medlock said.
Carson is retired and wanted to serve a two-year term in office.
The Quorum Court determines the county's budget, allotting money to services such as the jail, the sheriff's office and county roads. The members often work on projects with cities and the state, and dole out grants from the state and federal government.
District 1 includes western Pulaski County, while District 4 includes part of central and downtown Little Rock, and District 15 includes part of North Little Rock.
Officials are paid by the number of Quorum Court meetings they attend annually. If they attend all 24, they receive about $14,000 a year.
Metro on 11/07/2018