Election Profiles: Fort Smith City Director, Position 4

Editor’s note: Between Oct. 13 and Oct. 27, The City Wire will present information from candidates in 15 key races in Crawford County, Sebastian County, Fort Smith and area legislative districts. A schedule of races presented will accompany this article and each article in the series.

George Catsavis and Patrick Jacobs face each other in the Fort Smith City Director, Position 4 race. The seat opened when City Director Bill Maddox decided to step down in the middle of this four-year term. Maddox has endorsed Catsavis in the race, while Marshall Sharpe, who came in third in the August primary for the seat, has encouraged his supporters to vote for Jacobs.

Catsavis has been in the restaurant industry more than 33 years. He is NOT the George Catsavis who owns Central Records or K and C Properties.)

Jacobs is the assistant general manager at Fort Smith-based Carco International. He attended Chaffin Junior High School, Southside High School and the University of Arkansas.

QUESTION TO THE CANDIDATES
In 400 words or less, identify what you believe are the city’s top two problems and top two opportunities, and how you would address the problems and maximize the opportunities.

• George Catsavis response:
The two top problems the city faces I feel is job growth and lack of dealing with future issues, example the convention center this issue should have been dealt with years ago the city knew that the state turn back funds would stop in june 2010.

In order to deal with future issues the city admin. should present a written list to the board every 6 months, the directors would then be accountable to the people of Fort Smith.

My position is that the convention should be turned over to a third party then the city can have more time to devote to more important matters like bringing and helping business locate to fort smith like we did with Mitsubishi.

Job growth, with the acquisition of the Chaffee land this gives us unlimited growth opportunity for Fort Smith but we need to become more business friendly, especially toward small business.

The two opportunitys (sic) Fort has to offer; no 1 is the potential to have unlimited growth we have a good infrastructure plenty of land, a good water supply, great schools, great police dept and fire dept, there is no reason fort smith can not grow. The second opportunity Fort Smith has to offer is its people, no more said.

• Patrick Jacobs response:
(Problems) Organization in short and long term planning and our decision making.

The Board’s current process and planning leaves no room for corrective action when events change, such a reduction in funding sources. We should be organizing  our goals with 1-2 year, 5 year and 10+ year objectives determining which are critical, necessary, would be nice or if funds available. This allows us to makes corrections to our budget when times are tough and without affecting our vital personal and city services. If need be, have additional study sessions on the 5th Tuesday of the few months of the year they fall in to review progress of goals or to discuss further and  to make correction action. Take advantage of our business leaders and knowledge we have in our city, form an ad hoc if necessary so that we cover all the bases, no stone should be left unturned. Once we have the necessary information, it should be circulated, discussed and a final decision should be made.

Opportunity lies in Chaffee Crossing and our current leaders of economic development. Chaffee Crossing has residential, commercial and industrial developments underway and we have people like the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority led by Ivy Owen, Chamber President Paul Harvel, RITA’s Matt Pitsch and the University of Arkansas Fort Smith’s Chancellor Paul Beran to thank for it. We are not only the envy of the State but of the Nation. Mars, Umarex, Mitsubishi, who can boast landing three major industries in just over a few years?

As a City Director, I would stress that we continue our support of these organizations by attending their events as well as inviting them to ours, to strengthen relationships on a State and Federal level and to offer in-kind support and the development of our infrastructure. If we want to bring opportunity and jobs to Fort Smith, we need a true regional partnership with the fine resources we have working in this area.