Election Profiles: Fort Smith Mayor

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.

Mayor Ray Baker, who seeks a sixth, four-year term as mayor, is being challenged by Mr. Sandy Sanders. Sanders has said the mayor needs to do more to boost economic development, while Mayor Baker has said Fort Smith’s form of government (manager-council) limits the mayor’s job to largely ceremonial work.

The race has been relatively quiet, primarily because of Mayor Baker’s recent illness.

Baker, 71, entered St. Edward Mercy Medical on Aug. 18 with severe dehydration. In an Aug. 27 statement from his office, the dehydration resulted in kidney problems that weren’t severe but did require time to correct. He was released around Sept. 13.

The recent hospitalization is Baker’s second in 9 months. He entered the hospital Nov. 15 after becoming weak from an the infection. Baker was in the hospital several days to recuperate and convalesce after the illness.

Baker successfully underwent surgery and chemo for colon cancer in late 2007.

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.

• Mayor Ray Baker response:
Mayor Ray Baker did not respond to The City Wire request for comment. His secretary, Susan Robles, acknowledged Oct. 7 that she received the request and would deliver it to him that day.

• Sandy Sanders response:
Fort Smith is at a strategic crossroads … we can re-focus and move forward with new leadership and increase economic growth and quality of life, or simply maintain the status quo which ultimately results in decline. The answer depends entirely on strength of leadership.

One of the two top problems for Fort Smith is a decline in economic stability and growth. We need effective leadership at every level of city government to establish economic viability, and the mayor of Fort Smith should be leading these efforts. Yes, the mayor is the ceremonial figurehead, but he is also the city’s chief executive officer, head of the city council, chair of the A&P Commission, and spokesman for the city. The mayor must be effective and professional in presenting Fort Smith as a progressive community.

While handling necessary ceremonial duties, I will focus on adding jobs and leading economic development efforts so that Fort Smith can grow and people prosper. As just one example, I plan to dedicate $100,000 of the mayor’s current $250,000 budget for economic development that will result in jobs.

In addition to needing jobs, Fort Smith faces a number of issues and opportunities that must be addressed with action rather than more talk. These include the Convention Center issue; cleaning up the city and renewing our efforts to keep Fort Smith beautiful; pushing for funding for I-49, and working together toward common goals.

It is easy to say these problems must be corrected, but we need a leader who knows how to bring people together to get things done. As mayor I will lead the city board in effective and timely decision making. I will work collaboratively with city employees, chamber officials, UA Fort Smith, existing business and industry, other regional partners and local health care providers.

Fort Smith has tremendous advantages including citizens who know how to get things done and who care passionately about our future; a skilled workforce; a university that is on the cutting edge of technology and growth; a beautiful riverfront waiting for development; and a vibrant cultural environment. We need to combine these advantages and work together.

I will use my 43 years of business experience in Fort Smith and my leadership skills to address these challenges and opportunities. I want to see Fort Smith reach its great potential.