Jonesboro city council candidates debate issues at NEA Political Animals

The candidates running for a vacant city council seat in Jonesboro sparred over issues Friday (April 29), as the campaign for the seat enters the final stage.

The five candidates seeking the District 6, Position 1 seat on the Jonesboro City Council – Dr. Richard Wang, Phillip Cook, James Bowman, Bobby Long and Joseph Woodbury – spoke to about 40 people at the NEA Political Animals meeting. Each of the five candidates spoke about their qualifications for office, as well as reasons voters should vote for them on May 10.

The position became vacant when council member Tim McCall resigned earlier this year after moving out of the district.

There is also a vote on May 10 to decide whether to repeal the Jonesboro property maintenance code. Supporters have said the code was needed to deal with dilapidated homes in and around Jonesboro, while opponents have said the code would infringe on constitutional protections including the 4th Amendment prohibition on illegal searches and seizures.

The forum centered around a question and answer session from the audience. The property maintenance code was a main part of the discussion. Cook said he was against the code due to it being unclear “due to so much double talk.”

Woodbury, a history teacher at Nettleton High School, said he would look at having a code, but believes the code should not infringe on constitutional protections. Long said the code is an overreach and  code should be plain to understand. Bowman, a riverboat captain, said the code would be a “hidden tax” and would infringe on rights.

Wang, an ASU political science professor, said he supports the code, noting it is not perfect. Wang said the code has broad support from community groups and elected officials.

Long, who works as a human resources manager for Cavenaugh Auto Group, and Bowman said the code could be subject to overreach, while Wang said support of the repeal has “been financed by the Tea Party wing of the Republicans and the Landlords.”

Cook, who is retired, said he believes the city needs a code “but not this one,” noting government has a tendency for overreach. For instance, Hitler took away weapons in Germany during World War II in order to control people, Cook told the group.

The candidates were also asked about a problem with homelessness in the city.
Bowman said a local church group he is involved in delivers sandwiches to the homeless, while Wang said the problem needs to be defined first before having a solution.

Cook said churches and groups like the Salvation Army should be the first line of defense on the issue, but the problem has pushed to the government. Woodbury said while the city’s role is limited, churches and individuals should play a key role in the issue. Long said there may be many problems that lead to the issue, including job loss. Long said the state’s workforce training programs can help with retraining people who are in need.

Early voting begins May 3 at the Craighead County Election Annex on Jefferson Avenue in Jonesboro, while polls are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 10. If no one receives 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a June 7 runoff. However, a candidate can avoid a runoff if the top candidate receives 40% and has a 20% lead over the other four candidates, Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday told the group.

The winner will serve on the council until Dec. 31, 2018.

The group will host Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Conner Eldridge during its May 6 meeting. The meeting will be at noon at the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce office.