A look back at eight years at the helm in Fort Smith

Suddenly, eight years seem to have passed in just minutes. But passed they have. Thank you to the voters who twice elected me Mayor of Fort Smith and who have now elected an outstanding gentlemen to become our new Mayor. Fort Smith is a wonderful city with wonderful citizens – a place I am proud to call home.

During my time as mayor, Fort Smith has had our share of challenges, but we continue to move forward and can trumpet successes. Some people say we need more jobs. Companies throughout Fort Smith have job openings and are hiring.  Right here. Right now. We’ve got jobs. We need workers.

We have an excellent economic development partner in the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, and it reports that since 2013 Chamber-led initiatives have resulted in more than 6,000 new jobs and many millions of dollars in investments. Year-to-date, the City has issued more than $110 million in the value of significant commercial building permits, $22 million more than 2017.

Both Whirlpool buildings have been sold and are home to one national headquarters, several companies and nearly 200 employees. Investments and expansions have been made by Dixie Cup, Mars PetCare, Gerber, Graphic Packaging, Walther Arms, ArcBest, Silgan, Glatfelter and more.

Our medical facilities continue to grow and expand with new clinics throughout the City for Mercy and Baptist Health System (formerly Sparks).  The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education new facility in the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment area is in full operation and having a significant impact on our community, both in terms of health care and economic impact. Also in the FCRA area, other new commercial businesses have been established and hundreds of new homes built.

Another key to our ongoing success has been the significant private-public partnerships that have greatly benefited Fort Smith. Community leaders who care deeply about our City put effort and resources into positive projects.  For example, private funds enabled the completion of the Greg Smith River Trail running from downtown along the Arkansas River to Midland Boulevard.  Beautiful statuary has been placed along the trail by private families.

The 64.6 organization, primarily focusing on downtown, has been very aggressive as a private supporter. Among its sponsorships, it has provided the Unexpected, an amazing mural project. International street artists have created a landscape throughout Fort Smith that has attained international attention.

Along with City funds, private gifts have resulted in the completion of the new 12,000 sq. ft. bicycle/skate board park at the riverfront. It has areas for beginner, intermediate and advanced biking and skating and is in constant use.

The private sector is continually willing to provide events and activities that greatly improve our quality of place without using tax dollars. In addition to the Unexpected, we have music festivals, Steel Horse Rally, the Fort Smith Symphony, the Regional Art Museum, the Fort Smith Museum of History and more. Other community assets include the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Fort Smith Public Schools, the Fort Smith convention center which attracts thousands of visitors each year, the best fire insurance rating in the state (thanks to voter approval of a 1/8th cent sales tax solely for the fire department) and a more vibrant downtown.

Again, thanks to voter approval, another 1/8th cent sales tax is available only for parks and recreation projects, and that has enabled growth in the City’s trail system, existing park amenities, splash pads, two new softball fields at Ben Geren Park, and new projects such as the new soccer fields along Riverfront Drive. The City and County partnered to build and operate Parrot Island Water Park.

The City continues to make significant progress regarding the federal consent decree regarding our sewer system, and efforts to make improvement in the consent decree terms with the government continue.

One of the challenges we met was that the Arkansas Air National Guard 188th fighter wing lost its flying mission, with the real threat of complete closure. With great help from our congressional delegation and community leaders and citizens, the mission was changed and now the 188th wing is the only U.S. Air Force Base in the world, active or reserve or guard facility, with a new state-of-the art special mission.

We have a more than 50-year water supply, a 150-year lifespan solid waste landfill, and the new U.S. Marshals national museum will open next September.

Early in my tenure, I thought Fort Smith should have a marathon. It took a while before it took shape, but it is now in full gear and in February we’ll hold marathon #5 organized by volunteers. Some veterans thought we should have a Veterans Day parade. I agreed, but told them it would take a person or a group to sponsor it. They said “we’ll do it” and this year was the seventh annual Veterans Day parade.

I realized the founding of Fort Smith 200 years ago would be an opportunity for celebration. A group of citizens volunteered to plan it and it kicked off Christmas Day 2017 and continued throughout 2018 with a wide variety of events and activities.

The City created a Comprehensive Plan committee, comprised of citizens throughout the City, all ages and demographics, to create a wide-ranging plan for our future. Again, the private sector provided significant funding for a Propelling Downtown Forward plan in 2017, focused on desired improvements downtown.

In all of these, citizens took ownership of these events and projects, and it has resulted in positive results city-wide. Regretfully, time and space prohibit comments about so many other great and worthwhile things that are going on through the City, and there are many. We have a few people who sit in their recliners and do nothing but complain and gripe. They refuse to acknowledge all the good around them, but thank goodness the majority are willing to work hard to provide all we have.

Finally, I want you to know we have great people working for the City. They are dedicated and strive to do the best job possible for the citizens of Fort Smith. The objective is to do the right thing for the City. Our city administrator form of government is the best fit for Fort Smith, with a city professional operating day-to-day duties with the board of directors providing direction and policy decisions.

Board members are dedicated and spend many hours working on behalf of the people of Fort Smith. Board members have to make hard decisions, but if we do what’s in the best interests of the City, we’ll be successful.

Fort Smith is an outstanding City, and it has been an honor to serve as your Mayor.