Baker, Sanders spar at mayoral forum

He may have appeared frail and weak, but Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker came out swinging during a mayoral candidate forum on Friday (Oct. 22), saying that he gets “very perturbed” at people who say the mayor should do more than just ceremonial functions.

The forum, conducted by the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce and Fort Smith Manufacturing Executives Association, provided the first head-to-head appearance by Baker and his opponent, Mr. Sandy Sanders.

Baker, 71, who seeks a sixth, four-year term as mayor, has been in and out of the hospital in recent months. His appearance at Friday’s forum came less than 24 hours after being released from St. Edward Mercy where he spent more than a week recovering from an infection. Previously, Baker entered St. Edward Mercy Medical on Aug. 18 with severe dehydration and was released around Sept. 13. However, he has not attended city board meetings since the Sept. 13 release.

The recent hospitalization is Baker’s third in the past 11 months. He entered the hospital Nov. 15, 2009, after becoming weak from an 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.

Baker, who spoke first, attempted to capture the bubbly personality he has used for almost 20 years to explain that he still “enjoys the treasure” of promoting the cause of Fort Smith. But after his introductory remarks, he became critical of “people who never quite understand the role of mayor” in the city administrator form of government in Fort Smith. Baker said the mayor’s job is purely ceremonial, and that’s been his focus.

“I have done my job, and no one in this city can deny that,” Baker told the more than 100 gathered at the forum held in the Holiday Inn City Center. “I have served this city with the best of intentions.”

Baker’s passionate and often edgy remarks highlight the different opinions he and Sanders have of the mayor’s role.

According to Baker, city administration is 100% the purview of the city administrator and board of directors, with the mayor relegated to ceremonial duties and limited government functions — such as presiding over city board meetings and study sessions.

Sanders believes the law prescribing the mayor’s duties does not also limit a mayor from activities that would build partnerships with groups in and out of the city. As an example, Sanders said during his Friday remarks that while director of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, he worked with Greenwood and Fort Smith school officials to redraw school boundary lines that would help the districts and facilitate development of the former military property. He also told of taking actions outside his job description to better facilitate industrial and residential development.

“I tell you these stories to prove a point. And that is” leadership is more than just what the job description says it is, Sanders said, adding, “These stories exemplify how I can work for Fort Smith as mayor.”

Sanders said his top priorities if elected would be to push for a long-term funding resolution for the Fort Smith Convention Center, clean up the city’s often dirty appearance and push for more funding of Interstate 49.

Fort Smith voters have a clear choice, Sanders said, between the “status quo or leadership for economic development.”

On the big issue of the convention center, Baker and Sanders agreed that the center should continue to be used to help bring conventions, sporting events and other events to the region. The board spent most of 2008 and 2009 trying to come up with a solution to plug the annual deficit with the Fort Smith Convention Center. A state turnback program ends in June 2010 from which the city has received about $1.8 million a year. In 2010 the city will receive only $888,723 in 2010.

“We cannot abandon the convention center,” Baker said.

Sanders said he would like to learn more about having a third-party operator. He also opposes using a portion of the 1% street tax to support the convention center.

The forum was without incident until the end, when Baker accused Sanders of being supported by “little groups” who seek to “squelch progress that doesn’t benefit them.” Baker said he has fought against such silent, behind-the-scenes groups in the past and will continue to do so.

Obviously, Sanders took exception to remark, saying he and his wife have lived in Fort Smith for decades and have been part of efforts to make Fort Smith better. Furthermore, Sanders noted, since he and his wife are retired, they are beholden to no particular group. Sanders added that a small group of friends encouraged him to run for mayor, just like a group of Baker’s friends encouraged him to run for re-election.

Sanders will need those friends if he is to win on Nov. 2.

In the first ever professional survey of the mayor race, The City Wire Election 2010 Poll shows Baker with a 42% to 34% lead over Sanders. The Oct. 19 survey of 600 likely voters in Fort Smith also showed that 24% remain undecided. The survey has a +4%/-4% margin of error.

Also, Baker and a former mayoral race opponent, Buddy Coleman sparred. Coleman, who referred to an earlier Baker comment about many citizens asking for more sporting and entertainment venues, asked Baker why he has not done more in his 20 years to provide those venues.

“I tried,” Baker said, noting the failed 2006 effort to get voters to approve a sports complex near the riverfront.

Coleman responded by saying the “the difference between ‘I tried’ and ‘I did’ is leadership.”

Baker then chastised Coleman for “pompously” using the forum to attack him.