Animosity Runs Amuck on City Council

Diversity on a city council is usually a good thing. Having all factions of a community represented is precisely why the council exists.

However, Fayetteville’s city council is so divided, it’s doubtful all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could ever put it back together again. Mayor Dan Coody is caught right in the middle of the eight-person council that is mired in a cesspool of animosity.

Coody calls the divided council “unproductive.”

“There’s no communication with [the council members],” Coody said. “We have eight city council people so we can look at eight different perspectives, not to divide on different sides and fight each other.

“The battle lines are drawn. Good ideas are not debated. What’s debated is who came up with the ideas.”

Coody has been as guilty of the name-calling as anyone, calling half of the council members — Trent Trumbo, Bob Davis, Robert “Swifty” Reynolds and Cyrus Young — “the cartel that’s out to get me.”

Upon hearing Coody’s reference, Trumbo said, “That right there is the essence of the problem with the mayor for him to make a comment like that. That really shows his true feelings. It really puts things into perspective.”

Such is life during within the Fayetteville city government these days.

Trumbo claims he, Davis, Reynolds and Young are often left out of strategy sessions, or not asked for their input on issues. Coody said Trumbo “obviously hasn’t been paying attention” as he has continually asked “certain” council members to “please show up for a meeting.”

Coody added, “Why should I ask? They haven’t been coming. I’ve quit inviting them because it’s wasting breath. Do you know how many times Cyrus Young has uttered a word to me? Zero.”

Trumbo’s response: “There’s zero communication with the mayor and four [council members].”

The animosity between half of the council and Coody may perhaps only be upstaged by the tension between the two council groups.

One foursome is considered to be among those who helped Coody beat incumbent Fred Hanna last November. Those four — Randy Zurcher, Brenda Thiel, Kevin Santos and Lionel Jordan — are considered friends of the “tree huggers,” a term used for those who rallied behind Mary Lightheart’s tree-sitting protest at CMN Business Park. The other foursome is thought to be anti-Coody, protesting the “strict” new ordinances that they feel have helped drive business to its northern neighbors of Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville.

Each side of the aisle has had its less than impressive moments.

• In June, Santos’ neighbor filed a complaint against the alderman for allegedly threatening the neighbor with a knife over a dispute involving their dogs. Police say the Ward 4 representative appeared to be intoxicated when they interviewed him about the incident on the evening of June 3. The city prosecutor decided not to file charges but did issue a warning letter to Santos.

• While working with the state Department of Human Services in Bentonville, Zurcher was investigated for downloading what a fellow DHS worker believed to be child pornography, although charges were never filed.

• Young was recently fired from his job at Crafton Tull & Associates in Rogers, allegedly for reasons that have little to do with the previously reported “political motivation.” He now sells apparel at Dillard’s in the Northwest Arkansas Mall.

One Fayetteville businessman called the city council collectively “all goof balls.”

Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce president Bill Ramsey said those upset at the council should remember the next time their positions are on the ballot.

“I would encourage other people to run for those positions they’re upset with,” Ramsey said. “In the long run, that’s the most productive thing we can do.”

Trumbo said the barriers need to be broken down between Coody and the group of Trumbo, Davis, Reynolds and Young.

“I like Mayor Coody personally,” Trumbo said. “I would like to work with him. But it has become impossible to work with him and have the camaraderie as some of the others on the council do with him. And there are four people that feel same way. And they are four well-educated, common sense people that have been in Fayetteville a long time.

“[Coody] has a good heart. He wants to do what’s best for Fayetteville. But, he needs to set aside personal differences with me just because I was so close to Mayor Hanna.”

Fayetteville’s City Council

Member — Employment

Bob Davis — Owner, Eason & Co. Insurance

Lionel Jordan — Carpenter, UA Physical Plant

Kevin Santos — Planner, UA Physical Plant

Robert “Swifty” Reynolds — Owner, Rogers Rec Hall

Brenda Thiel — Unemployed

Trent Trumbo — Senior Financial Consultant, Merrill Lynch

Cyrus Young — Salesman at Dillard’s Department Store

Randy Zurcher — Local organizer for Sierra Club