Prairie Grove, Farmington and Lincoln will all have contested races on the Nov. 4 General Election ballot, according to the Washington County Election Commission website. The filing period ended noon, Aug. 15.
Prairie Grove Contested Races
For the first time, Prairie Grove Mayor Sonny Hudson will face a challenger for re-election. Sharon Tilley Martin, wife of Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin, has filed to run for mayor in Prairie Grove.
Hudson was first elected mayor in a special election in November 2001. He has served as mayor since then and previously was a member of the Prairie Grove City Council for 13 years.
Hudson said it would be nice to concentrate on city business without having to run a campaign for re-election but on the other hand, he said "it gives you a chance to let the citizens of Prairie Grove tell you if they've appreciated what you've done."
He said the city has completed many accomplishments during his years on the council and as mayor, including Rieff Park with the ballfields and aquatic center, a new sewer plant, new facilities for City Hall and the police department and now replacing 80-year-old water and sewer lines.
He said he is running for mayor because he enjoys the position and enjoys seeing the successes of a finished product.
Martin said she and her family have lived in Prairie Grove for more than 10 years.
"I really love Prairie Grove and look for ways to get involved and this looked like a good opportunity," Martin said.
She said her main focus would be to get citizens more involved in city government. This is her first time to run for an elective office, she said, but joked, "unless you can count running for junior high secretary."
Prairie Grove has one contested race for City Council. Justin Clark is challenging incumbent Marquita Smith for Ward 4, Position 1. This year, all candidates who filed for Position 1 seats are running for a four-term term. Position 2 seats will be two-year terms and then become four-year terms with the 2016 election.
Clark, a Fayetteville firefighter and Prairie Grove volunteer firefighter, said he is running for office because he is a "firm believer" in small town America.
"I have children growing up in town and I'm anxious to see it grow and want to be a part of it," Clark said.
Smith has served on the City Council for seven years and considers the community's skatepark one of the main accomplishments during her tenure.
She said she is running for re-election because she wants to serve the community.
"I feel like every citizen should do what they can to help the community and that's how I choose to do it," Smith said.
She is the only woman on Prairie Grove's council and said she believes it is important to have a woman's perspective.
No one filed for Ward 3, Position 2 on the Prairie Grove City Council. This seat has been vacant since the death of Alderman Buddy Lyle. Hudson said the City Council would appoint someone to this position but he did not know when.
"As soon as we find someone who's interested in it," Hudson said.
Farmington Contested Races
In Farmington, Linda Bell is challenging incumbent Janie Steele for Ward 2, Position 2 on the Farmington City Council. Howard Carter is challenging incumbent Shelly Parsley for Ward 4, Position 2.
Steele has served on the Farmington Council for a long time, so long she said she is not really sure how many years. Her father and husband both served Farmington as mayors "so I guess it's in my blood."
She said she is running for re-election because "I love the city of Farmington and I care what happens out here."
Bell has been a registered nurse for 33 years and in management for 29 years. She is a native of northwest Arkansas and has lived in Farmington 12 years.
Bell's children and grandchildren live in Farmington and her grandchildren attend Farmington schools. She said she is running for the future of the community.
"I have a very vested interest in the future of Farmington. I think it's time for some new leadership and new voices on the City Council," she said.
This is her first time to run for an elective office.
Carter, also is running for his first public office. He is semi-retired, works as a hospital chaplain and has lived in Farmington since 1970.
He said he is running for Farmington City Council because he wants to play a part in keeping the city clean, keeping taxes low and being involved in the city. He said he would like to see street improvements and more sidewalks in town.
"I'm real big on not wasting money and keeping a balanced budget," said Carter.
Parsley could not be reached for comment.
Newcomer Diane Bryant is running unopposed for Ward 4, Position 2, the open seat vacated by Alderman Terry Yopp. Yopp did not run for re-election.
Lincoln Contested Races
Doris Spindler, a business owner, is challenging incumbent Lincoln Mayor Rob Hulse.
Hulse has been mayor for eight years and is running for a third term.
Hulse said the reason he decided to run again for the office is because he wants to see progress continue in the city where he grew up.
"There are two big items coming up that we're working on," Hulse said. "We're planning to build a Veterans Memorial park wall and we're working closely with the school district to establish an after-school Adventure Club. We're very excited about this. We'll be helping kids and honoring our veterans.
"I want to continue our moving forward and improving the quality of life for Lincoln citizens," he said.
Spindler said she had been thinking and talking about running for the top city position for a year before making a decision to run for the top city position.
She would like to see more businesses move to Lincoln and would consider giving tax incentives to businesses that would locate there in order to have more jobs in town.
Spindler, owner of Burger Land, has given away free Thanksgiving meals the past few years and helped children have winter coats, which earned her the 2014 Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Bud Cox award for community service.
She is a former Prairie Grove resident and moved to Lincoln four years ago.
"I just want to do more to help the people," she said.
Lincoln's Ward 3, Position 2 is an open seat. Carla Holcroft resigned before summer and no one had come forward to fill the vacant position, nor did anyone file for the seat before the filing period ended.
General News on 08/27/2014