GARFIELD -- Only one of four positions on the Garfield City Council is contested. Council member Jim Teeselink is seeking re-election. Ellen King is also seeking the seat.
Council member Barry Kitterman filed for re-election and faces no opposition.
Council member Terry Warren is not seeking re-election and David H. Edwards filed for his seat.
Council member Katherine Shook filed for mayor; no one filed for her seat.
Teeselink and King answered questions at a forum Monday night in the community room at the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department Station 1. Moderator was Greg Harton, editorial page editor of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The forum was hosted by The Pea Ridge TIMES.
In his opening statement, Teeselink said: "I've been proud to serve on the council for the past two years, representing the city. We moved to Arkansas in '81 and to Garfield in '94. I retired from Bekaert and before that, Scott Paper Company. It's not like I'm a job hopper.
"I've really enjoyed my last two years on council. I've learned a lot. I never thought I'd ever, ever run for a political position... people have reached out to me and called me on certain things. I've always followed up -- taken them to the mayor or to city hall. I've never not followed up. I've always believed honesty, integrity, consistency are the keys to a strong life and a strong community. "
King, who said she's been in the area since 1991, said she has seen a lot of change in the area. She said she served on the City Council a little more than three years after being appointed to fill a vacancy created when her husband, Dale King, then a council member, was elected to the Benton County Quorum Court.
"I'm also on the Planning Board right now and have been for the past 15 years. What we have accomplished is doing the zoning, zoning map, taking and siting down and putting together and listening to people who wanted to have a lot split, send it to the City Council ... getting Elkhorn Tavern in here, the doctor's office. When I was on the City Council, I took and stopped SWEPCO from coming in here. Our budgeting was right on the money every month. We didn't have to worry about it."
General News on 10/24/2018