Voters in Pea Ridge will be asked to choose their mayor for the next four years.
Mayor Jackie Crabtree, first elected in 1995, is seeking a sixth term. He said he wants to finish some projects he has begun and wants to see "the town progress forward."
Mechel Wall, owner and operator of the Cottage Flower Shop and WallFlower Farm, founded and ran a nonprofit organization building up assets of more than $8 million. She said she would start by having an efficiency audit looking at finances, expenses, personnel and job descriptions to have a holistic evaluation of the city in order to guide it to being its most efficient.
Crabtree, 64, is a 1972 graduate of Bentonville High School. He retired from Walmart Information Systems where he worked as a business analyst. He said his focus at Walmart was in distribution and logistics.
"I think my track record, my proven leadership, my knowledge of how the city operates -- knowledge of state rules and regulations," are reasons to vote for him, he said.
"I want to continue some of the projects we've got going -- wastewater project, growth coming to town that needs to be continued to focus on that," Crabtree said. "There's an opportunity to do some things with Arkansas Economic Development Institute ... I just want to continue to see the town progress forward."
When first elected, Crabtree served part time. The mayor's position in Pea Ridge became full time in September 2004. He served as president of the Arkansas Municipal League and has served on numerous boards and committees including Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, Benton County Regional Solid Waste District Board, Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Heritage Trails Partners, Pea Ridge National Military Park Foundation, Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, Southern Municipal Conference, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee and the Pea Ridge Optimist Club.
Wall, 50, is a 1985 graduate of Twin Falls, Idaho, High School, and has four years of college from Brigham Young University focusing on design and architecture. She is an LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional and works with architects and engineers on energy efficiency and locally sourced sustainability. She also takes courses at Northwest Arkansas Community College. As a certified master gardener, she is a Crystal Bridges trail guide volunteering 100 hours of service each year.
Wall founded a nonprofit organization, Benton County Charter School Organization, in 1999, put together a board of "some of the brightest leaders in the area," applied for and received one of the first charters for a charter school in the state and led that nonprofit organization for 12 years. They opened Benton County School of the Arts in 2001. She said they built up the assets to over $8 million.
"We built that business from the ground up," Wall said, explaining that it's one of the largest schools in the state and is highly ranked academically.
Wall designed the proposed Community Garden in Bentonville and is working on a photography book highlighting the trails and plants of Crystal Bridges. She is a grant writer, home/business energy consultant, floral designer, photographer, author, project manager, entrepreneur, event planner, teacher/trainer, home renovation project manager, master gardener and is studying permaculture and organic gardening.
Crabtree said leadership involves making sure "we're doing things right ... it's a controlled growth, growth that's good for the community, leadership, trying to not make the mistakes we've done in the past.
"Sometimes it's more of removing roadblocks than anything else," he continued. "With any kind of project, there can be something they find ... some unforeseen thing. You have to go back and work with organizations -- for example, blind cave fish."
Crabtree said that when growth began coming to Pea Ridge, issues with drainage became apparent and city officials began addressing drainage issues. "We're making sure sewers, water, roads are put in right. Making sure ordinances are updated. There's always something changing. We're making sure we're following state laws."
Crabtree said "my track record, my proven leadership, my knowledge of how the city operates, knowledge of state rules and regulations" is the reason to vote for him.
Brian Armas is Crabtree's campaign manager.
"He volunteered to help me," Crabtree said, adding that Armas, who lives outside the city limits, has a consulting business.
"My priorities right now would be funding the Fire and Ambulance and Police departments," Crabtree said. "So much of this stuff moves at a snail's pace, just to be able to work things out with everything -- sometimes it looks like we're not doing anything, but we actually are."
Wall that after receiving the results from the energy audit, she would work at having a master plan designed which would include connectivity, safe passages to school and connectivity to other cities "so we can attract young professionals and maintain our sense of place for people who lived here their whole lives. People who've homesteaded don't want a factory next door to their farm."
She said her third priority would be to unify the city and leadership. "Make sure we're all on the same page, working for the same goals.
"Understanding that change will be difficult for some," she said, she wants to be sure that all the right people are doing the right jobs at the right time. "We need to identify what each person's role is and move forward as a united team."
"I think I have incredibly good ideas that are based on research, studies specifically tailored to northwest Arkansas. I understand how to grow a business. I understand people on a personal level. I'm a good communicator. I think I know how to make Pea Ridge become the best it can be so we don't look back and have regrets," she said.
"I'm not going to become a different person if elected," Wall said. "I'm running a campaign that's very genuine to who I am. I really want to follow the wishes of the people."
General News on 09/19/2018