Several candidates, running in the City of Alexander election, have
banded together and are promoting themselves to voters as the best chance to
cure the city's ills. They're calling themselves the "Red and White
Team," which is the color of their signs and promotional materials.
The "Team" includes one candidate for mayor and five
candidates running for eight of the alderman spots. Former mayor Paul Mitchell
is running with the group for mayor. Incumbents Juanita Wilson and Andrea
Bearden; former alderman Dan Church; along with newcomers Ken Miller and
Melissa Ratliff are running for the alderman positions. Bearden is the only one
unopposed.
They have already begun their group-campaign by handing out a two-sided
flier, which highlights why voters should choose them over their opponents. The
"Red and White Team" also had a hayride through Alexander Friday
evening (October 3) and a meet-and-greet at Elmo's Grocery the next day.
The flier, entitled "Let Us Work For You," starts with Mitchell
and a bullet list of some of his accomplishments as mayor. The list includes, "Three
streets resurfaced in south Alexander," a "New phone system in city
hall" and having street lights installed along Hwy. 111/South Alexander
Road and Brookwood. There is also a pledge to, "Take no salary" as
mayor.
Mitchell became mayor when he defeated Mayor Shirley Johnson in the
November, 2010 election. He then lost a recall election in November, 2012.
Also running for mayor are incumbent Michelle Hobbs, Corliss
"Jerry" Ball and current Ward-1 Alderman Farren Wadley. Hobbs was the
city recorder until she was appointed by the previous council to fill the
vacancy left by Mitchell losing the recall election.
Running for Ward-2 Position-1 on the "Team" is Kenneth D.
Miller. He is being challenged by Stephanie Beck.
The flier describes Miller as a, "Retired military veteran"
and "Retired business owner." He also vows to, "Not take a
salary" as alderman.
The Ward-2 Position-1 seat was held by Brad Scott. He resigned in June
and it was declared vacant by council members at the August meeting. Aldermen
are waiting for someone to submit a resume so they can appoint an individual to
fill the vacancy until January 1.
Incumbent Juanita Wilson is running for re-election to the Ward-2
Position-2 seat. This is her first term as alderman and according to the flier
she has already, "Obtained $5,000 to equip (a) new/used fire truck"
and has, "Worked with (state) representatives to obtain AG (attorney
general) opinions." Wilson is currently not accepting the monthly $100 paid
to city aldermen. According to the flier she will continue that practice.
Wilson is opposed by former
Ward-2 Alderman Andy Mullins. She defeated Mullins in the 2012 election.
Ward-3 Position-1 Alderman Andrea Bearden is
unopposed but has joined the "Red and White Team" to help the others
get elected. She also appears on the flier as having, "Reworked
(the) Organization of City Council" manual, which aldermen use as a guide in
conducting city business. She will, "Hold city officials accountable for your
tax dollars." Also on the flier it says she has not accepted the alderman
salary and will continue that practice in the future.
Bearden was appointed in October, 2013 to
complete the unexpired term of Dan Church after he resigned. Church was elected
in November, 2012.
Former Ward-3 alderman Dan Church is running for the Position-2 spot on
the council. As a member of the "Red and White Team" his credentials
as a, "Disabled military veteran" and working, "Hard for Alexander's
citizens" are being touted. He too has promised to, "Not take a
salary." He resigned in 2013 when Mayor Michelle Hobbs told him he
couldn't decline the monthly salary.
Former Alderman Harvey C. Howard is also vying
for the Ward-3 Position-2 spot. That seat is currently held by Sam Gregory who
is not seeking re-election. Howard ran for re-election in 2012 when he held the
Position-1 spot and was defeated by Church.
Melissa Ratliff is running for the Ward-4 Position-1 seat as a member
of the "Red and White Team." According to the flier she is, "Already
working (as a city volunteer) in Alexander for (her) student college credit"
and is, "Goal oriented."
Ratliff is running against Monroe Cates for the
council seat currently held by Faye McKeon who is not seeking election. McKeon
was appointed to that position in early 2013 when Alderman Henry Tacket died
shortly after being elected in 2012.
On the flip side of the flier the "Red and White Team" has a
few things to say about the opposition.
In the race for mayor the "Team" reminds voters that
candidate Farren Wadley, "Voted for (former Mayor) Shirley Johnson's retirement
(pension)" and received a "Letter of Caution" from the Arkansas
Ethics Commission for an, "Ethics violation" when he used, "City
property for personal gain." He was using the City of Alexander Community
Center for his martial arts business without city approval. The flier also alleges
Wadley, "Wants position for salary only."
Mayoral candidate Corliss "Jerry" Ball has a history with the
city. According to the flier he, "Signed (for an) illegal loan with
(former Mayor) Shirley Johnson for fire truck lost by current mayor." The
loan exceeded the five-year maximum allowed under the Arkansas Constitution and
was repossessed when current Mayor Michelle Hobbs stopped making loan payments.
Also, Ball was, "Appointed to (the) council in 2012, voted to increase city
recorder pay to $500 a month" and "Only served two months and quit."
Current Mayor Michelle Hobbs was recorder at the time.
A separate flier on Mayor Hobbs will be distributed at a later date.
Although he's running unopposed for the Ward-1 Position-1 seat on the
council the "Red and White Team" didn't leave out Louis Hobbs. He is
the, "Current mayor's husband," and the group claims this is, "Just
another tactic for control of city hall (by Mayor Hobbs)." The position is currently held by Ceola Bailey who is not
seeking re-election.
Seeking the Ward-1 Position-2 seat are Jean
Cummings Fisher and Jeffery S. Watson. While there are no members of the
"Red and White Team" running for that position the flier does provide
some insight into the two candidates.
According to the flier Fisher has, "Shown
no interest in city business." It appears she has never attended a city
council meeting.
Watson, "Worked for the City of Alexander Police and Fire simultaneously,
(which was) found to be illegal by state auditors." He worked for the city
while Shirley Johnson was mayor. According to the flier Watson, "Was kicked
out of the police academy for attitude and threatening (an) instructor."
Watson's wife, Regina Watson, was an Alexander
alderman but was defeated for re-election in 2012. She always voted for
whatever former Mayor Shirley Johnson wanted and was one of the seven council
members who voted to appoint Hobbs as mayor to fill the vacancy created when
Mitchell lost the recall election in 2012.
Stephanie Beck is running for the Ward-2
Position-1 seat on the council against "Red and White Team"
member Kenneth D. Miller. The flier says she has, "Shown no interest in city
business other than running on (the) ballot." Beck has run and, "Was defeated
in two prior elections."
In the race for Ward-2 Position-2 former Alderman Andy Mullins is
running against incumbent Juanita Wilson. Wilson defeated Mullins in the 2012
election.
The "Red and White Team" says Mullins, "Spear-headed Shirley
Johnson's $800" monthly pension, "Actively participated" in
Farren Wadley's ethics violation for which Wadley was ultimately found guilty
and he, "Wants power, illegally fired employees while alderman and threatened
others."
Former Alderman Harvey C. Howard is running
against Dan Church for the Ward-3 Position-2 spot. The "Team" wants
to remind voters of Howard's voting record. He, "Continually voted in
favor of ex-police Chief H. Walters despite citizens' complaints," "Did
not consider how his vote would affect citizens" and he, "Has admitted
to 'going along' with majority just to keep peace."
The seat is currently held by Sam Gregory who
is not seeking re-election. Howard ran for re-election in 2012 when he held the
Position-1 spot and was defeated by Dan Church.
Monroe Cates is running against "Team" member Melissa Ratliff
for the Ward-4 Position-1 seat. According to the "Red and White Team"
Cates has, "Shown no interest in city business other than running on ballot,"
and "Was defeated in two prior elections."
Lonny Chapman is the alderman for Ward-4 Position-2. He is seeking
re-election and is unopposed.