VOTE411 Voter Guide

The Mayor is responsible for leading the city and overseeing its day-to-day operations. That means working with our department heads, employees and City Council, being responsible with taxpayer dollars, listening to residents and planning ahead for our growth. I also believe the Mayor should build relationships outside of Centerton and use those relationships to bring resources and opportunities back to our city.

I serve on the Centerton City Council, own a small business, and have a background in human resources and supervisory roles. I am also a counselor and built Centerton Cares and our senior program from the ground up. These experiences have taught me how to lead people, manage responsibilities, work through difficult situations and find solutions.

Most importantly, I have had the opportunity to work with residents from all socioeconomic backgrounds and hear firsthand what matters to them. Listening to people and helping solve problems is something I do every day, and I believe that experience is important when leading a city. I am also currently working toward my Doctorate in Public Administration.

My first priority will be getting a clear picture of where we stand as a city, especially with our finances, infrastructure and the needs of each department. I want to make sure we are being responsible with the resources we have, while also being more intentional about economic development and bringing more revenue into Centerton.

I will work directly with our department heads and use every resource available to us, including outside expertise and our regional, state and federal partnerships. We have some big challenges ahead, and we need to be planning for them while also growing the revenue we need to keep Centerton moving forward.

The mayor provides administrative oversight to all city departments and services to ensure efficiency and compliance with local policies and laws. The mayor Develops budgets, policies, strategic plans and collaborates with city council members to ensure the successful implementation of the proposals. The mayor represents the city and advocates for the needs of residents at all levels of government and through public/private partnerships when possible. The mayor is responsible for maintaining accessibility and communication with residents to ensure their needs are heard and prioritized for action with regard to the available resources. The mayor will preside over council meetings and create an environment of collaboration and consensus.

My background provides a strong balance of education, experience, and service that is pertinent to the role of mayor. I worked as a public servant for 25 years with the city of Rogers retiring at the rank of Deputy Chief. This service provided progressive leadership experience at all levels of the organization. Experience includes budget development and management, leading personnel, collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, strategic planning and creating a culture of continuous improvement. These experiences were gained in an environment of rapid growth within the city. I also possess an understanding of the importance of maintaining a high level of integrity and trust when serving the public and managing city resources.

My first priority will be to gain an understanding of the culture within the city departments to identify immediate concerns that are limiting the ability of staff to meet the needs of the citizens with the efficiency and competency expected of a rapidly growing city. This will be accomplished by working closely with department heads to identify any immediate needs or concerns that are hindering their ability to meet the needs of the residents or employees. Encouraging open lines of communication between city staff and residents will be vital in this process to ensure services are maintained while work is being accomplished to improve efficiency within city government to better serve the citizens through a shared vison and mission.