Every mayoral race in Saline County's cities is contested -- except for one.
In Traskwood -- a city of 518 -- no one filed to be mayor before Friday's noon deadline. Currently, Michael Nash, 56, holds the office, and he will continue to hold the position either until the next election or until he vacates the seat, said Mark Hayes, Arkansas Municipal League director of legal services.
Friday marked the last day for any potential candidates to turn in paperwork to run for a municipal office in the Nov. 4 election.
The following are running for mayor, a four-year term, in the other six cities:
• Alexander: Corliss "Jerry" Ball, 82, retired; Farren Wadley, 45, an alderman and a martial arts instructor; Paul Mitchell, 61; and Michelle Hobbs, 42, incumbent. Hobbs has held the position, which pays $20,160 annually, since the 2012 recall election that ousted Mitchell, the former mayor, from office.
• Bauxite: Eddie Jones, 50, self-employed; Debbi Purifoy, 61, unemployed; and Bill Russell, 59, a medical transportation driver. The $10,380 position will be vacated by one-term Mayor Johnny McMahan at the end of this year.
• Benton: David Mattingly, 72, incumbent, and Gene Gentry, 67, retired. Mattingly has held the position, which pays $68,000 annually since 2011.
• Bryant: Jill Dabbs, 42, incumbent; Randy Cox, 54, alderman, the city's retired fire chief; and Adrian Henley, 36, alderman, unemployed. Dabbs has held the $68,868.80 position since 2011.
• Haskell: Gary Vice, 54; Janie Lyman, 67, the city's recorder/treasurer; Jayme Watson-Bruton, 33, a stay-at-home mother; and Jerry Tittle, 61, a retired firefighter. Jeff Arey, the current mayor, is running for Saline County judge. The mayor's position pays $30,000 annually.
• Shannon Hills: Mike Kemp, 57, incumbent, and Ken Petty, 57, unemployed. Kemp has served as mayor, earning $33,515 annually, since 2011.
Two will run for Bryant's city attorney, a position that is moving back to an elected office after no one ran during the last election. The city attorney, who would hold a four-year term, earns $10,200 a year as set by an ordinance, but the incoming elected official can petition the council to change that amount.
The current city attorney, Chris Madison, cannot run for the spot because he does not live in the city limits. The two running are attorneys Josh Farmer, 31, and Doug Mays, 67.
All aldermen positions, which are two-year terms, were also open for election in Saline County's cities.
In Alexander, the following people filed for aldermen positions, which pay $1,200 annually:
• Ward 1, Position 1: Louis Hobbs, 50, unemployed.
• Ward 1, Position 2: Jean Cummings Fisher, 49, a minister, and Jeffrey Watson, 33, unemployed.
• Ward 2, Position 1: Kenneth Miller, 62, retired, and Stephanie Beck, 38, a paraprofessional at the Bryant School District.
• Ward 2, Position 2: Andy Mullins, 82, retired, and Juanita Wilson, 65, incumbent, retired.
• Ward 3, Position 1: Andrea Bearden, 43, incumbent, dispatcher.
• Ward 3, Position 2: Dan Church, 62, and Harvey Howard, 81, retired.
• Ward 4, Position 1: Monroe Cates, 68, medical transportation driver, and Melissa Ratliff, 27, student.
• Ward 4, Position 2: Lonny Chapman, 49, incumbent.
In Bauxite, the following people filed for aldermen, who earn $2,100 annually:
• Position 1: Adam Kampbell, 32, sales representative.
• Position 2: Paula Matthews, 29, incumbent, student.
• Position 3: Deann Watson, 47, administrative analyst at UAMS, and Mae Clark, 84.
• Position 4: Michael Collins, 68, and John Davis, 56, fire chief of the town's volunteer department.
• Position 5: Mona Struble, 44, incumbent, office administrative aide at the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.
Two have also filed for Bauxite's recorder/treasurer, who will earn $2,400 annually in a four-year term. Those are: Becky Jo Mitchell, 50, administrative assistant at the Arkansas Health Center, and Candace Holliday, 28, receptionist.
The position has been vacant since November, when Sheryl Johnson resigned citing threats by a former alderman.
In Benton, the following people filed for aldermen, who earn $9,000 annually:
• Ward 1, Position 1: Frank Baptist, 68, incumbent, business relations manager at the state Department of Career Education, and Ron Jones, 68, who owns an insurance company in Bryant.
• Ward 1, Position 2: Kerry Murphy, 46, incumbent, self-employed.
• Ward 2, Position 1: Charles Cunningham, 81, incumbent, retired.
• Ward 2, Position 2: Evelyn Reed, 55, incumbent, program manager at the Central Arkansas Development Council.
• Ward 3, Position 1: Bill Donnor, 57, incumbent, senior special agent with the Union Pacific Railroad police, and Gary Garner, 57, an eighth-grade math teacher at Benton Jr. High School.
• Ward 3, Position 2: Jerry Ponder, 54, incumbent, loan officer with First Security Bank; Freddy Burton, 66, retired Saline County clerk; and Rick Holland, 59.
• Ward 4, Position 1: Brad Moore, 50, incumbent, regulatory director at Cheyenne Industries LLC, and Jim Gardner, 43, preaching minister at Northside Church in Benton.
• Ward 4, Position 2: James Herzfeld, 73, incumbent.
• Ward 5, Position 1: Steve Lee, 60, incumbent, retired.
• Ward 5, Position 2: Lori Terrell, 41, incumbent, group human resources manager at CoorsTek.
Incumbent Brent Houston, 47, is running for re-election as Benton's city attorney, a $65,000 position. The current city clerk, Cindy Stracener, 50, also refiled for the $16,000 position. Both have four-year terms.
In Bryant, the following people filed for aldermen, who earn $6,880.08 annually:
• Ward 1, Position 1: Lorne Gladden, 30.
• Ward 1, Position 2: Wade Permenter, 54, incumbent, manager at Brown Janitor Supply, and Alan Kays, 45, estimator and project manager at Flynco.
• Ward 2, Position 1: Mike Chandler, 66, incumbent, employee at the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, and Nathan Branson, 40, HVAC technician.
• Ward 2, Position 2: Rae Ann Fields, 57, executive director at the Bryant Chamber of Commerce, and Jerry Henson, 56.
• Ward 3, Position 1: Jo Anna Brown, 35, operations coordinator, and R.E. Higginbotham, 58, realtor.
• Ward 3, Position 2: Rob Roedel, 47, incumbent, manager of corporate communications at the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.
• Ward 4, Position 1: Brenda Miller, 58, incumbent.
• Ward 4, Position 2: Carlton Billingsley, 37, and Gary Hollis, 62.
Two have entered the race for Bryant's city clerk, a four-year position that pays $45,073.60. Those are incumbent Heather McKim, 40, and Sue Ashcraft, 55.
In Haskell, the following people filed for aldermen, drawing $600 annually:
• Ward 1, Position 1: Ronnie Ballard, 45, incumbent, truck driver, and Janet Ball, 66, retired.
• Ward 1, Position 2: Dallas Wright, 32, an employee at the Saline County Road Department.
• Ward 2, Position 1: Rose Marie Wilkinson, 85, incumbent, retired.
• Ward 2, Position 2: Raymond Lobbs, 36, incumbent, a patrol sergeant at the Saline County sheriff's office.
• Ward 3, Position 1: Andrea Mills Warner, 45, who works in the radiology department at Saline Memorial Hospital, and Jennifer Hill, 33, a stay-at-home mother.
• Ward 3, Position 2: Roy Carman, 69, retired.
• Ward 4, Position 1: Ed Simmons, 61, incumbent, retired, and Warren Kuhn, 54, a Bryant firefighter.
• Ward 4, Position 2: Hal Baker, 64, incumbent, retired correctional officer, and Robert Swaim, 62.
In Shannon Hills, the following people filed for aldermen, earning $2,400 annually:
• Ward 1, Position 1: James Frala, 66, incumbent.
• Ward 1, Position 2: Sue Skipper, 78, incumbent.
• Ward 2, Position 1: Viki Anderson, 56.
• Ward 2, Position 2: Jill Hatcher, 48, incumbent, sales representative.
• Ward 3, Position 1: Scott Bennett, 32, incumbent, an assistant manager at Little Rock's Probation and Parole office.
• Ward 3, Position 2: James Kandbinder, 35, incumbent, vice president of Advanced Consulting Group, a Hot Springs-based insurance company.
According to the Saline County clerk's office, the following people filed for aldermen in Traskwood:
• Ward 1, Position 1: Lloyd Lewis, 75, incumbent, retired, and Mary Berryhill, 76, incumbent, retired.
• Ward 1, Position 2: Carolyn Weir, 74.
• Ward 2, Position 1: Eldon Spear, 55, incumbent, HVAC technician, and Shirley Phillips, 81, retired.
• Ward 2, Position 2: Billy Sharp, 64, incumbent, and Thomas Tucker, 72, retired.
• Ward 3, Position 1: Kimberly Schane, 37, incumbent, deputy assessor at the Saline County assessor's office.
Salaries for Traskwood positions were unavailable Friday.
Metro on 08/16/2014