FAYETTEVILLE -- An environmental consultant who serves on the Historic District Commission wants to represent the west side of town on the City Council.
Teresa Turk, 57, has filed to run against Ward 4 incumbent John La Tour. Ward 4 covers most of the city west of Interstate 49 and parts of the University of Arkansas campus south of Wedington Drive. Notable landmarks include the University Heights neighborhood, Pratt Place Inn, Bryce Davis Park, Holcomb Elementary School, Owl Creek School, Asbell Elementary School and the Boys & Girls Club.
Candidate filing
The filing period for muncipal candidates ends at noon Aug. 17.
Source: Staff report
Born in New Orleans, Turk grew up on her family's land near Magnolia and played several sports. She played tennis for the Razorbacks during her freshman year and graduated with a bachelor's degree in zoology in 1983. Turk got her master's degree in anthropology in 1989.
Turk said she worked as a biologist aboard several Russian ships in the Bering Sea. She also worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle and Washington, D.C., for 25 years. Turk also earned a master of science degree in fisheries science in 2000 from the University of Washington.
Turk operates an environmental consulting firm for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and owns several rental properties in Ward 4. She also is a member of the Buffalo Watershed Alliance and Ozark River Stewards and serves on the city's Civil Rights Commission.
Inclusivity, responsible growth and environmental friendliness are the pillars of her campaign, Turk said. She'll keep an open mind when it comes to issues but won't hesitate to lend her opinion, she said.
"I'm a scientist. I'm kind of analytical. I'm kind of wonky, in a way," she said. "I'll sit down and study both sides and certainly listen very sharply and openly to the residents and what their wishes are."
Turk wants to balance growth with preserving a neighborhood's integrity, she said. Spot zoning, erosion and traffic should all be considerations when deciding where to build housing, she said.
Turk also said she'd like to improve the city's recycling system, encourage businesses and residents to use less plastic and establish a preservation ordinance to protect the city's historic structures.
A plan is underway to rezone a large portion of the nearly 150-acre site at Markham Hill, which is home to the Pratt Place Inn. Developers on the mixed-use project have included preserving more than 40 acres in their plans.
Turk said the developers should start with the preservation easement first as a show of good faith, then the rest of the plans can be discussed.
Council members earn $12,504 annually and serve four-year terms. Nonpartisan municipal elections will be held Nov. 6.
NW News on 08/03/2018