FAYETTEVILLE -- A self-described political centrist and author is running to become mayor.
William Harris, 73, will face Mayor Lioneld Jordan and two other challengers: Tom Terminella and Ron Baucom.
Harris has written an autobiographical work and novels about Jesus Christ, he said. He spent six years in the Air Force and worked in the oil industry in Oklahoma, he said. He has had jobs in food service and trucking, he said.
Harris made an unsuccessful bid for Washington County District 2 constable in 2016.
He said Jordan tends to listen to a certain residents more than others.
"He's done wonderful things, but there may be a lot of people who feel they are not being well-served," Harris said. "They're left out. I want to remedy that."
The expansion of the Fayetteville Public Library set to open in November is a project Harris said he supports, but there should be library annexes in other parts of town, he said. Residents on the northern, eastern and western sides of town should be able to access a library near them, he said.
College students need to return to classes to maintain a strong tax base, and the city should play a role in their return, Harris said. The city has debts from bond issues that must be paid, and the only way to do it is to have the 25,000 or so students inject money into the economy, he said.
That being said, a mask mandate should come at the local level, so residents can engage with local authorities, Harris said. People should wear a face mask for the money, if anything, he said.
"We've got a terrific tax base at the university, and we've done wonderful things with that money, so let's get it going," he said. "Let's get an attitude that we're all in this together, and we're all wanting to keep this town safe and keep those kids safe and healthy."
The base salary for the mayor is set at 5% more than the average salaries of each chief and department head reporting to the mayor. Jordan makes $131,352 annually.
The nonpartisan election is Nov. 3.