Though the covid-19 pandemic meant a forum for Little Rock Board of Directors hopefuls wouldn't draw an in-person crowd, candidates still shared their platforms with hundreds of viewers via Zoom on Thursday evening.
The Arkansas Peace & Justice Memorial Movement, in collaboration with several other community organizations, hosted the forum. Around 60 people participated via Zoom, and a stream on the group's Facebook page racked up about 2,000 views.
Candidates were given 90-second opening statements and 60-second closing statements, and they fielded questions from moderators and participants in between.
All three at-large seats on the city board are up for election this year.
Three people are running for the Position 8 seat -- incumbent City Director Dean Kumpuris, Phillip Bryant and Russ Racop.
Kumpuris, who has held the seat since 1995, said there is "unfinished business" and a great opportunity to take care of it, particularly relating to economic development south of Interstate 630 and east of Interstate 30.
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"For the first time, I can see that there's a real vitality to get things going in those areas," he said, adding that he also wanted to focus on improving the city's quality of life to attract younger people and supporting city schools. "These are complex issues that require complex thinking."
Racop, who runs a blog that's critical of city government, said the board needs "new faces and new perspectives."
"I want to be your voice at Little Rock City Hall," Racop said. "It's time to hold city leaders accountable for their actions and lack of actions."
Bryant, a retiree, writer and Vietnam veteran, did not participate in the forum.
The Position 9 race has drawn seven candidates with incumbent City Director Gene Fortson retiring from the seat at year's end. David Alan Bubbus, Tom Horton, Leron McAdoo, Rohn Muse, Dale Pekar, Antwan Phillips and Glen Schwarz are running for the slot.
Bubbus said he had served people and worked in all wards of the city as the president of David's Burgers, as well as during his time on the Little Rock Planning Commission.
"I just feel like I've gotten to know the community really well by serving them a hamburger," Bubbus said. "We just have a great community, and I just see a lot of ability that we can do so much better."
Horton is a retired pharmacist who said he filed to run because he supports the city's police and fire departments.
"I think the citizens of Little Rock are entitled to feel safe on their streets and at home," Horton said.
McAdoo, a longtime educator in the Little Rock School District, described himself as a "political outsider but a community insider." He said loving Little Rock means world-class education, positive policing, creative expression and opportunities for equality.
"We want to be great because success means how well you do for yourself and how well you do for others," McAdoo said.
Muse highlighted his experience as a neighborhood activist for more than 30 years and on the Little Rock Planning Commission
Pekar, a community activist and former economist, said he wanted to use his background to make sure the city affords fiduciary responsibility to the people of Little Rock, particularly in the cases of the city providing services to surrounding communities at far lower prices than they are worth.
"No more sweetheart deals for the exurbs," Pekar said.
Phillips, an attorney, said the city needs to change its mindset to live up to its potential, and to change ordinances to allow for affordable housing to be built downtown and ease burdens on small businesses.
"This city has believed in me, so I believe in it and I believe in better. I believe in a city that has better neighborhoods, I believe in a city that focuses not on what has been but what can be," Phillips said.
Schwarz, a marijuana decriminalization advocate who has run for numerous city and state government positions over the years, did not participate in the forum.
For Position 10, incumbent City Director Joan Adcock has two challengers: Greg Henderson and Sheridan Richards.
Adcock said she has always been accountable and accessible to people during her 28 years on the board.
"If I was going to tell you one thing about me it would be that I love to be presented with a problem, or identify one myself, and then to research it, develop it, and bring in resources and solve it," Adcock said.
Henderson, the publisher of Rock City Eats, said he believes in the power of the local economy and that the city needs to do away with complacency and "the mistakes of the last 30 years."
"Little Rock's a lot different than it was 30 years ago. The city needs to continue to work toward growth and prosperity," Henderson said.
Richards said her focus areas are family, reading, equity, skill development and housing. She said she wants to see equitable access to transportation and education.
"I threw my hat in the ring because I want to help improve our city not just for the current residents but for our children, which I believe are our future," Richards said.