A now older and more patient Terry Hartwick again took the helm Friday as mayor of North Little Rock, saying he hopes to keep the city moving in the right direction.
Hartwick, the city's mayor in the 1980s, was sworn in in front of about 10 people in the council chambers at City Hall. His remarks were streamed live on Facebook and on cable.
"I cannot believe I am here again. ... It's like Hartwick for Mayor 2020 back to the future," he said with a laugh.
The crowd was small because of the pandemic, but it cheered when Hartwick entered the mayor's office to sign the paperwork.
Hartwick spoke with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week about what he hoped to accomplish in his second term as mayor and what he has learned since his first term in 1980s.
[RELATED: Full coverage of elections in Arkansas » arkansasonline.com/elections/]
"I think the one thing I have learned from my previous time as mayor is patience," he said. "You can see that with me keeping most of the city's staff in place. I campaigned on keeping most of the employees doing what they are doing. Patience to make good decisions. Don't make a snap decision when you can really think about it."
Hartwick said he wants to continue the accomplishments of outgoing Mayor Joe Smith and former Mayor Pat Hayes.
"I am anxious, I am ready and I am honored," he said.
Hartwick, now 72, was North Little Rock's mayor from 1985-88 before being defeated by Hayes.
Despite losing the mayor's position, Hartwick remained involved in the community, becoming the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for 15 years. During that time, Hartwick grew the chamber to the third-largest in Arkansas and helped attract multiple businesses to the city.
In 2016, Smith hired Hartwick as the city Parks and Recreation director.
[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa-43-r66NY]
"I accepted the director position because you can still make a difference," Hartwick said. "I know it sounds political, but it isn't. You can see the things we have done."
Hartwick wants to use this opportunity to create three new rental facilities, upgrade Burns Park Golf Course and put the RV Park in the Riverfront area under city control. He said one of his greatest accomplishments is creation of One Heart Playground, an "all inclusive" playground that includes equipment for children with disabilities.
Hartwick said two years ago when Smith revealed that he wasn't going to run for reelection, people started to ask him if he was going to again seek the mayor's office. He said at first his response was an adamant no, but as time passed and people persisted, he decided to run.
"It wasn't one of those things where you look up and decide I am going to run for mayor," he said. "It is a planned process that you think about for a long time."
Last month, Hartwick defeated Tracy Steele in a tightly contested runoff to secure the office.
[Gallery not loading above? Click here for more photos » arkansasonline.com/12nlrmayor/]
Hartwick and Steele were the top vote-getters in the Nov. 3 general election, which also included Alice Kunce, a teacher at Dunbar Middle School in the Little Rock School District; and Debi Ross, a North Little Rock City Council member who represents Ward 1. Steele received 11,291 votes in the general election, while Hartwick received 8,121.
The mayoral runoff last month became polarized, with issues of race and diversity moving to the forefront.
Hartwick said he wants the city to heal that and that it starts with him creating a diversity council.
"There are two sides to every story, and I think if I don't look at what Tracy and some things he was doing, then I would be wrong," he said. "I will also offer a meeting with Tracy to see some of the things he wants to do. See if there is some common ground there."
Shara Brazear, spokeswoman for Hartwick and incoming director of communications for North Little Rock, said the diversity council will look at all city departments.
"He has insight into that because he has been a director," she said. "He has been there, so he can look at a more strategic plan so to speak for our city and that diversity plan will be one component of that. "
One of the main criticisms of Hartwick during the campaign was that his tenure as mayor would be similar to that of the outgoing mayor, but Hartwick said he doesn't view that as a negative.
"Will I do a lot of things like Joe? Yes. But on the other hand, I am different," he said. "Joe has done a lot of wonderful things for the city, so I don't view that as a negative."
Hartwick said in his first 100 days in office he wants to clean up the city, get an urgent care facility on East Broadway, talk to every alderman to see what they need in their wards, look at the drainage on Dixie and 38th streets, get Federal Emergency Management Agency funds from the Arkansas River flood, create a pothole hot-line and set up pandemic offices.
"I am going to be busy," he said with a laugh.
One of Hartwick's main campaign promises was establishing pandemic offices within the city, but with vaccine doses now arriving, the concept will change a bit.
"We are thinking maybe doing some drive-thru vaccines or open up some community centers, because you have to stay around for 30 minutes to make sure you don't show any effects," he said.
Hartwick said he already has a meeting set for Jan. 12 to talk to Baptist Hospital officials about getting an urgent care center set up as well.
"If we have to give them a building to ease the financial burden, then we can see if that is possible," he said.
Brazear said Hartwick's transparency will endear him to city residents.
"That is one of the reasons I feel like as a patron and a taxpayer I wanted him to run because Terry has worked with all parts of the city," she said. "He has worked with big business, but he is especially good with smaller businesses also. That is something that takes a unique gift."
Brazear said Hartwick has always looked at the big picture.
"He never stopped thinking about North Little Rock and doing what was best to North Little Rock."
Hartwick also isn't forgetting about the Parks Department. He is looking to get a pump track installed and mountain bike courses for Burns Park, along with more park rangers.
"There is still a lot of vision I have for our parks and not just for one area but for all our parks," he said. "I want to put a walking trail out in the North Shore area. There is money available for us to do a lot of things in a lot of areas."
Hiring more park rangers is one priority for Hartwick.
"We only have one park ranger, and we are [the] third- or the fourth-largest park system in the United States," he said.
Smith, the former mayor, said his advice to Hartwick is to take things slowly.
He said he would give Hartwick the same advice he gave Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott when Scott took office.
"To slow down and don't try to save the world the first month you are in office," he said. "It takes you a little while to figure out who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. Who the leaders are not only on your staff but in the community."
Hartwick said he wants his legacy to be that of a mayor who loves the city.
"I want people to say that I always put my city first and put the best foot forward for all of the citizens of our city," he said.