FORT SMITH -- Voters will get the chance Aug. 8 to choose candidates for at-large position 5 in the only primary among three at-large positions being voted on this year for the city's Board of Directors.
Seven people are running for the three at-large positions. The primary election is Aug. 8 for position 5, which has three candidates. Voters will choose which two candidates advance to the general election. The other two positions -- 6 and 7 -- only drew two candidates in each race, so there will be no primary, only the general election.
Early voting is Tuesday through Friday. Any runoff is based on majority, and the election will be held Nov. 8.
The mayor's job is also up for election. Incumbent George McGill is running unopposed for his second term.
Each position is nonpartisan and serves a four-year term. The mayor receives $10,000 a year, and city directors make $1,000 a year by attending each of the 24 board meetings, or $41.67 per meeting, according to the city code. They are not compensated for any board meetings they do not attend. Both positions also receive $5,400 a year to reimburse vehicle expenses.
At-large positions are elected by all city voters to represent the entire city. Fort Smith also has four wards and representatives on the city board who represent just their wards.
At-Large Position 5
Current board member Robyn Dawson, 58, is running against political newcomers Christina Catsavis, 37, and Carl Nevin, 67, for the at-large position 5 seat.
Dawson, a director since 2019, works as an University of Arkansas-Fort Smith education renewal zone director for the state.
Dawson said she's running for reelection because she wants to serve the community and because it's important to her the board remains stable while several large projects are happening within the city. She said she has experience working as a director and handling government money, knowledge of current projects and networking resources across the state.
Dawson said two of the city's biggest projects are the expansion of Interstate 49 and the Foreign Military Sales program, adding it's important the city provides infrastructure to allow for the anticipated population growth.
The new section of I-49 will be built in phases from Alma south to Chaffee Crossing in Barling and is expected to be four lanes and nearly 14 miles long and cost an estimated $800 million, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
Ebbing Air National Guard Base, at Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected last year as the Air Force's preferred location for a pilot training center for Singapore and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales program.
Catsavis owns Smith Jewelry and Living. She said she wants to be part of the excitement the city is experiencing and thinks she could bring a unique perspective to the board.
"I was raised here, so I'm just really passionate about Fort Smith," Catsavis said. "I think Fort Smith sometimes gets a bad rep. Living in Northwest Arkansas, I have a little bit of an idea what people from the outside think, but a lot of it's not true. A lot of it has just kind of been a PR problem. I think that the city's really worked a lot on changing that and showing people what we have to offer here so that we can attract business and retain business and really start to be an economic hub for the area."
Catsavis said the city's biggest issue is having well-paying jobs and retaining businesses. She thinks Fort Smith has a lot of amenities to offer, but jobs are what ultimately will attract young people to move and live there.
Nevin is a retired sheet-metal worker. He said he's always been enthralled with politics, and he's running for the board of directors so he can help residents.
"I think honestly, my strengths are that first of all, I'm retired. I have the time to go check out problems during the day and fix them during the day. The different departments close at 5 p.m., as far as I know, so the city business is done before 5 o'clock," he said, noting the other candidates have full-time jobs.
Nevin said he'd specifically like to address homelessness and affordable housing, but the biggest issue is the sewer consent decree.
The city entered into a consent decree in January 2015 with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality. Under the decree, Fort Smith agreed to repair and upgrade its sewer system after decades of sewage runoff into local waterways, including the Arkansas River.
The city agreed to spend more than $200 million over the next 12 years to upgrade its sewer collection and treatment.
The original decree deadline was Jan. 2, 2027, but the city said it couldn't afford to do all of the work by that date. The city was granted a five-year extension to 2032.
"All I know is we have to support our Water and sewer department, Lance McAvoy, and give him everything he needs as far as funding" from the 1-cent sales tax renewal passed May 24, Nevin said.
Running for at-large position 6 in November are current board member Kevin Settle, 48, and newcomer A. Drew Smith, 31.
Political newcomer Jackson Goodwin, 25, is running against current board member Neal Martin, 46, for the at-large position 7 seat in the November election.
Carl Nevin
Robyn Dawson 
Christina Catsavis
At-Large Position 5
Robyn Dawson
Age: 58
Residence: Fort Smith for 45 years
Employment: Education renewal zone director for Arkansas
Education: Master’s degree in administration from the University of Arkansas
Political experience: At-large position 5 director since 2019
Christina Catsavis
Age: 37
Residence: Fort Smith for 20 years
Employment: Owner of Smith Jewelry and Living
Education: Attended the University of Arkansas
Political experience: None
Carl Nevin
Age: 67
Residence: Fort Smith for 34 years
Employment: Retired, previously a sheet metal worker for Train Manufacturing Co.
Education: Attended Bethany Bible College
Political experience: None
At-Large Position 6
Kevin Settle
Age: 48
Residence: Fort Smith for 46 years
Employment: Plant manager at Arkansas Poly and Printing
Education: Bachelor’s of science in chemical engineering from the University of Arkansas
Political experience: At-large position 6 director since 2006; ran unsuccessfully for the position in 2004
A. Drew Smith
Age: 31
Residence: Fort Smith for three years
Employment: Criminal justice coordinator for Washington County
Education: Master’s degree in literature from American University
Political experience: None
At-Large Position 7
Neal Martin
Age: 46
Residence: Fort Smith for 34 years
Employment: IT director of Shared Services Center
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas
Political experience: At-large position 7 director since 2019; precinct committee member in Overland Park, Kan., in 2003 and 2005
Jackson Goodwin
Age: 25
Residence: Fort Smith for 25 years
Employment: Civil engineer at Mickle Wagner Coleman
Education: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Clemson University
Political experience: None