Sara Harrison, Candidate for Mayor

1. Provide us with some information about your history and your background with Fort Smith.

Fort Smith has been home for more than 20 years. I grew up in Alma and have spent most of my adult life here, raising my

family and serving this community in different ways.

My background is a little unconventional. I’m an Air Force veteran, caregiver, homeschool teacher, artist, writer, photographer, and community volunteer. In 2012, I founded A Volunteer Organization, originally to help veterans navigate their benefits. Since then, I’ve continued helping people in our community through volunteer work, including helping families, veterans, elderly and disabled residents, and people who need a hand getting through a difficult situation.

I’ve also worked in automotive management, retail, fitness, food service, and delivery. Those experiences have taught me how to work with people from very different backgrounds, solve problems, manage responsibilities, and stay calm when things don’t go according to plan.

2. What made you want to run?

I decided to run because I believe Fort Smith deserves someone who will listen to people, ask questions, do the work, and bring people together around the things we can actually accomplish.

I didn’t wake up one morning and decide I wanted to be a politician. I’ve spent years serving people in different ways, and I reached a point where I felt I could use that experience to serve my city on a larger scale.

I’m not running because I think I have all the answers. I don’t. I’m running because I’m willing to learn, willing to ask the uncomfortable questions, and willing to work with people who don’t always agree with me.

I love Fort Smith. I see our potential, and I want to be part of helping us reach it.

3. What pressing needs do you see in Fort Smith?

I see several issues that deserve serious attention, but infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges facing our city. Water and wastewater infrastructure require long-term planning and significant investment, and we need to be honest with residents about the scope of that work and how we are going to pay for it.

Public safety is another priority. We need to make sure our police officers, firefighters, and other first responders have the resources, staffing, equipment, and support they need to serve this community safely.

I also believe Fort Smith needs to continue working on economic development, responsible growth, housing and homelessness, and making better use of the assets we already have.

None of these issues can be solved overnight. They require planning, accountability, collaboration, and a willingness to look beyond the next election cycle.

4. If you were to get elected, how would you meet these needs that you see?

First, I would listen and learn from the people already doing the work. The mayor should not walk into City Hall believing they know more than the professionals who have spent years managing our utilities, public safety departments, finances, and other city operations.

My role would be to advocate for Fort Smith, build relationships, bring people together, and make sure our residents’ voices are being heard.

For infrastructure, I would work with city staff to identify available federal and state funding, grants, bonds, and other responsible funding mechanisms before placing additional pressure on ratepayers. We need a long-term plan instead of continuing to address major problems one project at a time.

For public safety, I would work with department leadership and the City Administrator and Council to understand the actual staffing and funding needs, then advocate for sustainable solutions that respect both our first responders and our taxpayers.

Most importantly, I would make transparency and accountability part of how I serve. I want residents to understand what we are doing, why we are doing it, what it costs, and what comes next.

I’m not running to run City Hall. I’m running to represent Fort Smith, listen to its people, and help move our city forward together.