Shayne McKinney, Mayoral Candidate

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

I was born in Fort Smith and have spent my entire life living in either Fort Smith or Van Buren. I grew up in a working-class family without many financial advantages, but that never diminished my entrepreneurial ambitions.

I started my first business, a concert-promotion company, in 1999. I later worked in advertising, website development and technology consulting. For the past nine years, I have also been a real estate investor. That experience has allowed me to renovate neglected properties, provide housing and see firsthand how city policies affect residents, entrepreneurs and investors.

Fort Smith is where I grew up, built businesses and raised my family. I have watched the city’s successes and struggles from the perspective of someone who has spent decades trying to create things here.

2.What made you want to run?

I love Fort Smith and want to see it thrive. Over the years, however, I came to believe that one of the greatest obstacles to our progress is the culture surrounding city government.

Residents and business owners frequently encounter confusing processes, inconsistent answers and unnecessary delays. Established investors can choose to take their projects elsewhere, while first-time entrepreneurs may exhaust their savings before ever opening their doors.

I am running because I believe we can create a more responsive, accountable and business-friendly city government. That means treating residents like valued customers, helping people navigate city services and making Fort Smith a place where good ideas have a fair opportunity to succeed. More successful businesses ultimately mean more jobs, entertainment, amenities and opportunities for everyone.

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

Our aging water and sewer systems are among the most urgent challenges facing Fort Smith. The city must complete major sewer improvements required under its federal consent decree while also addressing aging water infrastructure, including critical transmission lines.

These projects will require an enormous long-term investment. Previous generations of city leadership postponed difficult decisions, but we no longer have the luxury of doing so. Reliable water and sewer service is essential to public health, existing businesses and any future economic growth.

We must also address the culture at City Hall. Infrastructure may be our most expensive physical challenge, but a government that is difficult to navigate makes it harder to grow the economy we will need to pay for it.

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

Some grants and state or federal assistance may be available, but residents and businesses will ultimately bear much of the cost through utility rates and taxes. If we want to limit that burden, Fort Smith must expand its economy and customer base.

I would advocate for using available mayoral-office resources to strengthen economic development and help residents and businesses navigate city services. We need someone focused not only on recruiting new investment, but also on identifying unnecessary obstacles, coordinating between departments and helping promising projects reach completion.

Fort Smith should become the easiest city in the region in which to start a business, renovate a property and make a responsible investment. I would also reach out to investors and entrepreneurs who previously had negative experiences with the city and ask what it would take to earn a second chance.

At the same time, I would communicate honestly about our infrastructure needs, project costs and progress. Residents deserve to understand where their money is going, why particular projects are necessary and whether those projects are being delivered effectively.

We cannot avoid every difficult expense, but we can grow our economy, demand accountability and make certain that every dollar is used wisely.

General Elections for Mayor and Board of Directors will happen on Nov 3rd. If you are a resident in the Fort Smith Area, go out and vote.