The 2024 Fayetteville Mayoral Election
As November 5, 2024 approaches, the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas, is gearing up for its mayoral election. This year, four candidates are vying for the top spot: the incumbent Mayor Lioneld Jordan, Adam Fire Cat, Molly Rawn, and Tom Terminella. Here’s a closer look at each contender.
### **Incumbent Mayor Lioneld Jordan**
Mayor Jordan has been serving Fayetteville for four terms and is now seeking a fifth. He is known for his commitment to various projects that aim to transform the city. One of his key initiatives is the cultural arts corridor project, which includes a new civic plaza downtown and a river access park. Additionally, he has been working on revamping 71B, a crucial corridor in Fayetteville, by allowing multiple types of housing to be built there. Jordan also appoints a housing task force to explore ways to make housing more affordable and believes in the need for more workforce training to match housing costs with wages.
### **Molly Rawn**
Molly Rawn, the executive director of the city’s Advertising and Promotion Commission and CEO of Experience Fayetteville, is a newcomer to the mayoral race. She has expressed concerns about Fayetteville’s complacency and believes the city can do more. Rawn wants to streamline the process of starting small businesses and strengthen relationships with large employers and neighboring cities. She also emphasizes the importance of public transportation and parks for residents. Furthermore, she aims to change the city’s code to allow for more housing options and enforce stricter regulations on short-term rentals.
### **Adam Fire Cat**
Adam Fire Cat, who has run for public office six times in Fayetteville, is a passionate candidate with a clear vision for the city. He advocates for single-stream recycling, where residents don’t have to separate their recyclables, which he believes will increase recycling efficiency. Fire Cat also opposes ordinances he thinks impinge on individual freedoms. He suggests that the city consider vertical building as it grows, addressing traffic congestion by developing more east-west corridors. Additionally, he believes the city lacks incentives for developers to build housing for low- and middle-income residents.
### **Tom Terminella**
Tom Terminella is another candidate with a background in real estate. This is his third bid for mayor, and he has previously run for Washington County judge. Terminella stresses the need for ease in developing housing by reducing infrastructure costs, impact fees, and bureaucratic hurdles for developers. He believes these factors make it too expensive and complex for developers to build homes in Fayetteville.
The election will determine whether these candidates can move the city forward with their visions or if they will continue along the path Mayor Jordan has started. On November 5, voters will decide which leader they want to guide Fayetteville into the future.
The election is shaping up to be one of intrigue and different visions for the city’s future.
- Lioneld Jordan – Seeking to continue his legacy of transformation.
- Molly Rawn – Focused on streamline business operations and enhance community resources.
- Adam Fire Cat – Advocating for sustainability and individual freedoms.
- Tom Terminella – Emphasizing ease in housing development.
