Incumbent Mark Isenhower
ML: Tell us about yourself.
MI: I have lived in Cedarville for 24 years and served as Mayor for the last 3 years. After graduating college, I joined the Arkansas Air National Guard 188th Fighter Wing and served for over 29 years. I flew the F-16 Viper as an Instructor Pilot, Large Force Mission Commander and Evaluator Pilot. After the unit converted from the F-16, I flew the A-10 Warthog during the last 7 years of my career.
I was fortunate to travel around the world and fly training missions in Hawaii, Thailand, Denmark, Israel and Canada. I visited Crete, Spain, Italy, Austria and Guam. Our unit deployed to Saudi Arabia to fly combat air patrol missions enforcing the no-fly zone in southern Iraq. We also deployed to fly combat missions supporting American and allied troops on the ground in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. My favorite deployment was flying the A-10 supporting and protecting our ground troops in Afghanistan. My most memorable flight in the USA was flying on the wing of Air Force One a couple months after 9/11 in a fully loaded F-16 escorting the President to his ranch in Crawford Texas.
ML: What motivated you to become the Mayor of Cedarville?
MI: About a year after I retired, I started attending the monthly City Council meetings. I wanted to learn about our city government and was curious to know why our town was almost always portrayed negatively in the news. It was an educational experience. In January 2015, about six months after I began attending City Council meetings, three of the present City Council members took office and immediately began making changes to city policies and procedures in an effort to improve city operations. I had been attending City Council meetings for about a year when Mayor O’Mara resigned due to health reasons. Members of the City Council asked me to consider an appointment to Mayor. I had never thought about running for office and was hesitant to accept the substantial commitment and responsibility that the volunteer position came with, but they assured me that together, we would improve our city government and restore the citizen’s confidence in it. After much thought and encouragement from several citizens, I volunteered to help my city and accepted the appointment to Mayor of Cedarville in June of 2015.
ML: How do you involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?
MI: In my view, the best way for residents to be involved in the decision-making process is to attend the City Council meetings held the third Tuesday of every month at Cedarville City Hall beginning at 6PM. The Treasurer presents the financial reports, and each city department head briefs the council on accomplishments during the last month and goals for the future. We encourage all citizens to attend these monthly meetings and provide the elected officials information concerning ideas, issues or concerns they may have. Decisions on all aspects of city government are made at these meetings and have the potential to affect everyone. Citizen input is requested and needed because it does influence our elected officials decisions.
ML: If you received a large grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
MI: I would gather all the relevant information and present a plan to the City Council seeking approval to pave all the city streets in Cedarville. Road improvements is one of our highest priorities as evidenced by the 3 1/3 miles we have chip and sealed since 2015. I believe the council would unanimously approve the plan in a heartbeat.
ML: What distinguishes you from the other candidates?
MI: I don’t know any of the other candidates so I’m unable to compare and contrast our knowledge, skills and experiences. I do believe that I’m the only candidate that has over three years of on the job training performing the duties of Mayor.
City government is a team sport. We have a great team of elected officials that all work together to keep improving Cedarville. We are proud of the accomplishments we’ve made the last three years while abiding by all Arkansas laws concerning general accounting, budgeting, purchasing, and depositing of public funds. The Legislative Audit Committee just completed the city’s Financial and Compliance Audit for 2017. The results are the same as they were for 2015 and 2016. Cedarville had zero reportable findings and was found to be in substantial compliance with Arkansas fiscal and financial laws.
ML: What would your autobiography be called?
MI: What would my autobiography be called? That’s a tough one. I’ve always worked hard and been blessed to have seen and done a lot of different things. I’ve also had more than my share of lucky breaks along the way. I guess I would name it A Lucky Man.
Wayne Bentley
ML: Tell us about yourself.
WB: I’m a disabled 62 year old. I have lived in Cedarville for the last 30 years. I have driven truck for 46 years. I am a proud dad of 3 kids, all of which graduated from Cedarville public school. Grandparent of 9. City council member of 2009 and 2010. Hobbies are stock car racing and attending grandkids sports and so on.
ML: Why do you want to be the Mayor of Cedarville?
WB: I would like to be the mayor to help move Cedarville forward and to get the city hall parking lot black topped.
ML: How would you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?
WB: I would involve the residents in the decision making process by having as many residents at meetings as possible and having city hall open as much as possible and improving the city park. I would have police patrol 24 hours a day.
ML: If you received a large grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
WB: I would use the grant/ grants to improve the roads, the city park and have the residents to help decide what to do.
ML: What distinguishes you from the other candidates?
WB: My distinguishments consist of being a city resident for the last 30 years and an alumni of the school system. I would like to work with the school system as much as possible.
ML: What would your autobiography be called?
WB: My autobiography would be called “Country Boy Gone City”.
Any questions can be directed or addressed to me at 479.434.7585. Thank you and Sincerely, Wayne Bentley
Rachel Walton
ML: Tell us about yourself.
RW: I am Rachel Louise Walton, and was born in Fort Collins Colorado. I was born to Kim Kruidenier and Steve Walton, whom were both from the Midwest. I spent much of my younger years in the small town of LaPorte, Colorado and much of my middle years moving around from place to place with my family. Growing up I was always curious and looking for new adventures. I have always been adventurous and creative; growing up in the Rocky Mountains the outdoors were always a wonderful place to escape and explore. On the creative side I was blessed with a mother that was artistic and she moved me to be the same. I was also blessed with a father who was extremely hard working and carried strong family values, he taught me to be the strong problem solver I am today. Concurrently I have had a few of my poems published, I have also had many of my art works displayed and have been given awards for them along with the fact that I can also do basic maintenance on a vehicle and carry myself proudly. I am also a mother of medically needy twins whom has maintained a family and household for most of my children’s lives as a single parent. I have overcome many difficult situations and circumstances not only as an individual but also as a parent. I am extremely blessed to have a family and extended family that fully believes in me and supports my decisions and adventures.
ML: Why do you want to be the Mayor of Cedarville?
RW: I made the decision to run for mayor of Cedarville because I wanted to make a difference. I saw areas that needed help and needed improvement, and instead of complaining about it I decided to put myself out there to make an improvement. By this statement I am not saying that there is anything majorly wrong with what is currently happening but I saw a need for improvement. We have a good foundation started in this wonderful community, but rather than becoming stagnant and placid I would like to see it become a place where all the people flourish and the thought that we cannot do anything because we are poor and or lacking keeps us from having what we all want and desire. Which I feel as though is a comfortable life, space for our children and grandchildren to run. The country life, a country living one where we can all be at peace and work together for a greater good and a better future for the generations to come.
ML: How would you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?
RW: As far as my plans to involve the residents in the decision making process of the community I plan on continuing the monthly meetings and everything that is currently in place along with making sure that all of the information and communication that the council and mayor discuss are properly available in all forums for the community. While I understand that this is currently being done to the best extent of the current government I do also realize that there is a younger community that is unaware of all that is being done and I would like to also make sure that as a city government we reach those individuals too, even if that means sending out a monthly letter to all of the current residents informing them of all of the current events of the town.
ML: If you received a large grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
RW: If I were to receive a large grant for the city that I could use in any way that I saw fit, one of the first things I would do is implement sidewalks and or a bike path along highway 59 from the Harps to Dorthy Ln. The reason I feel as though this should be done is due to the fact that there are many children of the town that have to walk to school, along with the fact that there are also many other citizens of the community that walk along the highway and I feel as though they deserve a safe route to walk along.
ML: What distinguishes you from the other candidates?
RW: As far as what distinguishes me from the other candidates all I can state is that I am very motivated and I have a bachelors of science degree in Anthropology with a minor in pre-medicine and I am very dedicated to serving the community that I call home. I want to help build a future that my children and grandchildren can be proud of.
ML: What would your autobiography be called?
RW: An adventurous life.
Allan Wood
ML: Tell us about yourself.
AW: I’m married to the most wonderful woman in the world, have been married to her for 10 years, and have three kids – two boys and one girl – ages 10, 5, and 4. I love to work with my hands and hunt; being outside and in the woods is what life is about.
ML: Why do you want to be the Mayor of Cedarville?
AW: One of the reasons I’m running for mayor is because in my opinion I can see where Cedarville can be improved and has not been improved in the past because I go out looking and talking about improvements.
ML: How would you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?
AW: I would just encourage the community to come to town meetings to discuss concerns with anything in the community.
ML: If you received a large grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
AW: I would upgrade roads as much as possible and try to put something in this community that would benefit all the people as far as family friendly and help the school out with as much as possible with the needs in this community.
ML: What distinguishes you from the other candidates?
AW: I grew up in this town so I think I know what a lot of people in the community want for the future of this town and I listen to the people of this community and I look for the answers that a lot of people won’t answer and I’m straight forward and tell it like I see it.
ML: What would your autobiography be called?
AW: My auto biography would be called straight to the point.