As of this writing, any citizen out there has exactly 51 days left to make their intentions known and file for election in the local, county and municipal races which are coming up for grabs in the Fall.
In particular, the races for Mayor of Fort Smith and four of the seven city directors spots will be available to be contested. The mayoral position and three board of directors positions are all "At Large" in the nonpartisan election process, which means two things.
One, you don't have to declare a party allegiance when you file to run. Two, if you are seeking one of the "At Large" spots you do not have to live in a particular part of town (or Ward) to be eligible.
It's my understanding there is a $10 filing fee and you have to secure at least fifty signatures on a petition to be eligible for a spot on the ballot.
The bottom line? I can not stress enough the importance of this election cycle and what it means to this city.
We already have some announced candidates, others who have made their intentions known but haven't officially announced and others yet who, sadly, are playing political games with their announcement and position in an effort to maintain the status quo and continue to serve special interest both inside and outside the city government.
While the individuals who are in the latter category should be ashamed of themselves, it is becoming increasingly clear that ethics, political morals, concern for the citizens of this city and reasonable dialogue has absolutely no place in the "buddy-buddy" universe that some people have built through their illicit, illegitimate and warrantless shenanigans.
This is not the time or place to name names. They--and everyone who is not beholden to or endeavoring to become part of the boondoggle and is paying attention -- know who they are. But just know this. I know who you are as well.
The river is deep and the banks are more eroded than even I -- who goes into every situation assuming everybody is a crook until I find out otherwise -- could have imagined. Shocked, stunned and dismayed to the point of not having come to grasp with my next move, I find myself in a very unfamiliar position.If, as they say, the proof is in the pudding, then I am going to have to eat a lot of pudding in the next few weeks.
The deadline to file for local office is May 16. I would encourage ANYONE with $10 and the gumption to facilitate change to jump into the fray. Hell, I'll help you get petition signatures and rustle up the ten bucks.
But we need options. We need eyes and ears that are unafraid to see and hear the truth. We need deeply seeded and vested souls who have personal and financial investments in this community, not mercenary outsiders driven by rapacity, avarice and a desire to mold our community into their vision of a "different society" through whatever means necessary.
I got a response to a post last night that simply said "so dramatic!" when talking about some of these issues. Maybe I am. But unfortunately, the category of "drama" encompasses the sub-category of "tragedies" and we have too many Hamlet's and McBeth's either already on the stage or seeking to enter from stage left.
I have been hit with several other queries. some quie serious and others being made in what I perceive to be a sarcastic jest.
"Why don't you run yourself?"
Nope. For various reasons.
I have a hard enough time keeping my own skeletons in my own closet to offer myself up on a platter as a pariah for a cause. I have neither the patience or the willingness to wade through the sewage it would demand me enduring just to "get along".
Heads would literally roll. The fact that they haven't already is a testament to why this next election is so important. Heart attack, blind in one eye and amputations aside--and the fact that my truthful and largely unfiltered mouth would make me unelectable -- puts me in a position where I would rather clean Porta-Potty's for a living than endure one second as part of the system.
The first time someone started to try and run their BS on me, I would call them out rather than aiding and abetting the shoveling.
Secondly, the role I'm playing in attempting to provide checks and balances to a process where heretofore there has been none is who I am and who I longed to be for the past 45 years of my working life. Someone has to make a difference. Someone unmuzzled by corporate restraints, weak ethical considerations, and the almighty dollar.
What I seek and support are options,. I want good, honest people with a sense of community who are unfettered by special interest restraints and can function and exists outside of the "good 'ol boy" bubble. When I vote, I want the option of casting my ballot against the status quo rather than face a list of handpicked, unopposed candidates who are an extension o the problems and a hindrance to the solution.
Lest those of you that get to ride the wave until 2020 think you have a free pass, the effort is already underway to recruit opposition to your regime.
Saddle up, boys, It's gonna be a bumpy ride.