Mayor-elect calls for unity, open city hall

Mayor-elect Joe McNeal says the first thing he wants to accomplish is to unite the city.

"I want to be the mayor of the whole city, not just those who voted for me," he said in an interview with the Mountain Home News following his victory in the run-off election Dec. 2.

He also said he fully understood the feelings Mayor Dave Jett was going through. "To Dave and his family, I wish them the best. It takes a lot to put yourself on the line and run for public office. I've been in his position twice, so I know.

"But the sun will come up tomorrow, and you learn a lot about yourself and the people around you" when you face defeat at the hands of the voters. McNeal, a former two-term city councilman, had run twice before for mayor, losing to Jett and former mayor Don Etter.

McNeal noted he had a lengthy agenda of projects he hoped to accomplish. "I want to put a team together of knowledgable people for each goal I have set," he said.

Stressing throughout the interview his belief in an open "people's government," McNeal said he intended to restore those city advisory boards that Jett had eliminated, "in order to provide input from the people," and "maybe put on some special ones" to improve two-way communication between city hall and the public.

"I want the involvement of our city's finest minds. I want to hear ideas."

But, he said, "I don't want those boards to be the only way to get ideas. My door will be open and our city government will be open, so that ideas can flow. That's how I'm going to try and accomplish the goals I set. I want them to be our goals, not my goals.

"We have a lot of knowledgable people in our community who have been handcuffed for a long time and now is the opportunity for them to stand up."

McNeal admitted "there is no way I can do this by myself. I am enlisting the help of the public, and I charge them with holding me accountable for the things I have talked to them about at the coffees, teas, forums and in large and small groups.

"I want to enlist the help of our city council. They are elected officials who also represent the people. I know that they will assist with our open government policy. The council is very important to the goals of the people.

"If we're united, we can go forward, because a united team is a strong team."

At the same time, he said, "I want a united team that's independent, that represents their views. I want intelligent debate on the issues," not yes men.

"If council is in total lockstep with me, then there are four good minds being wasted. I want us united that our priority will be the health and welfare of the people of Mountain Home, and I believe the council has that goal."

He said he wanted good debate on the issues from the council, then, once a decision is made, that all work to support it. "That's democracy at its best. I don't want chaos, but I do want free-thinking people."

McNeal said his number one priority would be addressing the problem of at-risk youth in the community. He said he would be meeting with law enforcement and court officials to develop and then implement his teen court concept.

Next, he said, would be meeting with the downtown merchants "to find out what the city can really do to assist them" in restoring the strength and vitality of the downtown core.

"That includes a business advisory team for the mayor. I'm sure there a lot of good new ideas out there, and some old ideas that are good and possible."

Literally within hours after his election, rumors had begun flying as to who or who would not be retained in the city government.

"I want to kill the rumors that city employees will lose their jobs. No city employee that wants to work with the new mayor and his open city government policy will lose their job. There are laws against it, number one, and if you are doing a good job, why would I want you to leave."

McNeal stressed that he could only control the appointments to the city department heads and his transition team was looking only at department heads, many of which he expected to keep.

"I can't say I'm going to have an open city government if I don't take resumes (from people who might be interested in and qualified for the jobs). My transition team will recommend, but I will make the final decision.

"The key will be their willingness to work with me and participate in our open city government, and their ability to do the job."

At the same time, he pointed out, "I don't have the final say." Any appointments he hopes to make, he noted, must be approved by the council.

McNeal will be sworn in on Jan. 12 during the city council meeting that begins at 6 p.m. That specific meeting will be moved from the regular council chambers to the commons area of the new junior high, to accommodate the public that wishes to be present. A gala celebration/dance will follow on Jan. 16 at the Elk's Lodge. "I don't want to call it a mayor's ball, because that implies you have to get all fancy," he said. "It will just be a celebration of our new, people's government."

McNeal also added that "I wish that my mentors, the people that believed in me for so many years, could have been here to see the seed that they planted, people like Addie Whitt, Frank Ulrey, Ann Hill, Bill Sanders, Rev. Stu Olbricht and his wife, Lenore. They were great mentors and I hope I can live up to their expectations. God bless them."

McNeal also thanked his family for their support and work on his campaign, his committees that worked the telephones and set up the teas and coffees where he met with the public, and the public "for their donations, their time and effort and the encouragement they gave me."