Mayor’s Facebook Live segment causes concern in the community

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Stephanie Root

On Friday, April 3, Mountain Home Mayor Rich Sykes held a question and answer segment on Facebook Live pertaining to the current Coronavirus Pandemic, Governor Brad Little's Stay-at-Home Order and the city's response. That segment caused a whirlwind of conversations throughout the community and later the region and even has some citizens calling for the recall of the mayor who began his second term in January. In a follow-up statement, also released through Facebook Live, Mayor Sykes said that he had spoken out of frustration while presenting solutions “on the fly” to citizens concerned that the community hasn't been doing enough to social distance themselves and help stop the spread of the virus. People shopping for nonessential items such as makeup or lottery tickets.

Another frustration that has been brought up to small town officials throughout the state is the influx of out of county plates coming into their area for outdoor recreation or to do their grocery shopping. Limited resources and a smaller patient to doctor ratio has left these communities less than their normally friendly selves when welcoming tourists.

During the first Facebook Live Mayor Sykes voiced his concerns and frustrations.

“If everyone continues to horse around and go to this store or that store, I’m going to shut everything down and that means restaurants, coffee shops, everything,” Sykes said. For the full story, pick up a copy of the Mountain Home News or click on this link to subscribe to the newspaper's online edition.

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His rebuttal video did not accurately portray the events of his first video. He was not answering questions when he held up the proposed ordnance and threatened to shut HIS city down using HIS police force. This is not the first time he has spoken in public out of frustration. He has done this during HIS city council meetings when him and others on the council did not agree on items. He was bluntly rude to a council member when they questioned issues that were going on with the Library. As many have stated on social media, do we really need/want a city leader to speak out of frustration as often as he has done? While he maybe the Mayor, he is not my Mayor.

-- Posted by B Mullen on Thu, Apr 9, 2020, at 2:14 PM

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