The following is about Jerry Ponder and his plans for Benton, should he become elected as Mayor in 2018.
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JERRY PONDER
ABOUT PONDER:
Jerry Ponder moved his family to the city of Benton, AR 17 years ago. One of the primary reasons they chose to settle in Benton was because of the school district. They wanted their 6 children to have the best educational opportunity around while also being in a safe and welcoming community. Being able to see the same friends at school and at church was an added bonus that made Benton the obvious choice.
In the 17 years that Jerry has lived in Benton he has proven himself in his position at First Security Bank where he is now a Vice President, served as an Alderman for the city of Benton for 12 years, and presided as the Chairman of the city’s finance committee for the past 9 years.
In order for Benton to continue it’s growth, there must be proactive measures taken to address city-wide issues. Streets and drainage concerns, educational support, public safety, and business incentives to name a few. The only way Benton can maintain a proactive position is to hit the ground running from day one. This requires a candidate with experience, knowledge, and expertise in municipal political operations. There is no time to wait for our mayor to learn how to do the job, they must be ready right now. Benton needs someone who can start building a stronger Benton as soon as he sets foot in the office.
PONDER’S PLAN:
PROACTIVE GROWTH
Jerry wants Benton to continue to be progressive and proactive while still being fluid enough to react to opportunities or events that might present themselves unexpectedly.
STREETS & DRAINAGE
Jerry plans to explore new opportunities to address streets and drainage issues. The City Council created a list that prioritized streets and drainage problems of a combined $25 million. The street department does an excellent job and we must work to find new ways to solve our streets and drainage problems.
RIVERSIDE PARK
April 1 marked the one year anniversary of Riverside Park. Benton Utilities contributed water, sewer, and electricity for the facility until October 1, 2017. The city has not yet had a large enough sample size to know with certainty what costs will routinely be. The same can be said for rental use, membership revenue, advertising sales, and other revenue streams. It is imperative that it is monitored very closely.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Benton must continue to be vigilant in keeping the City safe. Providing our first responders with the tools they need to succeed will help maintain a lower crime rate which attracts families looking for a place to call home.
EDUCATION
Jerry is very proud of the educational opportunities offered for the kids of Benton. The school district is one of the primary reasons he chose to live here.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
When a new business opens in the city then people spend their money there, jobs are created, paychecks are earned, and the money cycles throughout our City. Benton must continue to look for ways to improve businesses development in order to strengthen our tax base.PROACTIVE GROWTH
Jerry wants Benton to continue to be progressive and proactive while still being fluid enough to react to opportunities or events that might present themselves unexpectedly.