FORT SMITH - Three public servants were honored by their peers at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Fort Smith Board of Directors.
Mayor Sandy Sanders, along with Directors Don Hutchings and Tracy Pennartz were honored for their service with a brief reception before officials got down to business.
Sanders will retire following two four-year terms in the office. He told directors that he had a great team to work with during his eight years in the post.
“I want you to know we have great people working for the City. They are dedicated and strive to do the best job possible for the citizens of Fort Smith. The objective is to do the right thing for the City,” Sanders said in prepared remarks. “Our city administrator form of government is the best fit for Fort Smith, with a city professional operating day-to-day duties with the board of directors providing direction and policy decisions.Board members are dedicated and spend many hours working on behalf of the people of Fort Smith. Board members have to make hard decisions, but if we do what’s in the best interests of the City, we’ll be successful.”
Voters elected current State Representative George McGill to fill his shoes. This will mark the first time the city has had an African-American mayor in its’ history.
Hutchings, the longtime pastor of Fort Smith’s Evangel Temple had originally announced intentions to run in the 2018 Mayoral race, but withdrew earlier this year citing the demands of pastoring his church. At the time of his withdrawal, he left the door open to continuing his service down the road.
A former member of the Arkansas House, Pennartz expressed gratitude earlier in the year when she announced she would not run for re-election.
“I am grateful to the citizens of Fort Smith for giving me the opportunity to not only serve on the Board of Directors but also in the Arkansas Legislature as a state Representative for six years!” she said at the time.
Tuesday’s meeting was the last city board meeting of the 2018 calendar year.
