Mike Emery
Courtesy photo
A Fayetteville newscast director is so far the second resident to step forward with plans to replace departing Ward 4 Alderwoman Sarah Lewis, entering the City Council race in the Nov. 6 general election.
Mike Emery, 43, said he plans to issue a formal press release sometime in the next few days (Update: Here it is), but has been inviting Facebook users to ‘Like’ his campaign page for about a week.
Emery will join Alan Long in the race for the Ward 4, Position 2 seat.
Lewis said last month she will not seek a second, four-year term.
The filing period for City Council and other municipal candidates begins July 27.
Profile
Name: Mike Emery
Age: 43
Residency: Moved to Fayetteville in late January of 2007.
Employment: Newscast technical director at KNWA and Fox 24. Also reviews movies for Fox 24.
Education: Took classes during a 10-year enlistment in the United States Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, he entered the University of Oklahoma majoring in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Political Science.
Political Experience: None
Questions
What made you decide to seek election to the council? Is it something you’ve been considering for a while?
This decision came after a lot of thought on my part and encouragement from many people. I would like to see improvement in Ward 4 in general. The entire area has so much potential, but from all outward appearances it seems as thought it’s been largely ignored by the growth and improvement seen in other areas of the city.
Is there anything in particular that drove you to reside in Ward 4? How would you describe that part of town?
The reason I live where I live is simple. I have a home that I like, surrounded with neighbors that I am happy to call friends. Some of whom were friends before moving there. And as I mentioned before, there is so much potential in this part of town and I would welcome the opportunity to help move the area forward in improving the standard of living for everyone.
Are there any recent citywide or Ward 4 council decisions you agree or disagree with?
I believe that the biggest problem facing the city as a whole right now is our parking program. It’s not uniform and ultimately unfair to people who are trying to utilize the shops and establishments of the city, especially after raising the cost of parking tickets from $5 to $15 per violation. As for Ward 4, with the intersection of 540 running through it, there is so much we as a city could do in the area to entice people who may simply be passing through our city.
