Vote “YES” to remove Mayor Jackie Sikes in November.
A project for over $1,100,000 for a new Fairfield Bay boating ramp was killed by Mayor Jackie Sikes.
Local business leader and former engineer Dale Gunter confirmed it happened. Former Mayor Paul Wellenberger also confirmed it happened.
Now we have an email from Congressman French Hill’s office suggesting that Mayor Jackie Sikes told them to stand down over negotiations to secure a $1.1 million project for Fairfield Bay even though they offered to write a letter of recommendation and support to make the funding happen. The email is photographed below.
$1.1 Million project Was Stalled By Mayor Jackie Sikes
Dale Gunter recently recorded a video that was released by Lake Area Weekly where he revealed Mayor Jackie Sikes abandoned his efforts to get a grant for a Fairfield Bay boating ramp.
According to Gunter, the grant would’ve been worth over $1,000,000 dollars:
“I’ve been working a project to improve boating access at Fairfield Bay Park for a year now… the estimated cost in 2023 for the project was $1.1 million. That project today will probably be $1.2 million.”
Gunter worked with Mayor Jackie’s office and asked her to give required documentation to allow the project funding to be secured. She refused to give the required paperwork:
“On October the 2nd, I addressed the city council’s workshop. It’s a matter of record on the Lake Area Weekly video, where I asked the mayor two questions: If she could deliver the lease and she could deliver an MOU for in kind service… to be able to have the grant prepared… She did not even have the courtesy to convey to me that she could not deliver the documents.”
Congressman’s Office Confirms Jackie Told Office To Stand Down
In an email by Jeff Pitchford, District Director, it is confirmed that Mayor Jackie Sikes asked the Congressman’s office not to help in pursuing the $1,100,000 grant event though help was offered.
Disturbingly, Jackie even suggested that she waiting on the City Council:
“We (Congressman Hill and the district office staff here in Little Rock) have had conversations with the Mayor about helping in any way we can. The Congressman had reached out to the Arkansas Department of Commerce for funding ideas (potential grants) concerning the park. We shared this with Mayor Sikes. In mid-February, we were told byt he Mayor to hold off due to an ordinance on spending towards the campground by the City Council. So we have not pursued anything further since then. We are willing to offer letters of support if there is a grant identified by the Mayor or others that the city wants to pursue for the park. We are willing to assist in the grant process if asked.”
You can view the email below:
This is just another example of the kind of miscommunication, whether intentional or not, that we have come to expect by our city’s current mayor.
She is actively preventing lawmakers at our state’s highest level from helping our city while passing blame to the city council. Hurting our city in the process.
We cannot allow this to continue. If Fairfield Bay is to grow and prosper, Mayor Jackie Sikes should be removed.
Vote "YES" to remove Mayor Jackie Sikes in November.