A little about me….

A Little about Me:

My goal in running for Bella Vista Councilor (or Alderman if you prefer) Ward 2, Position 2, is to make the City a better place to live and own property, building on and retaining its uniqueness and character using my 49+ years of governmental related work experience.    Having nearly completed my first 4-year term and having a career working directly for or providing consulting engineering services for cities and towns of all sizes.   This experience will allow me to draw from the organizational aspects and apply them to shaping and guiding Bella Vista in its still early stages of growth in local governance and development into a more mature city organization and structure.

I am a fiscal conservative and believe that less government is more beneficial to its residents;  after all, each of us is the "government" and each of us pays the (tax) bill for services....SO even the turn-back monies originally came out of our pockets, but was "filtered" by the state and/or by federal agencies before it was returned in the form of Grants or low interest loans.   However, because there are grant and loan programs “returning it as our money", I will encourage the Department Heads, Mayor and Council Members to take maximum advantage of any and all of those opportunities to augment Departmental & City budget(s) with any available funds.

I am a Licensed Professional Engineer with a degree in Civil Engineering.  During my career, I have been privileged with Appointments to planning commissions, boards of public works, boards of zoning adjustment, and in code enforcement adds to my perspective and approach of how I can best serve the unique needs of Bella Vista.

I am a member of Beautiful Savior Ev. Lutheran Church and have served as church council president for past 15 years and serve as the Financial Secretary.  Our congregation will celebrate its 25th anniversary in November.

While somewhat of a newcomer to this area (about 17 years ago, with two years serving as the water utility manager for the POA has given me many insights into the wide range of issues and challenges facing the city.   During that time, I negotiated two 20-yr, renewable, Water Purchase Agreements and directed the final design - construction – startup of the 5.2 mile long West Side Water Line connection to “Two-Ton” (BWRPWA) on AR-72 in Centerton,  a 2.0 MG Ground Reservoir and Water Booster Pumping Station at the Boreland Place location off Hiwasse Road, near Highland Blvd.   This experience afforded significant insight into the BVVPOA and the Bella Vista Village Developer’s relationship and with the city.

That work experience has allowed me to better understand and to distinguish the roles and functions of the BVVPOA and the Developer versus those the city needs to focus on.  In 2006, we supported the planning and efforts to achieve incorporation of the “Village” to become a “City” having self-rule in accord with Arkansas State Law.

 Prior to incorporation, the “Village” residents needed to rely upon Benton County Judge and JPs for local governance, which in many situations, what was best for Bella Vista did not equally benefit other county residents.  The new city was formed effective 01/01/2007 with an estimated population of 24,000+/- (based on POA water system customers).

 
I feel the city has been struggling with “what's important and what’s critical” to getting the city up and running.   Without a vision, its too easy to get bogged down with issues that will always follow implementing the foundations of city government, like a street department to properly care for our streets; and thereafter, the scheduling for needed street maintenance programs.  

Bella Vista consists of more than 320 Platted Subdivisions that create more than 38,250 (residential) Lots, plus unplatted lands owned by the developer and other privately owned lands.  The 550 miles +/- of streets in Bella Vista are a combination of Platted Streets created within the subdivisions plus connecting roads thru some of the private lands.   The condition of the 550 +/- miles of public streets range from less than gravel roads to smooth pavements, and everything in between.

 Larry Wilms – Alderman, Ward 2 – Position 2; Bella Vista