Businessman runs for council

SPRINGDALE — Pete Lampros is making his first foray into politics with a run for a Ward 1 council seat. Ward 1 is the northwest part of Springdale.

He is seeking the Position 1 seat of Jim Reed, who has announced he will not seek re-election.

Lampros, 50, has lived in Springdale since January 2016. He’s a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and recently was involved in a residents’ group opposed to building the city’s new animal shelter in J.B. Hunt Park.

He said he decided to run for City Council because he thinks decisions are being made without answering all the important questions about the issues.

“We are a city of about 70,000 people, and the city of Springdale needs services,” he said. “There’s money to be spent, but it must be done responsibly and with oversight — the same way we handle our household budget.”

Lampros is a national account manager for a sales territory for Tyson Foods and said he sees Springdale through the lens of a businessman.

“I think our biggest concern in Springdale is probably our growth,” he said. “I’m hearing that maybe we will double in size in the next three to five years. We’re facing explosive growth.”

He said the key is economic development. He wants to bring more businesses, higher paying jobs in the tech industry and people to fill those jobs to Springdale.

“That will mean more tax money going into the coffers to run the machine that is Springdale,” he said. “Then we can provide the things the community wants, like parks and beautification projects.”

City Council members earn $10,200 per year. The nonpartisan election will be held Nov. 6.

Lampros