Commissioner makes bid for council

FAYETTEVILLE — A math instructor and real estate agent who sits on the Planning Commission wants to make the shift to the City Council.

Sloan Scroggin, 34, will seek the Ward 3 seat filled by Justin Tennant, who has held the spot since 2011. Tennant isn’t seeking re-election.

Scroggin was appointed to the Planning Commission last year. He has been a math instructor at the University of Arkansas since 2012, and during that time became a licensed real estate agent. He’s lived in the city about 10 years.

Scroggin received his master of economics from the university in 2009. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock before that.

Scroggin has a background in construction. His family owns and operates Scroggin Custom Homes in Little Rock, for which Scroggin put in tile, hardwood, trim and yards. He also dealt with clients and sold houses.

Wa r d 3 encompasses northeast Fayetteville. It includes College Avenue north of Township Street, Crossover Road north and southwest of Mission Boulevard, Root School, Butterfield Elementary, Gulley Park and Lake Fayetteville.

Scroggin said his background will enable him to see diverse points of view. The city’s growth is inevitable, Scroggin said, considering Fayetteville routinely makes national lists of the top places to live. Managing that growth responsibly is key going forward, he said.

“It would be great if we’re still on those Top 5 lists 20 years from now,” Scroggin said. “It’s hard. When you make those lists, people want to come. Then you’ve got to deal with that.”

The city’s facilities for its Police and Fire departments need to be adequate for the growth, Scroggin said.

He wants to improve walkability throughout the northeast part of the city, especially around parks.

Available jobs should match the talent and qualifications of the city’s workforce, Scroggin said. Further developing partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce, Startup Junkie and the Northwest Arkansas Council will help create those jobs, he said.

“You have people working in fast food with bachelor’s degrees, some with masters,” Scroggin said. “They need to be in jobs that match those qualifications.”

Scroggin lives in a neighborhood south of JJ’s Beer Garden and Brewing Co., which has come through the Planning Commission several times with amendments to its permit for Thursday night concerts. Establishments such as JJ’s are good for the city, but they need to be compatible with their surroundings, Scroggin said.

Scroggin is married and the father of a 5- year- old daughter and 2-year-old son.

Scroggin