Karl Mounger
Age: 80
Notable: Born in Siloam Springs, graduated from Siloam Springs High School and attended John Brown University after serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Current chairman of the city planning commission. Also was on the school board for 14 years, was a member of the quorum court of Benton County and, among other posts, past president of the Kiwanis Club. Previously was a member of the city’s board of directors, including a term as vice mayor.
Q: Why are you running for the board of directors?
Mounger: Siloam Springs is growing and there are many things I’ve been involved in as far as planning. I’m
I’m happy with where the staff is and what we have planned, and I’d like to be able to see that these plans are carried through.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish while on the board?
Mounger: I don’t have anything too specific. I’m happy with what the city staff is planning. There are people unhappy saying the city is spending too much money, but Siloam Springs is growing. It’s not any fun when a policeman has to drive a car with 108,000 miles on it. We need to keep those vehicles up and also at the fire department. Our infrastructure, we need to keep that up, too, because we’ve got about 75 new homes going in here north of town and we’re getting ready to upgrade our waste water to keep up with the growth. This is what I would like to see maintained. The town is growing and we’ve got to keep up with it. We can’t just sit back.
Q: What makes you a strong candidate for the board?
Mounger: I’ve got a lot of experience being on boards, dealing with budget and planning being with the school board for 14 years, we built a lot of schools. I represented Siloam Springs on the county’s quorum court. There was a lot of things as far as sales taxes and other things that we worked through. … I’m a firm believer in paying our employees as much as we possibly can and I think city staff is on the right track. I’m for taxes, but people have to realize that you have to spend money to keep things up to date. I don’t see any reason to ask for more taxes. I’m in favor of keeping it where it is because we have a good base built.
Q: What do you love about Siloam Springs?
Mounger: I look as it as my hometown because I’ve been here since 1937, except for the four years I was away in the air force. I think it’s a nice little town and we didn’t have the problems when I was growing up, but I can see we’re getting closer now. The people. I love going down the street and seeing everyone and saying, “Hey, Karl, how are you doing?” and you’re like, ‘Hey, Jordan, Hey, Joe, how are you.” It’s great. You go into another town and people are looking straight ahead when they drive down the road. We have a friendly town. It’s a nice, little town and it’s been that way. We’re more cohesive, more together as far as doctors, nurses, lawyers, police department, fire department — they’re all here to help people and genuinely want to help people because it is such a great little town. This town does a great job of helping people in need with all of the community and civic clubs, our great school system, our facilities and all of the many great things this town has to offer.