Shaddox running for council seat
• Background Dylan Shaddox was brought to Bella Vista in 1994, shortly after he was born in California in 1993, and has lived in town since then.
He worked at Walgreens in Bella Vista for six years and is currently working at the Walmart Home Office.
Shaddox said he likes to volunteer in the community, and he participated in the 2016 citizens police academy. He’s also on the POA’s community involvement committee.
Shaddox said he’s running for the Ward 1, Position 2, seat on the council because he wants to work for the community.
“I’ve always wanted to serve my community,” he said.
Transparency and communication are crucial, he said, and his experience handling the payroll budget at Walgreens should translate well.
“I can be financially responsible,” he said. • On City Council
Shaddox said a member of the city council should be looking out for residents’ best interests.
“To protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents,” he said. “To listen to residents and see what is best for the city.”
Shaddox said he has three primary focal points if he gets the term, including
supporting infrastructure in the city, economic development and supporting volunteer work.
A city-organized team of volunteers could potentially deal with trash and help keep the city attractive, he said. While he appreciates existing volunteer groups, Shaddox said the city could allow for a greater degree of coordination. • The Issues
Shaddox said one of the biggest challenges facing the city is building a new city hall and police department to replace the aging structure at Towncenter.
Another issue, he said, is that there are more children in Bella Vista, but the city only has one elementary school. Some other schools are close, he said, but not in town.
There is space on a Bentonville School District property off Ford Springs Road, he said, for another elementary, middle school and junior high that could host students from Bella Vista.
“The city would have to work with the city of Bentonville, the state and, of course, the Bentonville School District,” he said.
Going door-to-door, he said, a lot of residents have expressed concerns about permit fees from both the city and the architectural control committee.
“People would like to see that changed,” he said.
The relationship between the city and POA should be tight, he said.
“They probably should be talking every week,” he said.
Council members and board members should have a good working relationship, he said.
“Transparency is huge when it comes to that,” he said.
The top priority when preparing for growth is going to be maintaining city streets, he said, to provide access to Bella Vista’s amenities for residents and guests.
The city has to work with the state to improve U.S. Highway 71, he said. Though, when the bypass is complete, it should ease some of Bella Vista’s traffic.
Economic development and infrastructure are tightly linked, he said.
“If we get more businesses, that’s more tax base. That can improve our streets,” he said.