4 City Council seats challenged on ballot

Nine candidates are vying for a seat on the Pine Bluff City Council.

Pine Bluff has eight council members, and every two years, half of those positions — one from each of the four wards — come up for election.

All of the candidates running for the positions are running on the Democratic ticket. Candidates running as independents could file later this year and be on the ballot in the November general election.

The Commercial submitted several questions to the candidates regarding their decision to run — or run again — for office.

To read their responses, click on the ward you are interested in.

WARD 1

Lloyd Holcomb Jr., who holds

the Ward 1, Position 1 seat, is being challenged by Marlette Boales. Holcomb is chair of the council’s Administration Committee and also serves on the Ordinances and Resolutions, Development and Planning, and Public Safety committees. Boales is a finance assistant at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services.

WARD 2

Steven Shaner seeks to retain

his seat in Ward 2, Position 1, in his race against Yvonne Denton. Shaner chairs the Public Health and Welfare Committee and serves on the Community Development and Public Works committees. Denton is a longtime schoolteacher. (Shaner did not return the questionnaire.)

WARD 3

The Ward 3, Position 1 race

has the most candidates with three: incumbent Glen Brown Sr., William Fells and Kenneth Gray Sr. Brown chairs the Community Development Committee and serves on the Administration and Public Health and Welfare committees. Fells recently served as special projects coordinator under Mayor Shirley Washington. Gray is a pastor and employee of Evergreen Packaging.

WARD 4

In Ward 4, Bruce Lockett

is seeking reelection to Position 2 as he runs against Mar’Tavius Proctor. Lockett is chair of the Development and Planning Committee and serves on the Community Development and Ways-and-Means committees. Proctor is a recent graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff who interned with the Pine Bluff Police Department and state Democratic Party. (Lockett did not return the questionnaire.)