Mike Wiederkehr (Fayetteville City Council Ward 2 Position 2, Arkansas, candidate 2024)

Mike Wiederkehr

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Fayetteville City Council Ward 2 Position 2

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Loyola University New Orleans, 1978

Graduate

Woodbury University, 2007

Personal

Birthplace

Fort Smith, Ark.

Profession

Administrator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Mike Wiederkehr ran for re-election to the Fayetteville City Council Ward 2 Position 2 in Arkansas. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Wiederkehr completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Mike Wiederkehr provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 9, 2024:

• Birth date: October 30, 1956
• Birth place: Fort Smith, Arkansas
• Bachelor's: Loyola University New Orleans, 1978
• Graduate: Woodbury University, 2007
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Administrator
• Prior offices held:
  • City Council Member (2022-2024)
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes
• Campaign slogan: Experience matters! Grow in a manner that keeps Fayetteville special.
• Campaign website
• Campaign Facebook

Elections

General election

General election for Fayetteville City Council Ward 2 Position 2

Incumbent Mike Wiederkehr and Jesse Buchanan ran in the general election for Fayetteville City Council Ward 2 Position 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Mike Wiederkehr (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jesse Buchanan (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Wiederkehr in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Mike Wiederkehr completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wiederkehr's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Attended Loyola University in New Orleans, and after working for four years, returned to graduate school at the University of North Texas. I was hired by the City of Fort Worth, Texas. I subsequently was offer a position at the City of Glendale, CA where I worked for the next 30 years in 8 position across 5 different operations: Human Resources, Economic Development, Building & Safety, Recycling & Waste Management, and Public Works Administration. I earned a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Woodbury University in Burbank, CA, and was made a Public Works Leadership Fellow by the American Public Works Association, their highest honor. I retired in 2017 and my wife Lee Anne and I returned to our beloved Arkansas. Fayetteville was our first and only choice for its art and culture, natural beauty, live music, and quality of life. We immediately began volunteering when we arrived. I served on the board of the Washington County Historical Society, was appointed to the City of Fayetteville's Environmental Action Committee, then to the Planning Commission, and finally was elected to the City Council when an incumbent resigned one year into their four-year term. I am seeking re-election to the position I current fill.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Experience matters! I bring 32 years of managerial experience in municipal operations across a variety of departments. I understand how cities function, and more importantly, what residents expect of their local government.
• I believe that maintaining and enhancing the quality of life of existing residents should be the number one goal of City Council members, and succeeded in getting our Council to adopt its priority last year. Keeping Fayetteville special amidst rapid growth is a challenge which requires taking the long view in the decisions we make.
• Housing is our number one need in Northwest Arkansas, the nation, and in Fayetteville. And while infill housing is desirable, it cannot meet the growing need. This month we plan to rezone the land along College Avenue, our 71B Corridor. For the first time since the early 1970's housing will be permitted where only commercial uses are allowed today. This is the most logical place to enable truly dense, verticle housing, as water & sewer utilities already exist, mass transit is available, and the area is already impervious due to existing parking lots. Whether apartments for rent or condos for purchase, this is the best opportunity for significant affordable housing to be constructed.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm particularly passionate about three areas of policy: Preserving our natural environment, clean water, and tree canopy in particular; maintaining and expanding our infrastructure (roads, water, and sewer) to support the production of housing; and keeping the quality of life in our community as our number one goal with each decision we make as a City Council.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Anything by Economist Peter Temin but especially his "The Vanishing Middle Class"; "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis; "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" by Thomas Piketty; "The Social Animal" by David Brooks; "These Truths" and "This America" by Jill Lepore; and "Missing Middle Housing" by Daniel Parolek.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Willingness to do your homework and show up prepared to conduct the people's business versus winging it or pursuing a narrow, self serving agenda. We receive 1,700-1,800 pages per month of agenda materials and reports. It's critical for officials to keep up and understand what is happening in their community and in their own organization.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

32 years of actual municipal government experience and the ability to do complex math and research is a helpful combination.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

1. To listen to the public. There is so much pent up demand to be heard.

2. To do your homework, read agenda reports, budgets, and planning documents.
3. To attempt to balance your own opinion with that of your constituents who are diverse and broad in their perspectives.

4. And finally, to act in the best interest of the community, and in a manner which is never self serving.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I'd love to be known for leaving things better than I found them, and treating all people with respect.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I survived the 2010 Metrolink commuter train head-on collision with a freight train in Chatsworth, CA which left 25 dead and 133 injured. Physical injuries have been a challenge, but I am so appreciative of being a survivor of the worst passenger train wreck in US history.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Absolutely. The learning curve is steep and real if someone has never been involved with local government operations. We operate public utilities, a Police force and Fire department, trash collection, public parks and recreation programs, operate wastewater treatment plants and public water facilities, deliver social services via federal funding, operate Planning and permitting functions, administer $220 million in public bond projects and have a $260 million annual public budget - none of which are things you experience in the private sector.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Empathy, a willingness to listen, thick skin,

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

Our City Council has two primary functions: Setting policy by means of adopting city ordinances, and appropriating funding. Money can't be spent without our approval.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Absolute financial transparency is non-optional.

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Fayetteville City Council Ward 2 Position 2

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