David Parsons touted his experience as a leader in the private and public sectors, Brent Hammonds his ability to bring people together for a more inclusive government, and Kevin Quinn his vision to move Bartlett in the right direction for the next 10-15 years at a mayoral forum Monday night, Sept. 19.
The three candidates are vying to become mayor of Bartlett, the first new mayor the city will have in 20 years following the tenure of Keith McDonald.
A full house of about 350 people filled the Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center for the first of two mayoral forums sponsored by the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Bartlett Alumni Association. The second forum will be held Monday, Oct. 17, from 6-8 p.m. at the same venue.
The three candidates fielded questions posed by event organizers and then several from the audience.
Asked what qualifies each candidate to be Bartlett’s mayor, Hammonds said he is “the boots on the ground,” having dealt with citizens in all kinds of situations as a Bartlett police officer for 25 years.
“I’m honest. I have integrity. I’m loyal. I’m invested in our community,” Hammonds said. “I plan to surround myself with good leadership, with people who can come together as a team for the future of our city.”
Quinn, a digital media specialist at the Museum of Science & History and partner of Quinn Family Farm LLC, said he has always been a hands-on manager and the city’s form of government, which puts the mayor in charge of a lot of day-to-day operations, plays to his strengths.
“Nobody knows everything, and we all need to come together particularly with a new set of aldermen,” said Quinn, who has been an alderman since 2020. “We need to take a good look at what’s going on in Bartlett and what everyone wants from their city. Because when it comes down to it, we’re here to serve the people of Bartlett and that’s what I want to do, and give you the type of government that you want.
“I believe in the last couple of years I’ve learned what that type of government is, which is transparent and responsive to you.”
Parsons, who has run his own construction company for 35 years and served as a Bartlett alderman since 2003, said he believes it takes some business experience to run a city with an annual $94 million budget.
“As a business owner I’ve managed and signed both sides of the check, which I think is very important for someone who is going to be the chief administrative officer,” he said. “One of the traits a builder has to have is to be a multi-tasker. He has to manage people, he has to manage tasks, he has to work on a timeline, and he has to support everything. At the end of the day, he is responsible for everything, such as a mayor.”
The candidates covered a lot of ground. A recording of the forum will be uploaded to the social media sites of the Bartlett Chamber so anyone can listen to everything the candidates said. The chamber’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/BartlettAreaChamber.
The second forum on Oct. 17 is supposed to dig into more policy questions, so make plans to attend that forum at 6 p.m.
A fourth candidate for mayor, John Lackey, will be on the ballot Nov. 8. He was invited to participate in the forum but did not attend.
