08/15/2026
BLACK ROCK CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM - PUBLIC INVITATION
Kathy Robertson and Jennifer Archer are both candidates for Black Rock City Council, Ward 2, Position 2, and I would like to publicly invite BOTH of them to participate in a citizen-hosted Candidate Forum at Black Rock City Hall before the election.
First, we need to hear from YOU the citizens.
City of Black Rock Arkansas citizens: What day and time would give the most people an opportunity to attend? Weeknight? Saturday? Sunday afternoon?
Once we figure out what works best for our citizens and both candidates, I'll see about reserving City Hall.
Many of us already know Kathy and Jennifer personally or know their families. But knowing someone around town isn't necessarily the same as knowing how that person would govern.
So rather than rumors, assumptions, Facebook opinions, or somebody else telling us who deserves our vote, let's hear directly from THEM.
This isn't intended to be a gotcha session or an opportunity to attack either woman. Think of it as a JOB INTERVIEW conducted by the citizens they're asking to represent.
Tell us why you're running. What do you love about Black Rock? What's working? What needs improvement? What would YOU bring to the City Council? Where do you want Black Rock to be five or ten years from now?
Right now, I honestly don't know which one would make the better council member. Do y'all?
Let's hear from BOTH of them and let them earn our votes.
Topics should include things that actually affect Black Rock, including but certainly not limited to:
* City finances, budgets and spending
* Water and sewer infrastructure
* Streets, roads, drainage, ditches and culverts
* Taxes and proposed tax increases
* Transparency, FOIA and public records
* Communication between City Hall and citizens
* Public safety, police and fire services
* Emergency preparedness and public notification
* Economic development and GROWING Black Rock
* Attracting new businesses and supporting the ones we have
* Population loss and attracting families and new residents
* Grants, outside funding, and state and federal resources
* Abandoned and nuisance properties
* City services, ordinances and code enforcement
* City employee accountability
* Long-term infrastructure planning
* Parks, recreation and community resources
* Conflicts of interest and recusal
* Citizen participation in city government
* Nepotism and Conflict of interest
* Responsibilities and authority of the City Council
* The relationship between the mayor and City Council
* Oversight of taxpayer money
* And the overall future of Black Rock
Bring your questions to the forum. Leave them in the comments, or PRIVATE MESSAGE them to me if you don't want your name attached. Privately submitted questions can remain anonymous.
Citizens attending that night will also have an opportunity to submit questions.
Both candidates will be treated equally with the same questions, time limits and opportunity to answer.
WHAT ABOUT THE MAYOR AND OTHER CITY OFFICIALS?
This forum is specifically for the contested Ward 2, Position 2 City Council race between Kathy Robertson and Jennifer Archer.
The mayor isn't running against either candidate, so he won't be part of this candidate panel or answering questions for them. However, the mayor, current council members, city officials and EVERY Black Rock citizen are absolutely welcome and encouraged to attend.
On this night, though, we should want to hear from Kathy and Jennifer themselves since we, the citizens will decide on who is elected.
If there's interest in a separate citizen Q&A with the mayor or other city officials later, I'm certainly not opposed to that either.
And one last thing.
I hear people say all the time how much Black Rock means to them.
Here's our opportunity to SHOW it.
Not just Kathy and Jennifer.
ALL OF US.
Let's show up. Let's ask thoughtful questions. Let's listen to the answers.
I'll make sure our local newspapers and news outlets know about the forum once the date and details are confirmed. Local elections matter, and I'd love for people to see Black Rock citizens actively participating in the future of their community.
And let's make it welcoming. If City Hall allows it, we'll have coffee, tea and a few snacks and sit down together as neighbors to talk about our town.
It can simply be BLACK ROCK SHOWING UP FOR BLACK ROCK.
So, Kathy Robertson and Jennifer Archer: This is a PUBLIC INVITATION to BOTH of you, and I genuinely hope you both accept.
Come tell us why you want to represent us. Tell us your ideas. Tell us your vision. Answer our questions and give us the opportunity to decide for ourselves who has earned our vote.
BLACK ROCK, please help make sure BOTH candidates receive this invitation. I don't know whether either candidate can see my posts, so screenshot this, share it, tag them if you can, or send it directly to Kathy AND Jennifer.
LIKE, COMMENT AND SHARE so other Black Rock citizens see it too.
If Black Rock means as much to us as we all say it does, here's our chance to prove it by showing up and putting our best foot forward for the people we're asking to represent us.
Bring your questions. Bring your ideas. Bring your concerns. And bring your hopes for where this little town goes next.
Let's err on the side of transparency, hear directly from BOTH women, and make an informed decision at the ballot box.
What day and time works best for YOU? What topics have I missed? What questions do YOU want answered?
And once we get this thing scheduled...
WHO'S COMING?
