Stroup New Mayor of Fayetteville

Fayetteville voters elected Mike Stroup as their new mayor on Saturday, May 1. According to the unofficial count, Stroup defeated Deb Dahlberg-Rowland by a vote of 75-50.

Stroup replaces Mayor Carl Marino, who did not run for reelection. Stroup said his main priorities will be to make the city government more transparent for citizens and to strengthen ties between the city and other local civic organizations.

“We’re certainly going to open up the city to more transparency with the citizens,” Stroup told the Record in an interview on Sunday. “I also want to work more with local groups like the Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce instead of being an opponent.”

Stroup said the City needs to upgrade some water and sewer lines to keep up with demand. He also advocated for building a sidewalk to Fayetteville ISD. Right now, students walking to and from school have to walk on the road dangerously close to traffic or in the grass ditch.

Stroup said he will work with the recently-formed Fayetteville Action Committee, a group of citizens concerned about 18-wheeler traffic in town.

“I want to assist the 18-wheeler group as much as the City can,” he said. “The City has been an opponent, almost, of the 18-wheeler group. I see us working together toward the goal of safer streets and perhaps reducing the numbers of 18-wheelers. Maybe we can at least compromise with someone over it, but again, working as a partner with local groups instead of an opponent.”

Stroup said he plans to reach out to leaders in other nearby towns to learn about his new role.

“We’ve seen in the newspapers lately, some of the problems in other cities,” Stroup said. “We need to train and be aware of those problems so we don’t do it in our town.

“I also want to draw on the knowledge of many of our citizens who have expertise in government or management,” Stroup added. “If we can make it a better-run government, that’s what we want.”

In the other City of Fayetteville elections, Cade Burks defeated incumbent Steve Pavlicek for Place 2 on the Council by an unofficial tally of 74-53. In Place 4, Emil Knodell defeated Glenda Sue Merritt 90-33. Place 4 incumbent Ronnie Pflughaupt did not run for re-election.