Today is Part 6 of our “Candidate Conversations”, which is a six (6) part series that began last Friday and ends today. The candidates answers to the leftover questions are presented to you during this series.
Today’s first question is:
Describe your overall management style and how you will use it as Crossett’s Mayor?
Dale Martinie:
The rarest form of leadership would be a commodity without ego! In all honesty, my management style is a blend. I will normally accomplish the goal or task utilizing my leadership skills in what I consider to be a style of democracy. Initially, I want to ask “what do you think” first after discussing the action plan. I want to consider the employee or committee member’s opinions so that all avenues are pursued and all possible solutions are vetted. Utilizing this mode of management facilitates good communication, collaboration and participation. My leadership style can also blend into a coaching mode. If needed, teaching new skills and improving their existing skills may be the proper direction. I think it is critical to have an internal talent pool that can be utilized to handle large projects. I also believe that it is crucial to build our base and promote competent employees whenever we can instead of hiring outside unless we just have to. With all of that stated, I feel it is crucially important that we hold people accountable by measuring success or failure. We must have a prioritized plan and should be able to explain discrepancies. This is where good communications are imperative. After 40 years in varying leadership roles, I have been faced with many challenges and have probably utilized every form or style there is. Experience has allowed my failures and accomplishments to mold me into the person that I am. I also know that I have learned from every single experience as well. As your Mayor, I will utilize my Leadership experience and honed skills to pull our city employees together and work closely with our citizens to continue the Crossett push towards unity and pride.
Sarah Hollimon:
I am an uplifter who encourages accountability and integrity in both personal and professional efforts. Our work is a reflection of ourselves, and when I find myself in leadership positions I put effort into instilling this in those I lead.
Along the way mistakes will be made, and I use those mistakes as teachable moments. How better to improve ourselves than learning from those intances where we are not our best selves?
As a management figure, I use positive reinforcement and constructive criticism to cultivate productive teams whose eyes I work on keeping focused on a common goal. In this case, the goal of all those I would represent would be to uplift Crossett. No position in that endeavour is more or less important than the next. I work to keep all team members conscious of their importance.
I value individual creative problem solving and encourage employees to share their ideas and thoughts. Then together we either find a way to utilize their thoughts and ideas or we figure out how to tweak the idea to make it work for the common goal.
As mayor of Crossett, I would enlist these philosophies through constant communication with a balance of freedom for individuals to use their own work style to complete tasks. Town hall meetings would be scheduled and become a fixture in the way Crossett is lead. Not only would all be welcome in the office, all would be welcome to join me as I move through the city on a daily basis to put my workboots on the ground helping push Crossett forward through actual work as my management style also relies heavily on the fact that I do not ask people to do tasks I am not willing to do or at least try to do myself.
David Newberry:
My management style is best defined by the word “servant.” It is my opinion that my role will be to inspire, motivate and encourage the city employees and citizens. I will bring a very positive attitude to every table, meeting and conversation. An employee of the city will never need to fear me. Everyone needs to be around an encourager, and that is who I am and how I will manage my job. As a servant I have the attitude of working for others rather than them working for me.
The people I employed at my Insurance Agency will all tell you that throughout their time working with me I never fussed or complained. If they needed help, I gave it to them. If they needed correction, I helped them learn a better way, but it was all accomplished through inspiration and encouragement. As some would put it today, that’s the way I roll.
I see myself as a servant to the people of Crossett. I will not be a Boss, Dictator or Control Freak. I will want people to address me by my name rather than call me Mayor. A title is not important and it should be used infrequently. Most people who know me call me by my name or add the name “Brother.” When you become a Pastor, everyone starts calling you by the name Brother, and I certainly don’t mind.
So, my style of management is quite simple. I will be an encouraging, motivating and inspiring servant for the employees of the city and the citizens of Crossett.
Kevin Cosby:
Everyone deserves respect. As Mayor, being a team leader is more than supervising, it is being involved and active, supportive of the needs and understanding of the various situations. To work side by side with the members of our community to accomplish goals while being able to establish trust, earn respect, and further commitments for progress. I’ll work side by side with the employees who are doing the hard work and dirty jobs. I’ll roll up my sleeves and dig in when needed. Operating equipment, cleaning ditches, doing maintenance, or whatever is required to help out. I’ll do more than attend meetings and take calls. I’ll be a Mayor of action and will seek results. I’ll be talking with community members to resolve issues and seek solutions. Transparency is essential to establishing trust and allowing a more informed decision by the community members. City employees will be encouraged to make suggestions and allowed opportunities to advance. Promotions and advancements are positive reinforcement and should be celebrated to encourage a more involved work program. As Mayor, I want to create a sense of importance for every employee, committee member, board member, and council member. Many of these individuals give countless hours of their lives for little or no pay and should be recognized for their roles. I will encourage the next generation to become more active and involved by working more closely with our youth to develop programs that will better impact their lives. I look forward to serving Crossett and working with everyone to help build a better tomorrow.
Vote #4 Kevin Cosby Cosby for Crossett
Crystal Marshall:
Servant leadership is what we need today, and it is the leadership style I strive to emulate.
Author Ken Blanchard explained servant leadership well when he said it is “…all about making the goals clear, then rolling up your sleeves and doing whatever it takes to help people win”.
The times in which we find ourselves, calls for leaders who will bring people together, give them drive to strive for excellence, and hold themselves and their teams accountable.
I have always looked up to and admired servant leaders who influence others to be their best. While working at Wal-Mart, I saw Sam Walton’s practice of this leadership style firsthand. He achieved the maximum team synergy through putting together great teams and inspiring them to achieve unprecedented results.
The foundation for my leadership with this team began long ago. One thing I knew immediately as a newly sworn in councilmember was that I needed to learn about the intricacies of municipal law and government and how they differ from the private sector. My first month in office I attended the Arkansas Municipal League Conference and began my education on municipal affairs. During the first conference, I began the classes offered by the AML and received my certified municipal office certification my first year in office. I have recertified every year. My training is extensive and is vital to the role of a municipal official to ensure the City of Crossett is protected.
I’ve demonstrated my leadership abilities by advocating for and listening to the employees, and taking the time to understand their roles which contribute to the success of Crossett. I made time to learn their departmental tasks and what goes into doing each of their jobs. I asked questions eagerly seeking to learn how to better serve the employee team and the city. I recognized that the employees wanted to be heard, but I also knew that I was not the expert in all of these areas. The department heads walked me through their day to day business. I actually spent a work day with each of them, which gave me the opportunity to see our employees at work. Each proudly showed me the accomplishments of their respective departments and we discussed the challenges of the job as well.
I believe there is nothing that motivates more than accountability. A team and each of its members function at our optium when we are held to consistent standards. Committed to this belief, in 2018, with input from the department heads, we implemented a program so all employees would have a written job description and regular performance evaluations. This was the start of a foundation for a trust based relationship. It’s a reflection of my belief that together we must work to prompt and inspire each other and the entire team to serve the citizens of Crossett.
Prior to my role in Crossett, I honed my leadership skills in the corporate world at Wal-Mart. After putting myself through college and earning a degree in Computer Information Science, I spent ten years in Wal-Mart’s Information Systems Department. There I led several teams of nearly 100 people and worked on several multi-million dollar international projects. I have extensive experience in project management, people management, budgeting, system design and problem solving. The skills I learned in this role have certainly been exercised well during my service as Mayor.
Our 2nd and final question for this series is:
Why do you want to be the Mayor of Crossett:
Dale Martinie:
I have chosen to enter this Mayoral race for what I believe to be, the right reasons. I am running because I want Crossett to grow, prosper and be successful. I am not utilizing this opportunity as a job interview because I have lost the passion for what I am presently doing nor am I in search of the glory of this very prestigious position. I want Crossett to hold a special place in anyone’s heart that visits our great town. I want my children to love our town as much as Dianna and I so that they will want to stay here and run the family business. To do this, we must make changes to show that the people living in Crossett really do care and take pride in what we have. The majority of the positive comments that we hear are about the “Good Old Days of Crossett” and what it used to be. We can certainly bring back our old vibes but must also continue to grow and attract additional citizens and businesses to make that happen.
I will work hard and with unwavering diligence when setting out to accomplish any task. My competitiveness will always drive me to work hard and with purpose. Those that know me know that I will not ask anyone to do anything that I won’t do myself. Sometimes it takes rolling up your sleeves and getting involved to understand the challenges. I am up for that challenge and willing to do what it takes to make it happen. The true issue here is that of commitment and integrity. I have made Crossett my home for over 30 years. I have children in school here and family that work here as well. There is no way that any of the candidates could want Crossett to prosper and improve any more than I do.
I am in the #1 position on your ballot. Martinie for Mayor
Please remember that It’s not about me, it’s about US!
Sarah Hollimon:
I am sure most if not all of y’all are familiar with the story of Jonah and the whale. It is the story I am living out as this campaign unfolds. The question is, why do I want to be Mayor of Crossett? The answer is less about what I want and more about what God wants.
As with all Divine Callings, the purpose and outcome of this one is not quite clear. I know I am Called to run. What happens with that run is God’s business to know, not mine. As His true and faithful yet imperfect follower, I threw my hat into the ring and stepped out on faith.
Here is what I DO know:
I love Crossett, Arkansas.
I will listen to hear what is best for her and act on what I hear.
I will embrace the needs of the community and work to get them fulfilled no matter what professional capacity I find myself in come August 12th.
May God bless this hometown with His will in the outcome of this race as well as in all tasks she faces.
David Newberry:
I told some close friends of mine two years ago when we first moved back to Crossett that I wanted to run for Mayor when Scott McCormick retired. I knew he wanted to retire in 2022 when his term ended. Little did any of us expect his passing so soon from this life.
Why do I want to be Mayor? A simple answer is, “I think I will be a good fit for the people of Crossett.” I love this town and its people. There are challenges ahead of us in cleaning up the city, finding businesses and companies to come to Crossett and bring jobs with them and making sure we use the resources we have in a frugal and competent way. All of these and more I believe I can accomplish with the help of the great people in Crossett.
I believe my best attribute is what I described in the previous question, and that is seeing myself as an inspiring, motivating and encouraging leader. We need great communication between the city government and the people, a skill I have enhanced over the years having been in the public arena for over 40 years. Another skill I’ve learned along the way is the ability to listen to people. All of us need someone to listen and care about our situation or problem. This is what I do. I’m also good at finding people who have skills to get the job done. I recognize great talent. All of these and many more enable me to empathize with people and motivates me to help them for the best.
If I am Mayor you will not see my picture on Facebook (or any other media-type site), and I will dread having my picture in the newspaper. But you will see my face at meetings, gatherings, socials, parades and festivals. I will be the one coming up to you, asking your name, hugging you or shaking your hand (after the Covid stuff is over, of course). I will be your friend, your neighbor and your confidant. It will be my mission in life to get to know as many of the people of Crossett as I can, and that is my goal. I hope you give me that opportunity and vote for me on or before August 11th.
Kevin Cosby:
I’d like to be Mayor of Crossett to help enact common sense solutions to many of our problems that have been allowed to grow for too long. As a hard working problem solver, I recognize many opportunities for improvements and money saving initiatives. I understand the needs of our youth and families. We have to do things differently to get a better outcome. I know the importance of action. Historic buildings, major green spaces, streets, alleys, gutters, ditches, infrastructure and equipment, all need improvements. I want to get busy working on these. I want to help the needy with programs and services. I can help the animals that are running loose and grow our pound and shelter to better handle the needs. To improve handicapped access to our amenities and around town with better sidewalks that are safe. I’ll develop more activities and events that better represent the needs of our community. I want to see our RV Park and Port area to be better developed. Place the Cabins from Yale out there to better accommodate visitors. I want to develop the old Zoo area in a more usable, family friendly area with community input. I don’t support putting cabins in the middle of it to disrupt a great area for the community to use and enjoy. I’ll partner with professional trail builders to build Mountainbike trails around Lucas and our city park. I’ll be active in the community with kids and youth. I’ll preserve our history and honor our past.
I won’t let the problems grow. When issues are brought to my attention, a plan of action will immediately be formed and implemented as efficiently as possible. Transparency allows a more informed public and input is good to make those decisions. I know I can enlist help of professionals from many walks of life to help. I look forward to working with local business leaders and creating opportunities to expand and recruit new business to Crossett. I know I can be a good servant to the people of Crossett and I look forward to serving you. God Bless Crossett!! Cosby For Crossett Please VOTE #4 Kevin Cosby.
Crystal Marshall:
We have only just begun to tap the incredible potential of this town! I want to lead Crossett as we polish our city and make it shine with the promise of what we can achieve together.
I am running for mayor because I believe my ability and experiences can make a difference. In the months since I was appointed Mayor, you have seen a new level of cooperation and teamwork at City Hall. You have seen projects started and ones already seen through to completion. You’ve read and heard me speak about my dreams for families and businesses for the last several months. Now I’m ready to continue to work for you as we move forward together.
Even before this campaign you have known me through my volunteer work in the schools, in Junior Auxiliary, on City Council, and as the champion of so many of our city projects. You know my leadership style is one that is born of a grateful and enthusiastic heart. I want Crossett to continue to rise up! I want to lead as we earn our place as a municipal leader in Arkansas. I want us to build the future of Crossett for our children and grandchildren by working together.
It is this mission that drives and motivates me. I believe that by working together, Crossett can be a leader in our state and be the place more families, businesses and citizens call home. Are you ready to work with me to make it happen? Together we can!
Thank you to all of you who have “tuned in” for this 6-Part Series! We appreciate your support!
