Dardanelle, Arkansas
A neighbor who already does the work. Kurt has served Dardanelle on the City Council, chairs the committees that watch over public safety and our water system, and was chosen by his colleagues as President Pro Tempore for 2026.
Experience at the table. Ready to lead from the front.
About Kurt
Kurt Spears lives in Dardanelle and has spent years doing the unglamorous work of city government: showing up to meetings, reading the ordinances, asking the next question, and voting on the things that keep the lights on and the water running.
In January 2026 his fellow council members nominated and unanimously elected him President Pro Tempore, citing his years of service on the Council. That is not a campaign slogan. That is how the people who sit beside him every month described the job he already does.
Kurt’s family roots are here in the River Valley. He is running for mayor because Dardanelle deserves a chief executive who already knows the departments, the budget process, and the neighbors who call when a street floods, a hydrant fails, or a code issue sits too long.
The record
Kurt did not show up yesterday with a stack of campaign signs. He has been on the dais, on committees, and in the details of how this city actually runs.
On January 5, 2026, the Dardanelle City Council elected Kurt President Pro Tempore. The nomination cited his years of service. That role is the Council’s own vote of confidence in who can preside and keep the people’s business moving.
Kurt chairs the Code Enforcement, Fire, and Police committee. That committee has brought forward police policy updates and code questions that land on the Council agenda. A mayor has to back the people who answer the call — and hold the system accountable when it lags.
He also chairs Water & Wastewater. In a river city, that is not a side issue. Lines break. Plants age. Rates have to be honest. Kurt’s focus is keeping the system reliable for homes and businesses without wasting a dollar.
Kurt also serves on Recreation and on Cemetery & Animal Control. Parks, trails, and the small things people notice on a Saturday morning are part of whether families stay and whether visitors come back downtown.
The plan
This is a small city with real assets: a historic downtown, the Arkansas River, new trail connections between parks, and neighbors who still show up for one another. The next mayor should protect that — and fix what residents already know is broken.
01
Support police, fire, and code officers with clear policy, decent equipment, and a mayor who does not disappear when a hard call comes in. Keep neighborhoods livable: abandoned property, junk, and chronic code problems should not set the tone of a street.
02
Infrastructure is the job. Prioritize repairs before ribbon cuttings. Be straight with residents about costs, grant opportunities, and what the city can actually finish this year. No surprise holes in the pavement and no surprise holes in the budget.
03
People should not need a cousin on the Council to get a callback. Set a standard for response times, publish what the city is working on, and keep council business in the open. The mayor’s office works for the whole town, not a short list.
04
Dardanelle’s story is history and hospitality. Finish what we start on trails, parks, and the core of town. Help small businesses stay visible. Make it easier for families to walk, gather, and spend a Saturday here instead of driving past us.
05
Every dollar that comes through City Hall came from somebody’s paycheck or somebody’s register. Kurt’s approach is simple: know the budget, question the add-ons, and measure results. Growth is welcome. Waste is not.
06
Work with the school district, county, chamber, churches, and state partners when it actually helps Dardanelle — grants, public safety, and projects residents will use. The test is local benefit, not a press release.
Campaign updates
Kurt is asking neighbors across Dardanelle to help introduce the campaign, host a yard sign, and talk with friends who want a mayor already trained on the work.
Event dates, times, and locations will be posted here as they are confirmed. If you want Kurt at a neighborhood gathering, church supper, or civic club, use the contact box below.
Get involved
Campaigns in a town this size are won on porches, at ballgames, and in conversations at the grocery store. If you can volunteer, display a sign, or just want to tell Kurt what City Hall should fix first, we want to hear from you.
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Mail: Dardanelle, Arkansas 72834
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