By Chris Ford
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It is with great pleasure and humility that I formally announce my candidacy for Mayor of Poteau.
My name is Chris Ford and I am proud to say that I was raised in this great town. I am a proud Pirate who graduated from Poteau High School in 1998. I attended Carl Albert State College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, and received my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern State University. My wife Heather and I have four children- Seth 17, Grant 16, Taylor 13, and Gracyn 2. I am a former sheriff, Chief of Police and volunteer firefighter. I am also a proud veteran of the United States Military. Currently, I am a teacher and coach at Poteau Schools.
All of these endeavors have given me the experience and perspective needed to fully represent and serve Poteau as its next mayor. Together, we will ensure economic growth, improve our infrastructure, and continue working towards a greater future for all citizens of Poteau.
Economic development is a business-driven decision. At the end of the day, it’s about whether or not a company can make a profit. Businesses don’t come to a community just because it’s beautiful or because they like the people. They come because it has a qualified workforce, the right real estate, the right market for their product to be either manufactured or shipped, and a stable business climate. In short, businesses come to town because of that town’s market capabilities.
Economic development doesn’t just happen. It is gained when community leaders develop a strategy and work together as a unit instead of working against one another as individuals. United we stand-divided we fall. As a city, we must invest the in what is needed to create a strong workforce, a sound real estate environment, and a great economic development team.
One of the most important responsibilities of local government is maintaining and improving our infrastructure. Water, sewer, technology, and communications benefit all of Poteau’s citizens, and improving them should be at the forefront of city concerns.
With limited funding and high cost, Poteau needs a mayor who will work with other elected officials and boost our town’s roads, sewer, and water capabilities. I feel it starts with simple things like the fact that in today’s fast-paced world it’s time the citizens of Poteau should be able to pay their water bill online. We must seek partners on the state and federal level that are willing to rebuild with us.
As your mayor I will keep their feet to the fire when it comes to working for Poteau.
As the mayor of our great town, I want to ensure that Poteau has a qualified and vetted team in place that is ready to tackle these issues.
I want to confirm that we are in a position to market ourselves in the best possible way. I want to address issues head-on and bring knowledgeable people to the table so that we can offer solutions -not just point out the problems.
Together, we can build the future we want for Poteau. Together, we will have a future that consists of success and improvement in every capacity imaginable. Together, we can keep pushing our town to the limits of what is possible.
I am so very proud to be a son of Poteau and I humbly ask for your vote this April 2nd.
Chris Ford
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