Dan Williams believes Fort Smith has done a good job managing its affairs. He questions whether the city has had the leadership and vision to move forward.
"I'd say what they've done well is manage well. They haven't led well," Williams said.
The Fort Smith mayoral candidate believes the city needs more than someone who can oversee its operations. It needs someone who can establish a long-term vision, develop future leaders and bring together the organizations and individuals working to improve the community.
Williams, a pastor who has lived in Fort Smith since 2008, said he began his involvement in city government about three and a half years ago, when proposed increases in water rates prompted him to attend a Board of Directors meeting.
He said he wanted to understand how higher utility bills would affect struggling families, many of whom he had encountered through his ministry.
"I really hadn't been involved in really anything in the city as far as the city offices or administration," Williams said. "But that got my attention, and I went because I deal with a lot of people as a pastor here in town who struggle and have a hard time.”
What began as an effort to understand the city's water issues eventually convinced Williams that his professional experience, education, and community work could benefit Fort Smith on a larger scale.
Leadership and growth
Williams believes Fort Smith has focused too heavily on maintaining existing operations rather than developing the leadership necessary to pursue new opportunities.
He said the city needs to invest in developing future leaders, particularly younger residents who might otherwise seek opportunities elsewhere.
"Without clear long-term goals, communities struggle," Williams said. "And that's not just this city. That’s our country, our nation, really, and it's true anywhere in the world. And so we need visionaries."
He described his leadership approach as emphasizing training, skill development, and preparing people to take on greater responsibilities.
Williams also pointed to Fort Smith's slow population growth as evidence that the city needs a clearer direction.
He estimated the city's population had increased only 1% over the past 25 years. However, population figures indicate substantially greater growth, although Fort Smith has grown more slowly than Arkansas overall.
Fort Smith's population increased from 80,268 in the 2000 Census to 89,142 in the 2020 Census, an increase of approximately 11%. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 90,855 in July 2025.
Williams believes stronger leadership, economic development, and opportunities for younger residents could help the city grow.
Infrastructure and economic development
Williams identified water infrastructure and the federal wastewater consent decree as major challenges facing Fort Smith.
He pointed to the cost of expanding the city's water transmission system to serve developing areas, including Chaffee Crossing.
Estimates presented to the Fort Smith Board of Directors in 2025 placed the combined cost of constructing a new 48-inch water transmission line and upgrading the Lake Fort Smith Water Treatment Plant between $328 million and $585 million.
Beyond infrastructure, Williams believes Fort Smith can attract visitors, businesses, and new residents by developing a more cohesive identity.
He pointed to downtown Fort Smith, the U.S. Marshals Museum, and the Unexpected mural project as assets that could support a broader economic development strategy.
Williams said he appreciated the mural project but questioned whether the city had established a consistent theme connecting its attractions.
"I feel like we lack that cohesive theme," he said.
He believes Fort Smith needs a clearer message about what the city offers, both to visitors and prospective businesses.
Williams also identified regulations and administrative requirements as potential obstacles for business owners and property owners. He said he would examine ways to reduce unnecessary barriers while encouraging development.
He said the city's opportunities extend beyond downtown to areas such as Chaffee Crossing, where continued development and activity associated with Ebbing Air National Guard Base could contribute to future growth.
Addressing community needs
Williams said his experience working with people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and involvement with the criminal justice system gives him a perspective on some of Fort Smith's social challenges.
He said he has helped people leaving treatment centers and rehabilitation programs, as well as those experiencing homelessness, find employment and housing.
At one point, Williams said he ran eight recovery houses that served about 40 people.
He also described his outreach work with participants in Veterans Court programs.
Williams identified foster care, incarceration, and homelessness as interconnected problems that require greater cooperation among local organizations.
The Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services' fiscal year 2025 annual report listed 561 children in foster care in Sebastian County, reflecting the scale of the need for services supporting children and families.
Williams said Fort Smith has many nonprofit organizations doing important work, but he believes they could be more effective with greater coordination.
"We have a lot of nonprofits in the city that are kind of working solo," he said.
He proposed bringing organizations together through a collaborative effort supported by the city, although not necessarily operated by city government.
He said such an effort could identify service gaps, reduce duplication, and set measurable goals to improve outcomes.
Williams suggested that coordinated efforts could help reduce homelessness by 20% over five years and potentially 50% over 10 years. He did not outline a specific funding mechanism or implementation plan for achieving those goals.
He believes better coordination could also help families facing difficult circumstances before those problems lead to more serious consequences.
Change in government
Williams supports the proposed shift from Fort Smith's city administrator form of government to a mayor-council system, though he initially opposed the idea.
He said his position changed as he became more involved in city affairs and began questioning whether the current structure allows the city to establish a unified long-term vision.
Williams believes having seven directors overseeing the city administrator makes it difficult to develop and maintain a consistent direction.
"You can't have seven people in charge with a clear vision," he said.
He argued that a mayor with greater executive authority could work with the City Council to set priorities and develop plans that extend decades into the future.
Williams said that vision should address not only infrastructure and economic development but also homelessness, tourism and the quality of life for residents.
He acknowledged that people will disagree about how to address the city's challenges, but said he sees those disagreements as opportunities to find better solutions.
"I'm very open-minded as far as I want to hear what people have to say because I may not have the answer," he said. "But I do know this: there is an answer, and there's a better way and a solution that can help, not just me, but help Fort Smith."
Looking ahead
When asked what he hopes Fort Smith will look like in 10 years, Williams described a city with a recognizable identity, stronger cooperation among its institutions, and more opportunities for residents to succeed.
He said Fort Smith should build on its history while developing an identity that reflects its future.
Williams believes city government, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders can work together to create an environment that attracts investment and encourages residents to remain in Fort Smith.
He also emphasized the importance of developing leaders who can eventually assume responsibilities from those currently serving.
Williams said he hopes voters remember him as someone who listens and genuinely cares about the people he would represent.
"What I really hope is that they would remember this is someone I can talk to. This is someone that will listen to me," he said.
"I want people to go further than I've gone in life," Williams said. "I've been extremely blessed in life. I feel like I have more than I could ever have prayed for or asked for."
He said his goal is to help others find those same opportunities.
"I want people to know I'm for them. I'm not for what they're for, or against what they're against. I'm for that individual."