By Martin Couch
Bobby Johnson was approached by a few people in his ward and asked to run for alderman.
"I don't aspire to go any higher than this, but if I can make a difference on the local level for my family and neighbors, I'm going to try and do it," Johnson said in an exclusive interview with Bryantdaily.com.
Johnson, who has 22 years in law enforcement, is running for the vacant seat of alderman Ken Green in Ward 3, Position 2. He is concerned about the issues that are presented in part of his ward, like the so-called "Road to Nowhere" which is a plan to extend Raymar Road south to the Saline County Regional Airport in south Bryant.[more]
"It doesn't effect a lot of people in my ward, but it effects me greatly," Johnson said. "It's going to run right beside where my children play. The city is promoting growth and that's one reason we are 82nd in the nation on places to live, but we're getting a little overcrowded and some of our citizens are going to be displaced because of plans like this. Growth is good, but if you have to kick your citizens out, I'm against it."
Johnson has had a special interest in Bryant parks with an 11-year-old daughter on the Bryant Barracudas swim team.
"My daughter was on the swim team for a period of time and from what I've seen, Bryant is big on parks," he said. "It's a great place to give kids a place to play, but I'm not real pleased with Bishop Park's trying to out us. I'm not a big political person, but I've been door to door and talked to several of my neighbors and people at the store about the different things going on here. Speeding and road conditions and minor stuff like that I hear a lot of, but I'm hearing that Bishop Park has inflated membership fees. We paid to have it built, but the people in my ward are not going to be able to take their kids to it now and I'm against it. We paid for it and it's being taken out of my taxes and I can't afford to go to it? What's that all about?"
Johnson has worked for the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department, the department of Veteran Affairs and Cammack Village throughout his law enforcement career.
"I've worked a whole lot all my life and I'm starting to settle down and be comfortable," he said. "If I can make a difference I will. Some people support the 'Road to Nowhere' and I'm not. I don't mind that being out there. They are going to displace us and I don't think it's right."
Johnson and his family moved to Bryant seven years ago and he's seen a tremendous amount of growth.
"I like the fact that everything is accessible and it's growing," he said. "It may be growing a little too fast, but the school district is good and that's one of the reasons that attracted me to come out here and even look. I'm not going to knock it. I have child in there."
Johnson says he is a common man and believes there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things.
"Number one, I would find out what the people thought of an issue," he said. "I've dealt with the public for 22 years and have solved a lot of their problems. Not everybody is happy all the time and sometimes they agree and sometimes they disagree with me, but I'm going to shoot them straight.
“I want to get out there and find out what they think. I have never been approached by my alderman. In fact I never knew who was in my ward and felt like nobody cared about my little area. It's a nice subdivision and I believe that every vote still counts, taxes still count and their opinion still counts as far as I'm concerned.
"I think there needs to be some checks and balances on some other issues and we need to look at things a little more closely in ways to solve them," Johnson added. "My opinion matters and so do those of the people in my ward. I'm not a political person, but I'm not going to be scared to tell the people what's going on and get their opinions. I'm a common man and I can make a difference."
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There is obviously a lot to know about this. I think you made some good points in Features also. Keep working ,great job!