Sarah Bunch / Courtesy photo
Sarah Bunch has won a second term on the Fayetteville City Council. She defeated challenger Peter Tonnessen to secure another four years as the Position 2 representative in Tuesday’s general election.
She received 7,464 votes (77%), according to the final, unofficial results. Tonnessen received 2,235 votes (23%).
Bunch was first elected to the council in 2016. She was one of three candidates who hoped to replace outgoing Council Member Martin Schoppmeyer, who did not file for re-election that year. In the general election, Bunch received 48% of the votes, while Tracy Hoskins received 36% and Benjamin Harrison took 15%. Bunch defeated Hoskins in a run-off election with 1,232 votes (63%) to Hoskins’ 732 votes (37%).
Ward 3 Results
The final, unofficial results were:
Sarah Bunch – 7,464 votes (77%)
Peter Tonnessen – 2,235 votes (23%)
Ward 3 Candidates
The following candidates ran for election in Ward 3 this year. All candidates were sent a request for more information about their candidacy. Responses were posted in the order they were received.
Bunch has since been present for 99 out of 101 council meetings for a 98% attendance rate.
Bunch said there are several projects in the works that she’d like to see completed, like the new police headquarters facility that voters approved in 2019.
Bunch also said she’s excited about some transportation improvement projects in Ward 3 like the widening of Zion Road from Crossover Road to Vantage Drive and an upcoming project to improve Rolling Hills Drive.
As a real estate professional, Bunch said if re-elected, she’ll support initiatives to help Fayetteville remain a safe place to live and raise a family.
“I am a proponent of safer streets, with slower speeds and better crosswalks,” she said. “I want to see that our trail system is expanded as we are able to because close proximity to a trail, and a higher walkability score don’t just mean recreational opportunities, but they also raise the value of nearby homes.”
Before the vote, Tonnessen said he strongly disagrees with numerous decisions that the council has made in recent years, including investments in public transportation and the arts, including Ozark Regional Transit, TheatreSquared and the upcoming Cultural Arts Corridor project.
“Stop wasting tens of millions of tax dollars trying to turn Fayette-chill into Artsy-Fartsyville,” Tonnessen said.
Bunch raised $6,250 in Ward 3 with five donors giving more than $50, according to her pre-election campaign finance report. Tonnessen filed a form which noted $1,470 in expenditures, but included no reports of any contributions.
Ward 3 includes several neighborhoods in northeast Fayetteville, including the Huntingdon and Candlewood subdivisions, as well as the newer multi-family complexes in the uptown area. Gulley Park, Fiesta Square, Lake Fayetteville, and the Northwest Arkansas Mall are also in Ward 3.
City Council members are paid $12,504 per year.
