Lioneld Jordan (Courtesy photo)Lioneld Jordan said he wants to guide a series of in-progress city plans to completion.
Jordan, 70, on Saturday formally announced his re-election bid to secure a fifth term as mayor of Fayetteville.
He was first elected in 2008 after defeating then-Mayor Dan Coody. He defeated Coody again in 2012, and ran a third successful campaign in 2016. In his fourth run in 2020, Jordan took nearly 68% of the votes to defeat Tom Terminella, William Harris, and Ron Baucom.
Jordan will be challenged this year by Molly Rawn, chief executive officer of the city’s tourism bureau. Rawn, 42, announced her intention to run in September.
Since becoming mayor, Jordan has presided over all but four of the 382 regular and special City Council meetings that have been held. He was at home recovering from a heart procedure from May 5 to June 21, 2022. Jordan was present for all 238 council meetings during his eight-year run as a council member in Ward 4.
“It is an honor to serve,” Jordan said. “Thanks to the people of Fayetteville, our city excels in so many areas that matter, including citywide diversity and inclusion efforts, conservation and sustainability programs, education and workforce training initiatives, and the arts.”
He said Fayetteville is preparing for the future with critical investments in parks, public safety, accessibility, and jobs growth.
“Since 2017 our city has averaged one new business per day and 4.5 new jobs per day,” Jordan said. “In the last three years, we’ve added 46 new city staff positions to meet city growth demands and provide excellent services to residents–without raising taxes.
Jordan highlighted several things residents can be proud of during his tenure, such as national recognition for the city’s low-carbon economy efforts, expanding the public library, securing a $25 million grant for safe streets, upgrades to public safety facilities, preserving green space, and the passage of a $226 million bond package.
He said he wants to continue overseeing some critical city projects, including the implementation of the Parks, Arts & Culture Plan, Climate Action Plan, and Economic Development Plan.
Ongoing efforts in housing, workforce training, childcare, public safety, and infrastructure while maintaining a balanced budget will remain a top priority for him if re-elected, he said.
“Let’s continue our progress,” Jordan said. “That work is too important to stop now.”
The mayor’s position is a four-year term with no term limits. The current salary is $159,785.
The nonpartisan election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated the current mayor’s salary was $145,766, an outdated figure that was corrected to $159,785.
