District 1 Justice of the Peace Doug Kennedy is seeking reelection Nov. 3 to the White County Quorum Court "because I enjoy serving the community I and my family call home."
Kennedy said he was "born and raised here in Beebe, and I chose to raise my family here and three of four of our children are raising their children here." He said he was born at "Short’s Clinic and grew up on Mississippi Street, which was gravel back then. Our grandparents' house, on the corner of Mississippi and Fir, was the last house in the city limits."
District 1 covers downtown Beebe. Kennedy ran unopposed for the seat in 2024 to replace Horace Taylor. In November, the Republican candidate will face independent challenger Preston Dean. Early voting starts Oct. 19 in Searcy. It will be held in Beebe as well Oct. 29-31 although the site has been switched to Beebe City Hall instead of the Beebe Church of Christ due to a conflict, Mayor Mike Robertson said Monday.
"I've watched our small town grow, attending Mrs. Warren’s kindergarten downtown before graduating to Beebe Public Schools," Kennedy said. "I hauled hay for Bradberry Dairy, then went on to work at John Deere. I started my EMS [emergency services] career in 1981 and attended the Fire Academy in 1984. I have served the cities of Beebe and Searcy on the ambulance for over 40 years."
Kennedy said he returned to work "after my cancer went into remission ... and retired in 2023. I was a volunteer firefighter for the city and served as fire chief from 1995 to 2000. In 1999, we had just installed the new sirens before the tornado hit our town."
He said that he and his wife, Michelle, serve on the White River Area Agency on Aging committee for Beebe and Kensett — "over 10 years for me, and over 20 for her."
Kennedy said that one of the biggest issues for the county right now is its 911 and dispatch center. The county has been working with its cities and their police departments on sharing the cost of dispatch services since state-mandated consolidation last year. "It covers all police, fire, EMS, license checks and county alert systems."
He said he believes the White County justices of the peace as a group "have all worked hard to collaborate for White County as a whole."
"Our responsibilities include managing any financing issues that come through the county," Kennedy said. "... One of our accomplishments was our county justice center was paid for when the doors opened."
The White County Justice Center on Benton Street opened late last year. The Quorum Court used the county's federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, some of its federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds and other funding sources such as the county general fund to pay for the $13.7 million building.