Five Questions: Doug Marrs

Q: Why did you decide to get into the political scene?

A: Running for the board was primarily to give financial input. There were some decisions being made about how we were handling our finances and some public discourse that concerned me a little bit. I thought I would have an interest in getting on the board and helping with that issue.

Q: How do you balance being mayor with a full-time job?

A: We have a very understanding president and senior management group here at Great Southern. They’re very understanding of outside activities and interacting with their communities. On the city side, we have an extremely strong staff and a strong board to work with, so it’s not like I’ve had to go over there and spend significant amounts of time. With a city administrator, the mayor – in our community, at least – is not full-time.

Q: What are some of the accomplishments you’re most proud of with the city?

A: Putting together the community building and aquatic center, but I thank the previous mayor, Jay Wasson, for that. When Wal-Mart came into town, (Wasson) was convinced that we could go ahead and build the community center without additional taxation on the community. We built the community center primarily with, as we referred to it at the time, the Wal-Mart fund. We’ve had two major sewer expansions, in the north and the northeast, and we’ve made significant financial input into Aspen Street, North Street, (State) Highway 14 and Nicholas Road. We’ve got a new city hall; and we’ve maintained strong communications, which is always one of the weakest parts of any entity.

Q: What is the biggest challenge facing your successor?

A: I think the slowdown in growth is going to create some challenges. But we’re preparing; we’ve sent out a questionnaire to the community, and the city administrator is looking to meet with the new board as soon as they get seated, to review our goals and financial position, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Q: Now that you’re not running for mayor, what will you be doing in your spare time?

A: I actually bought a farm down in the Bootheel, and I’m going to spend some time on the farm. I built a house there and want to spend some time setting it up as a weekend, holiday-type place. I’m looking forward to putting in a significant orchard. That’s been my hobby and my passion. That’s what I’ll be doing in the immediate future.

Interview by Jeremy Elwood.[[In-content Ad]]