Douglas Hausler of Eureka Springs is facing incumbent Marty Johnson of Berryville for Justice of the Peace, District 4.
Hausler said if elected to the quorum court, he will be actively involved and provide a communication pathway for the constituents of District 4 (Winona, Kings River and Polo) to and from the court and ensure that the actions of the court are communicated to the residents of the district.
“The quorum court is more than being responsible for the maintenance of the county roads,” Hausler said. “It is the government entity responsible for the business of the county. JPs are citizens’ representatives from various districts. It is the responsibility of the quorum court to ensure that Carroll County is run in a legal and business-like manner. Having been involved with various organizations, I believe I can provide an in-depth assessment of the business of Carroll County and act as a resource for the county judge and quorum court to get the appropriate business done.”
Hausler and his wife are owners of Keels Creek Winery and have an eight-acre vineyard. He has a Ph.D. in chemistry from Virginia Tech and is a retired Senior Research Associate with the ConocoPhillips Research Center.
He served on Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce Board for five years and helped re-write their bylaws. He is currently secretary of the Democratic Party of Carroll County and was appointed by the governor to serve as a member of the Arkansas Wine Producers Council. He is a founding member of the Arkansas Association of Grape Growers and served as secretary and member of the board for six years.
Hausler said he believed it was time to be involved in the governance of Carroll County.
“I believe I can bring an educated and thoughtful effort,” he said. “I was inspired by the effort put forth by Lamont Richie in his serving on the court.”
Marty Johnson
Martin E. “Marty” Johnson, R, is up for re-election as Carroll County District 4 JP.
Johnson was born in raised in Carroll County. In 1983, he and his girlfriend were involved in a car/motorcycle accident. She was killed and he suffered a spinal cord injury resulting in paralysis from his chest down.
“Following my injury, I moved to Little Rock and went to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and obtained a bachelor’s in psychology and a masters in social work,” Johnson said. “I was gainfully employed at the VA Hospital in Little Rock for twenty-two years. During that time, I raced wheelchairs for twenty-five years, and was one of 12 wheelchair athletes from the U.S. who went to Japan to compete in the only all-wheelchair marathon in the world. I retired from the VA and wheelchair racing nine years ago.”
Since moving back to Berryville with his wife and stepson, he now farms full-time.
“I appreciate the hard work our farm families put into their livelihoods,” he said. “My life since the injury has been to give a voice and meaning to those who thought they had none. That is why I chose to run for public office and advocate for the folks in District 4. My platform consists of one thing: Give a voice to my constituents. I have heard what they said and I will continue to ask the questions that concern them.”
Johnson, who was elected four years ago, has served as the Carroll County Quorum Court representative at the state meeting of JPs, as well as serving on the budget committee, for the past three years.
“I am brutally honest, fair and have always tried to give a voice to the constituents in District 4 in the manner they deserve,” Johnson said. “Nothing is impossible and that includes making individual voices heard in county. I appreciate your vote. God bless America and Carroll County.”