front&center Carolyn McGee

Mayor enjoys challenge of running city

By Sara Greene

LITTLE ROCK — Dardanelle Mayor Carolyn McGee, 71, said when she

first ran for the office in 1996 she didn’t know much

about running a municipality.

That may be hard for some to believe since her father,

Morris R. Moore Sr., served as the Yell County judge for

a quarter of century.

“I knew nothing about municipal government. I

didn’t know the difference between an ordinance and

a resolution,” McGee said.

She said her biggest challenge was learning how the

water and sewer department works.

“I knew I needed to be here every day even if the

position is part-time. I was guilty as anyone of not know

ing who I needed to talk to when I had a problem, so I

wanted to learn everything I could,” McGee said.

Besides her political lineage, McGee comes from a

military family. Her father was involved in the 1916 Puni

tive Expedition commanded by Gen. John J. Pershing,

which is sometimes referred to as the hunt for Mexican

revolutionary Pancho Villa. Her father also served with

the Army infantry in both World War I and II.

Her brother, Morris R. Moore Jr., was 18 years old

when Carolyn was born between the two World Wars

in 1937.

“My brother wanted to name me Carolyn Jane. I

have a few friends who call me that, but my father said

I could pick my own middle name when I was older,

so on my birth certificate it just says Carolyn Moore,”

McGee said.

As World War II started, both her father and brother

went off to fight and Carolyn and her mother moved

to Dardanelle. After World War II, the family lived for

a short time in Little Rock while Moore served at Camp

Robinson and Fort Lewis, near Seattle, Wash.

“My dad was a man of few words. Whatever he said,

I listened. I was blessed with caring parents, but we

weren’t the touchy kind. I knew they loved me. I had a

good, happy childhood,” McGee said.

She said her mother put her in charge of preparing

the family meals at an early age when her father was

county judge.

“My mother would’ve rather been outside. She enjoyed landscaping the grounds of the courthouse, the library and Dardanelle Hospital,” McGee said.

McGee graduated from Dardanelle High School and went to Arkansas Tech University. She met and married her husband, Dr. Jim Ed McGee, during her sophomore year.

“We first met outside a restaurant and I asked him what he was doing, and he said something like, ‘I’m looking for a date,’ and I said ‘Well, you found one!’” McGee recalled.

At that time her husband was the superintendent at Carden Bottom, which was a school for the small community at the base of Petit Jean Mountain. Carolyn went with him to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he received his doctorate and she worked in the grant office. Later, they moved to Little Rock where he worked as the dean of students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and she worked in the secretarial pool. Eventually the couple moved back to Dardanelle so he could be the vice president of academic affairs at Arkansas Tech University.

Without a job, Carolyn quickly grew restless at home.

“I thought I’d fill my time with golf and play bridge, but that got old after a month, so I went back to school,” McGee said.

She got her Bachelor of Science in business education and a master’s degree in media for the classroom, which is also known as library science.

“Going to college was always something that I knew I’ddo. I don’t remember specifically wanting to be a teacher, but I do remember my brother thought I should be an airline stewardess,” McGee said. After getting her degree, McGee taught business classes and worked in the library at Russellville High School for 10 years in the ’70s.

“I thought it was important for everyone to know how to type, even boys. My husband was one of those hunt-and-peck typists, so I would type up his papers,” McGee said.

In the ’80s, McGee left teaching and became a real estate agent, selling properties in Pope and Yell counties. In 1992, her husband of 35 years died, and McGee became involved with the Dardanelle Chamber of Commerce. A few years later, a Council member suggested she run for mayor.

“Dana Merritt, our former mayor, left things stable, and there were several projects he started that I wanted to see completed such as Merritt Park and the Senior Activities Center,” McGee said.

McGee became Dardanelle’s mayor in January 1996.

She said Dardanelle, which had a population of 4,228 in the 2000 census, is a bedroom community because many residents work in nearby Russellville.

“I think the biggest concerns facing our residents right now are the rising cost of gas and the safe return of our National Guard unit from Iraq,” McGee said.

She gets occasional criticism, but said it is all part of the job.

“I enjoy getting up each morning, going out and seeing how the day unfolds and if I can help somebody,” McGee said.

Being one of the few female mayors in the state comes with its share of teasing, too.

“When I’m not with my family, I have a close group of friends, there’s five of us girls, we go out and eat and go to all the sporting events. The radio station calls us the Mayor and her Posse. I really wish they would call us something else, but I’ve been unsuccessful in trying to change that,” McGee said.

Although she enjoys being mayor, McGee doesn’t take all the credit.

“I would not have been able to do this job if it wasn’t for our outstanding Council, support from the community and the hard work of our city employees,” McGee said.

matter of fact My role models are: My parents and my husband.

The last book I read was: The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw. I could relate to a lot of it because of the war years. I also read the Bible daily.

I belong to: Dardanelle Rotary Club, the Dardanelle Chamber of Commerce, the Yell County Wildlife Federation and the Single Parents Scholarship Fund.

Something people may not know about me is: I collect donkey figurines.

I cook: Three times a year for my family at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I go out to eat a lot.

The people I admire are: Teachers, because that job has changed so much during the years, and they have a big responsibility.

I cannot live without: Coca-Cola.

My biggest fear is: Snakes.

I would describe myself as: Trustworthy and concerned.

Someday I’ll: Travel up the East Coast. I love the ocean.

My pets include: I sometimes take care of my niece’s Labrador, Drab. We used to have horses, but my husband sold them when four-wheelers came out.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 132, 133 on 08/10/2008