City Council names new City Manager

Eddie Faulkner has been named as Guthrie’s new City Manager in last week’s action by City Council. He replaces Leroy Alsup, who is retiring.

Mayor Steve Gentling said Faulkner will begin his duties April 17, and will officially become City Manager on April 29, a day after Alsup steps down.

Faulkner served as the Business Development Director for the Catoosa Chamber of Commerce for two years prior to his four-year tenure with the City of Catoosa.

There, Faulkner served as the City Planner and Assistant City Manager. He holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Northeastern State University and, in 2022, he completed the Community Development Institute curriculum at the University of Central Arkansas.

Faulkner has been recognized locally for his community involvement and achievements in the Catoosa Community:

• 2020 City of Catoosa Employee of the Year

• 2022 Catoosa Citizen of the Year

• 2022 NextGen Under 30 Recipient for Policy and Public Service In other matters, the Council approved a resolution declaring 15 area structures as dilapidated and dangerous, and are detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the general public.

Planning Director Dan Kassik told the Council the City sent out letters to property owners that their structures were on the list to either make improvements or risk having the City demolish their property.

“We sent out letters as a courtesy last May and August alerting these property owners that if they did not do something ... to show progress, get the proper permits, they would end up on tonight’s list,” he said. “So that was another courtesy that we had put in place and will continue each year in hopes that we get, you know, compliance without having to get to this point.”

Kassik said property owners will have 30 days to show plans for improvements.

“In that 30-day period, they will need to obtain all the necessary permits to bring that house into a completely code-compliant structure,” he said.