Jason Stout

Protecting Our Character.
Planning Our Future.

Elm Springs City Council
Ward 2, Position 2

ABOUT ME

I’m a fourth-generation Elm Springs resident, and my kids are the fifth generation of our family to call this community home. My wife and I are raising four kids, ages 10 to 19, so Elm Springs isn’t just where we live—it’s where we’re raising our family and where we hope our kids will always feel at home.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed being involved in the things that matter to our kids and our community. I’ve coached soccer, served as a Cub Scout den leader, helped with Girl Scouts, and I try to be involved wherever I can to support my kids and their activities. When I have some free time, I’m an avid Razorback fan and enjoy sports, antiques, fishing, and being outdoors.

Professionally, I’m an industrial engineer with 20 years of experience in data analytics, leading teams, solving problems, improving processes, and using data to make informed decisions. That experience has taught me to ask questions, look at the facts, identify what isn’t working, and work with people who may have different perspectives to find practical solutions.

I want to bring that same common-sense, fact-based approach—and the perspective of someone raising a family here—to serving the people of Elm Springs.

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Our Character: Platform Detail

My goal is simple: responsible growth, sound planning, strong infrastructure, and a commitment to preserving the character of the community we call home.

I am not opposed to growth. I support responsible development that strengthens our community while protecting the character, atmosphere, and quality of life that make Elm Springs different. Elm Springs can grow without losing what makes it special. Growth should fit our city rather than forcing our city to fit the growth.

Revitalize the Town Center

Encourage appropriate development and reinvestment in the Town Center while preserving historic and culturally significant features.

The CNU34 Town Center Development plan contains some good ideas, but Elm Springs does not need to adopt its full scale or density. We can create a vibrant Town Center that supports local businesses while maintaining our small-town character.

Preserve What Makes Elm Springs Different

Support larger minimum lot sizes outside the Town Center where appropriate to prevent incompatible overdevelopment and preserve our small-town atmosphere.

Growth should also pay its fair share of the infrastructure demands it creates. We should prioritize roads, drainage, sewer, and utilities for existing residents while developing a long-term capital improvement plan for future needs.

Protect Our Natural Features

Encourage reasonable standards that preserve existing trees, natural features, and open spaces when land is developed. We can protect the character of Elm Springs while respecting individual property rights and allowing responsible development.

Know the Impact Before Approving Major Rezoning

Major development decisions should be based on clear, documented facts that are readily accessible to the public.

Before approving significant rezoning, the city should have appropriate information regarding traffic, drainage, flood zones, stormwater, sewer capacity, utilities, and impacts on neighboring properties.

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Public Trust: Transparency Platform Detail

Transparency is the foundation of accountability. Residents should be able to easily see what their city government is doing and access basic public information without unnecessary obstacles.

Residents deserve easy access to accurate, up-to-date city information. That should be a basic expectation of transparent local government.

My goal is to make Elm Springs city government more accessible, more communicative, and more responsive to the people it serves.

Make City Documents Readily Available Online

Meeting minutes, budgets, public notices, municipal code, ordinances, and other important city documents should be easy for residents to find and review.

Residents should not have to submit a FOIA request simply to obtain basic information such as city ordinances or public information affecting their property. I want to create a dedicated Transparency Portal or online document center where these records can be accessed in one place and the most current version will always be available.

Provide Meaningful, Detailed Meeting Agendas

Agendas should tell residents what will actually be discussed. Generic headings such as “Old Business” and “New Business” do not give the public enough information to know what may be considered at a meeting.

Agenda items should also include the supporting information residents need to understand an issue before the meeting. For example, when the Planning Commission considers a rezoning request, the agenda should include the relevant information about that request in advance rather than requiring residents to attend the meeting or go to City Hall simply to obtain the information beforehand.

Make City Representatives Accessible

Residents should be able to easily find contact information for the people representing them. City representatives should be accessible to the public, and appropriate official city email accounts should be used for city business.

Keep Ordinances, Maps, and Other City Information Current

The city website will contain current ordinances and city documents. No non-sewer ordinances have been added to the city's website since 2016, and the Ward Map available through the city had not been updated since 2014 until I began distributing the accurate map during this campaign. Those are just some practical examples of why maintaining accurate and current public information matters.

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Public Trust: Engagement Platform Detail

Residents should have meaningful opportunities to know what is happening,
understand the issues being considered, and provide input before important
decisions are made.

Give Residents More Ways to Stay Informed

Post agendas and public notices through multiple channels, including the official city website, social media, and email notifications.

For important hearings and issues that may affect residents or their property, use multiple methods of notification when appropriate, including social media, email, physical notices or letters, and the city website.

Make Meeting Information Easier to Access

Residents should be able to easily find City Council and Planning Commission agendas along with the supporting information needed to understand what will be discussed.

Make Meetings Accessible Beyond City Hall

Broadcast City Council and Planning Commission meetings and hearings online, including through YouTube, so residents can follow city business even when they cannot attend in person.

Create Meaningful Opportunities for Public Input

When participation is limited, the city should make a greater effort to reach residents through multiple forms of communication and provide several ways to participate.

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Our Future: Platform Detail

Eliminate Waste and Demand Accountability

• Require clearer budget reporting so residents can see where money is going.
• Review recurring expenses and contracts regularly.
• Question spending that does not directly support core city needs.
• Use competitive bidding where appropriate and review contracts thoroughly.
• Look at lifecycle cost, not just the cheapest upfront price.
• Avoid using one-time revenue to create recurring expenses.
• Plan ahead for major replacements instead of waiting for a crisis.

Invest in Roads, Utilities and Infrastructure

• Prioritize infrastructure before expansion.
• Make sure existing roads, drainage, sewer, and utilities can support current residents before taking on growth that creates new burdens.
• Develop a long-term capital improvement plan.
• Create a more systematic road maintenance plan.
• Address traffic impacts before approving major development.
• Treat drainage as core infrastructure, not an afterthought.
• Require new development to address downstream drainage and stormwater impacts rather than shifting problems onto neighboring properties.
• Make sure major developments demonstrate adequate utility capacity before approval.
• Require developers to contribute appropriately when their projects create added infrastructure demands.

Growth should help pay for growth. New development should not leave existing residents paying for the infrastructure burden it creates.

Keep Our Neighborhoods Safe

• Ensure police, fire, and EMS resources keep pace with population and development.
• Reconsider and evaluate mutual-aid relationships to make sure Elm Springs is receiving appropriate service and good value from regional partnerships.
• Strengthen emergency preparedness for severe weather, flooding, outages, and other local risks.

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