McNeely finds new job as GF mayor to be labor of love

Three months into his tenure as mayor of Green Forest, Don McNeely says he’s been particularly surprised by one aspect of his new position.

“I love the job,” Mc-Neely said during an interview Thursday, March 30, in his office at City Hall. “I figured I would like it but I didn’t know I would love it.”

After serving as a Justice of the Peace for 16 years, McNeely was elected mayor of Green Forest in November 2022 — winning a three-candidate race with more than 70 percent of the vote. He took office Jan. 1.

McNeely, 70, has been working to address several issues during his first few months in office, including flooding in the southern part of the city.

“South of Green Forest, it drops down,” McNeely said. “So it’s a flood zone. We’re going to put some culverts in. We’ve got to figure out ways to get it to the Sixth Street ditch, where’s it real wide and the water can drain out better.”

McNeely said that he heard from residents during the campaign who told him that overflow from Yocum Creek was flooding their homes and damaging their foundations.

“I looked at that creek and it was running like the Buffalo River,” McNeely said. “We might even see if we can get outside the city limits and dig a diversion to keep it out of town. I’ve also had a couple of people complain that when it rains a lot, they can’t use the facilities because the sewer line’s so stopped up. That’s because rainwater isn’t supposed to be in the same piping. So we’re going to try to divert some of the street.”

McNeely said the city also plans to rebuild some sewer lines that have deteriorated over time.

“The state has an engineer that comes out and helps us figure that stuff out,” he said. “We’re hoping to get all that worked out. It will take a while.”

McNeely said the city is also working to find a solution for drainage issues at the city baseball and softball fields.

“It stays flooded,” he said. “It doesn’t drain out. The city spent some money last year to put some lines in and help it drain.”

McNeely said he has been working with the Green Forest School District, which uses the fields for high school games, to try and resolve the issue.

“We’re still trying to figure out a way to work on it,” he said. “We’re going to put some water lines in ourselves.”

McNeely is especially proud of the Neighbor Helping Neighbor program he has instituted in Green Forest. The program involves volunteers pitching in to help with things like painting and yard work for neighbors in need.

McNeely said the idea for the program came from a church in Pottsville where his brother served as pastor.

“I always thought it was a good idea,” Mc-Neely said. “If people can give up 30 minutes or an hour, whether they’re swinging a hammer or using a shovel, they’ll be blessed.”

McNeely praised the city’s employees.

“They’re really good employees,” he said. “I’m really proud of all of them. They’re good workers. I can’t say enough good stuff about them.”