Elaine Grace Carr
Elaine Carr was first asked to run for West Siloam Springs town council in 1998 so after much thought, she filed for the Ward 4 position and won. She’s served on the town council for 19 years and was appointed mayor in 2003, a position she continues to hold. Elaine has been the longest mayor to ever serve West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, where she strives daily to make a great place to live. She loves what she does to help bring jobs and economic development to the community. She has a passion to help the residents and businesses have all the resources they need to be successful. She has never taken the mayor's position for granted and regularly attends workshops to become knowledgeable on how to be a better mayor.
Elaine has worked with the Cherokee Nation tribe on various projects that are beneficial to her community which includes getting a new water tower, new jobs, and economic development for the town of West Siloam Springs. She has assisted in applying and receiving several grants for the town for water, sewer, and road improvement, as well as for the police department. Elaine is diligent about calling or going to the State Capitol to visit with the governor, state senators, and state representatives for Oklahoma when questioning state issues.
She has worked very hard to educate West Siloam residents on why they need to pass sales tax initiatives in order to fund the ambulance service, and water, sewer and road projects. Elaine was also a proponent in getting natural gas brought into West Siloam Springs and the widening of Hwy 412/59. She also worked with emergency management to get tornado sirens for the community.
West Siloam Springs has grown and prospered under her leadership. Under her watch, the city limits of West Siloam Springs continue to expand, as more and more landowners request to be annexed to access municipal services for homes and businesses being built in proximity to the municipal limits. The town of West Siloam Springs has expanded its water and solid waste delivery systems and, for the first time, has received natural gas service to portions of the municipality.
She has continued to improve the health and safety of the people of West Siloam Springs by taking a leading role in the creation of the South Delaware County Regional Water to provide a stable, long term and dependable source for clean water for the town and its citizens. She has also worked diligently with Siloam Springs, Arkansas and the Cherokee Nation to continue and expand sanitary sewer services and other emergency services for the town.
Elaine has a passion to be involved with the Honor Flights for the Veterans, Veterans Day Parades, Christmas Parades, toy drives, food drives and she goes every month to the nursing home to recognize the residents with birth certificates. She works on the town flower bed and helps with dinners at her church, plus she sings in the church choir. In addition, Elaine has worked almost 20 years full time for United States Postal Service in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and is co-owner of Oak Tree Event Center & Mini Golf in West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma.
She and Rodney, her husband of 30 years, have four children and ten grandchildren.