SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Springdale City Council member Rick Evans has caught a lot of heat online for comments he made before a city council meeting Tuesday (July 14) night.
Evans could be heard referencing his opponent for the Ward 2, Position 2, spot on the council, Kevin Flores, as "some little Mexican lawyer," over a live microphone.
The comments have led to many reactions online, some calling for Evans to resign.
When asked about the comments, Evans said he didn't mean them to come off as racist, and that he would be issuing an apology. His Facebook page has since been taken down.
Evans sent the following statement to 5NEWS:
"There's no excuse for my actions last night, just before the Springdale City Council meeting, and there are not enough words to express how truly sorry I am. It was a severe lapse in judgment and not at all a reflection of who I am or how I view Mr. Flores or the Hispanic community in Northwest Arkansas.
I have reached out to Mr. Flores to personally apologize to him and his family for any harm my regrettable words have caused. Publicly, I want to take this opportunity to apologize to my colleagues on the city council, Mayor Sprouse, and to all of our constituents.
I love this city and its people with all of my heart, and for more than twenty years, I believe my service on the city council has reflected that attitude. I ask your forgiveness and can assure my friends and neighbors that I will learn from this hard lesson and do better moving forward."
Those comments were made about Kevin Flores, who is an attorney who lives in Springdale. He announced last week that he would run for the city council seat currently held by Evans.
"Concerning, it's disappointing and it's unfortunate that this type of behavior is allowed at city hall," Flores said.
Flores was born in El Salvador but has lived in the United States for nearly 30 years and is now a U.S. citizen. He says he's a qualified candidate for Springdale City Council.
"I served in the Marine Corps for six years. I did a tour in Iraq. I served in far off places such as Pakistan as well. These are words at the end of the day and they don't harm me, I'll be fine, it's just a broader issue with the community, but I don't need an apology," he said.
Mayor Doug Sprouse says he is disappointed with the remarks made by Evans. He says the city is not defined by the words of one person, but by the people who live in that city.
"If as a city we are judged and defined by the policies we pass, by the policies we implement, I think that we make it very clear that we welcome all, we respect all, we treat all equally, and that is what we will continue to strive to do," Sprouse said.
Flores says he is running on local issues that affect the local community and economy.
"This just points to a broader issue in the city and the need for more representation and more candidates of various backgrounds to run, old, young of any sort that has something different to bring," Flores said.