Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, says he’s “bullish on Fort Smith,” and he offers compelling support for his position.

Speaking last week to the Times Record editorial board, Rep. Womack described himself as a “fundamentals guy,” and said Fort Smith has all the fundamentals for a great city.

From its scenic beauty to its strategic location, from its river and rail transportation to its highways and airport, from its current “world-class health care” and proposed medical college to its military footprint, the city clearly has its best years ahead of it, he said.

When the Interstate 49 bridge across the Arkansas River is constructed — and he said “when,” not “if” — this area will be “white hot.”

Rep. Womack isn’t pro-Fort Smith by birth. Born in Russellville, raised in Moberly, Mo., the congressman served as mayor of Rogers for 12 years, starting in 1998, according to his House of Representatives biography.

Those were heady years in Rogers, a period of rapid economic growth and congruent development in infrastructure and services. In addition to acting as the city’s CEO, Rep. Womack served as chairman of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, a powerful, valuable alliance in that corner of the state.

We mention these positions to note that Rep. Womack knows what cities on an upward arc look like.

Again, we are reminded that people from outside Fort Smith often see strengths where those who live here see deficiencies. It’s a question of getting above or beyond the problems to see the core strengths that can propel the city forward.

The trick will be to exploit every opportunity to advance, not waiting for bridges or highways or jobs to come, but working every day, every step of the way to grab that future that Rep. Womack sees.

The key is to become as bullish on Fort Smith as the former mayor of Rogers.

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