Meet Your City Council

Posted Date: 10/03/2023

Wayne Cone has served the City for 40 years in several capacities, from an Officer, Police Chief, and Coroner to 19 years as a council member for Ward 4, Position 2.

Cone returned from service in the Vietnam War and was thankful to be hired by the Montgomery Wards manager downtown. Many veterans were having problems finding jobs. When the local Wards was closing, they offered Cone a job out of state, but he wanted to stay here. That’s when he returned to his former career in law enforcement. 

Cone was appointed by two Governors, Jim Guy Tucker and Mike Huckabee, to draft the wording for the concealed carry handgun. Originally, it was written to allow police officers to carry and conceal when off duty. Now, some of that wording is used to allow citizens to carry concealed with proper documentation.

Cone tells the story as Police Chief; he and the late former Mayor, Bob Reynolds, almost stole a Jeep. They had been inside Ace Hardware, and when they came out, two identical Jeeps were parked there. The men got in one, and Cone said the key started it. But something alerted them they were in the wrong Jeep. Wouldn’t that have been a funny headline? “Police Chief and Mayor caught stealing Jeep.”

Wayne and Yvonne have been married 52 years and have three children, nine grandchildren, and a great-grandchild on the way.