Our View
Our View
County ready to build on solid ‘16
As most of us already know, Crittenden County had an excellent 2016 thanks in large part to County Judge Woody Wheeless’ tireless effort to cement the deal with Baptist Hospital to build a new hospital here, his negotiations with the state Department of Community Corrections to take over the shuttered Crittenden Regional Hospital as well as completing $1.5 million in road overlay projects.
Wheeless was also committed to renovate many areas of the historic courthouse, upgrading internal systems while also keeping a close eye on departmental budgets that ended the year meeting desired goals and results.
Crittenden County’s successes has certainly been beneficial to the county’s largest municipality, West Memphis, in that the new hospital will be located within its city limits as well as the fact this city is benefiting from the DCC taking over the old and abandoned hospital as a women’s rehabilitation facility. In both instances, the city is enjoying the benefits of jobs, taxes, utilities and, we suspect, an uptick in the city’s housing market.
Speaking of West Memphis, this is a city that has enjoyed a positive 2016, a time when city leaders boasted about the major economic developments at the Port of West Memphis as well as the grand opening of Big River Crossing, a major Memphis-West Memphis project that has already attracted thousands of bicyclists and hikers now able to cross over the Mississippi River using the repurposed Harahan Bridge. Visionaries say the bridge, part of the Big River Trail that connects downtown Memphis and West Memphis, will also include plans for parks, green space, seasonal attractions and more to grow the trail into a major tourism attraction.
It is also important to note, that 2016 was the start of a major West Memphis schools upgrade project that includes a new Bragg Elementary. And, there has been growth at ASU Mid-South, as well, with the opening of a new Aviation Center, located at the West Memphis airport. And, let’s not forget to mention the new million dollar ladder truck the West Memphis Fire Department acquired.
With the exception of a few areas of the county 2016 was a good year, and 2017 provides an opportunity for even bigger accomplishments. While it has been suggested many times over the last several years, maybe 2017 will be a time when the successful leaders with the county, Marion and West Memphis can, let’s say, plan a summit whereby joint economic development ideas can be shared, ways local governments can possibly consolidate public services as a means of better efficiency and cost savings, as well as sharing ideas that can be universally beneficial to every citizen in Crittenden County and not just one faction.
As mentioned, this idea is certainly not anything new, and while it is unlikely something like this will actually materialize it is certainly worth renewed consideration. The fact of the matter is that with the current leadership we have in Crittenden County the chances of this occurring now are far greater than they ever have been.
