Our View

Our View

Civic complex updates great — as long as revenue follows

It is apparent that while some West Memphis budgets are running tight on taxpayers cash, the city’s Advertising & Promotions commission, which generates its money from taxing motel and restaurant guests and patrons, seems to have no problem finding big projects to spend its money on.

A& P commissioners didn’t seem to flinch when told the proposed $400,000 renovation cost to the city’s 40plus year old Civic Auditorium, that doesn’t generating enough revenue to even pay for current operating costs, will not be $600,000.

You see, the city’s A& P has well over $1 million to play with as in the case where they had no qualms about forking over $250,000 on projects that included a bike trail as well as welcome signs that tells motorists traveling from Memphis into Arkansas that they were passing through West Memphis.

During a recent A& P meeting where the inflated renovation costs were revealed, Councilwoman Ramona Taylor did say the $600,000 give here some discomfort in light of the fact that the old auditorium, built under the former administration of Mayor Tilden Rodgers, who served from 1970 to 1975, needed additional repairs and upgrades to the exterior of the building.

Correct us if we’re wrong but doesn’t the city codes, rules and regulations require that when an public business or facility undergoes any type of renovation that it must meet current code requirements? We’ll use such examples as city code enforcer Paul Luker’s cracking down on the owner of Grady’s Garage on Highway 77 where was forced to pave a section of his parking lot or have his utilities cut off as well as other business owners wanting to improve or expand their facilities in the city but can’t due to extensive and restrictive codes.

As we understand, even with this $600,000 renovation that the A& P people want to spend, it still doesn’t address the federal American Disability Act regulations that mandate public facilities must accommodate people who are physically disabled. Nor does the auditorium meet ADA requirements that apply to the dressing room showers and commodes.

What apparently these A& P commissioners have agreed to do is to borrow a few thousand dollars and month to get what Commissioner Chairman Frank Waggener said “to get the Cadillac.” “If you want the Cadillac (referring to the additional renovation upgrades), which I prefer, lets go borrow it and do it right. I’d rather have the modern esthetics we can sell and have it all,” Waggener told his fellow commissioners.

Awe, why not, after all it is just the public’s tax dollars we’re talking about.

And, so what if this 40-plus old auditorium doesn’t generate enough money to pay for itself, it sure will be nice inside as long as the roof doesn’t leak again. With such an investment we would think we’d hear more from these civic leaders as to what the plans are to make this auditorium pay for itself and also what the plans are to bring it up to code, similar to what private business owners are required to do. But, being city property, it really doesn’t matter.