Our View

Our View

The great social media debate: What’s wrong with West Memphis?

The social media has been abuzz with scores of people complaining about the mounting issues facing West Memphis, expressing their fears over crime, saying there is a serious lack of leadership and pointing out the fact many residents are simply packing up and moving elsewhere.

Responding to their complaints and concerns has been West Memphis Councilman Wayne Croom who has made a point of letting his own concerns known about the condition of a city where a growing number of people believe is headed in the wrong direction.

Croom posted on his Facebook page recently, “It’s very sad when there are 10 to 11 homes for sale on West Barton between Clement and Missouri. I don’t care who you are, but that seems unreal.”

Michael Land responding by saying, “Start giving them away and you will be flooded.

“I’ve been out of West Memphis 25 years and don’t miss nothing about it,” Land said.

Croom replied, “This is my first term on the council and I didn’t realize how bad it is.”

West Memphis businessman Joe Todd posted, “It’s becoming another Helena and Blytheville. Thugs are multiplying here and the police can’t do their jobs for fear of racial profiling. People moving to Marion is not going to keep them safe, it’s filtering into there as well.

“I think ur caring attitude is great, and hope you can come up with an answer, but you have to do it alone.

No one else cares to work as hard as you,” Todd told Croom.

Todd went on to say that there is one thing that would stop a lot of the local crime and suggested passing a city ordinance stating that if anyone is arrested for a crime and the person is under 18, then the parents would get a citation each time their child did commit a crime.

“This is where the crimes are born, lack of parenting, and not knowing where and what your child is doing.

Fine the parents of these juveniles each time there child crosses the line, and you should see results.

“This is not a race issue, it applies to all races,” Todd said.

Crittenden County Judge Woody Wheeless, known for his aggressive and positive leadership, responded by posting, “I hear and so much negative but I still believe we can make our communities great places to live and work if we have the leaders of the communities working for the best interest of those that elect us to office.”

Gary Cordell posted, “West Memphis had lacked leadership for a long time. New leadership and accountability needs to take place quickly or I don’t think West Memphis can be saved. People need to have pride and right now West Memphis leadership has NO PRIDE!!”

One suggestion for Croom to consider may be to promote the idea of doing away with ward elections and putting in place citywide elections for all positions on the city council similar to what Marion has in place.

This “election at large” concept just might attract a wider range of qualified community leaders to run for city council and would allow every voter to decide the council makeup rather than current ward process.

Realistically, it would be difficult and probably impossible to change the current election process based on the city’s demographic makeup, but it is still a good idea to consider.