Holt seeks re-election to WM City Council

Holt seeks re-election to WM City Council

James Holt brings leadership, experience to bid for

Ward 1 seat

West Memphis City Councilman James Holt is asking voters in Ward 1 in West Memphis to once again support his candidacy as he seeks re-election to the West Memphis City Council.

Holt has served on the council since 2000, and he hopes to continue to serve the West Memphis community and all of its residents on the council and a variety of municipal committees.

“I’ve been on all of them,” said Holt in announcing his re-election bid. “I have worked and will continue to work to make West Memphis a place people will be proud to live.”

Over the years, Holt has served on the West Memphis Police Commission, the Advertising & Promotions Commission, the Insurance Commission, and currently works with other city leaders on the Public Works Commission to take care of the city’s customers and employees.

“I believe you should pay someone what they’re worth,” said Holt. “We want the best working for us because we have the best living here in our community.”

Holt said he believes his greatest achievements have come in working with and serving on the city’s Parks Commission for the past several years.

“We completed a massive amount of work over the last decade or so,” said Holt. “You look at Tilden Rodgers Park. That’s a real benefit to the city that everyone uses and everyone can enjoy. That was a major project and we fought to clean it up, to upgrade the facilities and the fields out there. It’s something the city can be proud of.”

Tilden Rodgers isn’t the only city park to get some attention during Holt’s tenure.

“We have been able to complete upgrades to all of our city parks,” Holt said.

“There are ten parks in the city and we’ve put new equipment at all of them.

It’s something we’re continuing to work on.”

Holt also has his eye on the future.

“We need to update our municipal codes,” he said.

“We need to look at all of our codes. Some of them are out-of-date. Some of them need to just be taken off the books if they don’t work anymore to help this city grow.”

Holt wants to tackle the issues that are important to the people of West Memphis.

“I drive down these same streets as you do, as everyone does,” said Holt. “I go to work and I see the potholes. I see the streets where they’ve sunk in and collapsed. We need to spend our resources — in every ward in the city, not just mine. We need to say that it’s time to address the bad roads or the litter and the junk cars. We’ve started doing some of that but it’s time to really get that ball rolling.”

Holt is proud of the growth the city has seen over the past several years.

“I look at the new hospital that’s being built,” he said.

“You see the new hotels going up. Those really add to our tax base — to our bottom line. I’m very glad we were able to work with Marion and the county to put together this mega-site on the north end of the city. You add to that our growth at the port and other projects and West Memphis is getting ready to see some major growth.”