Marion mayor hopes to continue positive relationship with new West Memphis administration

Marion mayor hopes to continue positive relationship with new West Memphis administration

Fogleman: 7 would think… we will find more to work on together over rather than disagree on.’ By Mark Randall

news@theeveningtimes.com Marion Mayor Frank Fogleman says he expects to have a positive relationship with incoming West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon and that the two cities will continue to work together on common goals.

McClendon was elected in a run-off over Wayne Croom and will replace outgoing Mayor Bill Johnson , who has been head of that city for 20 years.

Fogleman said he hasn’t spoken to McClendon since the election, but has always had a cordial relationship with him whenever he has seen him.

“We have a friendly enough relationship,” Fogleman said. “I saw him a lot during early vote where candidates congregate outside the courthouse and said good morning and asked him how it was going — the usual.”

Fogleman said he has always maintained good relations with Johnson, and that the two cities have cooperated on projects like repairing the Hino Road bridge and the recent certification of the industrial megasite. He expects that will continue when McClendon is sworn-in in January.

“We have found far more to work together on than to disagree over,” Fogleman said. “I would think that the new administration will follow a similar path and, like in the past, we will find more to work on together over rather than disagree on. I trust there will be little to nothing to disagree on. When the next topic comes up involving both cities I expect we will work together to do what we need to do.”

Fogleman said he doesn’t perceive any rivalry — other than in sports — between Marion and West Memphis that will put the county’s two largest cities against one another other.

“I don’t think anyone is looking for ways to be negative at all,” Fogleman said. “And in all honesty, it’s not like there is an issue every day that involves both communities. And when they haven’t come up he (Johnson)has tended to his routine and I have tended to my routine.”

Fogleman said he expects McClendon has his hands full right now with filling the key positions in his administration, but will reach out to him at some point in the near future.

“Have I gone looking for him? No, I haven’t,” Fogleman said. “But there is nothing bad to interpret from that. I am sure he is trying to unwind from the grind of the runoff. And Marco, I’m sure, has a lot on his plate so he can get up to speed and prepared for his administration.

But my relationship with Marco has always been friendly and I have no reason to believe it will be any different.”

Marion Mayor Frank Fogleman

W. Memphis Mayor-elect Marco McClendon