[0:00] Heat. Heat.

[0:44] Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, Lord, we pray and thank you for our

[0:51] city. We pray today that you would grant our mayor and our city council people

[0:59] wisdom and peace for the coming decisions that we're about to go into.

[1:06] And Lord, we thank you for blessing this city with prosperity

[1:10] and well-being. Bless all of its citizens. We thank you for growing our

[1:15] great city and for taking us further into the future in a positive manner.

[1:21] Lord, we pray for our officials in this city, our police officers and fire

[1:27] people and first responders and everybody that comes together to make

[1:32] this city work as it does now. And Lord, we know that you can do all things and

[1:37] take us further than we've ever been before. And Lord, we come in faith and

[1:41] ask that you would grant this city the prosperity that has been coming for

[1:47] years. In Jesus' name, let every heart say amen.

[1:51] » Amen. >> Amen.

[1:53] » Let us all remain standing and face the flag for the pledge

[1:59] to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it

[2:04] stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[2:10] for all. >> Thank you. And you can have a seat.

[2:17] » Eight out of 10.

[2:21] » I'm going to call this meeting to order. I'm going to have my city clerk. Would

[2:24] she please call the role? >> Mlendon,

[2:27] » present. >> City attorney Stevenson

[2:29] » here. >> City Treasure Suda Jr.

[2:32] » here. >> Councelor Bale

[2:34] » here. Councelor Bruce >> here.

[2:35] » Councelor Krone >> here.

[2:37] » Councelor Catz >> here.

[2:38] » Councelor Harris >> here.

[2:40] » Councelor Holt >> here.

[2:42] » Councelor Hutchinson. >> Council Muhammed

[2:45] » present. >> Councelor Monday.

[2:47] » Council Mary >> here.

[2:50] » I did have the opportunity to speak to Councilwoman Hutchinson and uh

[2:53] Councilman uh Monday. So uh they won't be in but we got eight out of 10

[2:59] present. So >> nine out of 10.

[3:00] » Huh? >> Was it nine?

[3:02] » No, eight. >> Okay. Excuse me.

[3:04] » We got eight out of 10. Correct. We'll go ahead and start our meeting. Uh we

[3:08] had no bid openings. Uh any corrections to the minutes?

[3:12] » Motion approve is submitted. Second. >> All in favor? I

[3:16] » oppose. Uh those minutes are approved. We'll

[3:19] move down to old business. City attorney.

[3:23] This the third reading of an ordinance to adopt and establish clear standards

[3:27] for the development of accessory dwelling units in compliance with act

[3:32] 313 of 2025 which mandates that all municipalities allow at least one

[3:38] accessory dwelling unit ADU on single family residential lots significantly

[3:45] enhancing housing flexibility in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas to

[3:50] declare an emergency and for other purposes.

[3:53] Hear that red for third and final time. Can I get a motion and a second?

[3:58] » So moved. >> Second.

[3:59] » We got a motion, a second. Is there any discussion at this point?

[4:03] » Uh, mayor, just the ordinance you have in front of you now is the fourth

[4:08] revision of the original ordinance that was passed out. So, planning development

[4:12] has asked that you adopt this ordinance as it's been amended

[4:17] u at today's meeting. So moved.

[4:22] » Second. >> Motion. All in

[4:24] » favor. I >> oppose. The amendment has been approved.

[4:30] Now I got a motion to second to approve it.

[4:34] » All in favor? I >> I

[4:35] » oppose. It is approved. Will you give that ordinance a number? And we got the

[4:41] emergency clause coming up. >> There's no emergency clause. Mayor with

[4:44] the amended version. Okay. >> It was okay. Take it out.

[4:48] » The order. Order is number 2720 2720

[4:54] » 27 >> 20

[4:56] » 2720 is that number 2720

[5:00] we had no old business I mean no new business I'm sorry but actually we need

[5:06] to add a city need to city attorney need to speak on an offer that he need tell

[5:11] you all about so can we add that to the agenda the offer

[5:14] » so moved >> second all in

[5:16] » favor I >> opposed Yes, added s attorney. You go

[5:20] ahead. >> Thank you, mayor. U I'm gonna call it a

[5:22] litigation update and u I've been in communication with the municipal league

[5:27] this week and one of the things that they had asked me to do was update the

[5:31] council on some litigation that's coming up in federal court in West Hela

[5:35] starting on the 9th which is Monday. U this is a case that uh the plaintiff in

[5:42] this case is named Chey Pulium. the city has actually been dismissed from the

[5:47] lawsuit. So, uh the city has no liability based upon the ruling of the

[5:55] judge as a matter of law. The officer has not been dismissed. So, the trial

[6:00] will go on with regard to the officer as the only defendant. The municipal league

[6:05] still provides coverage for that officer due to the type of claim it is. And so

[6:12] usually in cases where they're about to go to trial, it's not unusual for a

[6:19] plaintiff to make a demand upon the defendant to avoid a trial to see if

[6:24] they can get a settlement and not go through the trial. Even though we've

[6:28] been dismissed from the case, uh the lawyer who likes to sue us and has 90%

[6:33] of the lawsuits against us believes that their demand that they've made is for

[6:39] $250,000. And so the municipal league believes

[6:44] that I've spoken with John Wilkerson who is the head of litigation and the also

[6:49] Jen Adams who has the uh particular defense of this case and they believe

[6:54] that demand is way out of line and so far out of line that it doesn't even

[7:01] uh merit a counter offer. So that that's the position that they feel they're in

[7:08] and they in this particular case it's a 9010 coverage situation. So the

[7:13] municipal league pays 90% of any judgment or settlement and the city

[7:18] would only be paying 10%. So I listen to them carefully about these things

[7:22] because they've got the biggest stake in these claims especially with with regard

[7:27] to police uh claims. So, uh, what I would need from the council is a motion

[7:34] to either, uh, accept, reject, or make a counter offer to this $250,000 demand.

[7:42] Uh, my recommendation is to reject it with no counter offer.

[7:47] » I recommend that we reject it as well. So, can I get a motion second to

[7:51] » Motion to approve? >> Second.

[7:55] » Motion second. >> Could you reject? What's the name again

[7:58] on the >> motion and second to reject? Yes.

[8:01] » You got a motion and second in the court.

[8:03] » Yes. Who's what's the name again? >> Cheesy pull you.

[8:08] » I abstain. >> Okay.

[8:11] All right. We got a motion to second toward Jack. So, will you call the role,

[8:15] please?

[8:18] » Councelor Bale,

[8:22] » reject. Councelor Bruce,

[8:26] » reject. >> Councelor Kroom,

[8:28] » reject. >> Councelor Kat,

[8:30] » reject the offer. >> Councelor Harris,

[8:32] » reject. >> Councelor Holt,

[8:37] » Council Hutchinson, Councelor Mohamd, >> abstain.

[8:42] » Council, >> sorry, I'm not

[8:46] » rejected. Okay. >> Council Mary,

[8:50] » reject. We have several uh rejection and one

[8:55] abstension. I do understand why Miss Muhammad is uh objecting.

[9:01] » All right. It fails uh s I mean no it passed to the attorney the rejection

[9:05] did. >> Yes. I'll let Migo.

[9:08] » All right. >> And just to add to this, they wanted me

[9:11] to tell you also that there could be other

[9:15] uh demands made during the trial and they would be in contact with me if that

[9:19] happened. Uh so maybe next week uh I may have some more information but but right

[9:26] now that's all I know. >> Thank you. Uh we're going to go down to

[9:30] permission request. Uh we have one item for permission request to approve and

[9:34] this which is what the planning commission has approved the new

[9:37] apartment complex that's going like to go down on airport boulevard. I'm sorry.

[9:43] College college boulevard. I got to get a motion to second approve it. So moved.

[9:49] » Second. >> All in favor? I

[9:51] » I oppose. >> It's approved. Then we're going to go

[9:55] down to committee reports. We're going to start out with our police department.

[10:01] » Good afternoon. Police department met on Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.

[10:08] And we had a lengthy meeting. We were introduced to our new staff on the

[10:13] police and we had a good meeting. And the highlights of that meeting is uh we

[10:18] have personnel, we have 88 out of 105 um positions filled. We have seven in

[10:27] training at the academy as of now. Uh we also had last year we had eight

[10:34] new units cars. This year they are asking for five only

[10:39] five to reserve money for outfitting. They also stated that they need an

[10:45] armored vehicle. The one that we have now is

[10:49] outdated and I think it's an offer. So they are they are planning a fundraiser

[10:54] and we are asking everyone to support them in this effort.

[11:01] We are continuing our grant search to supply better supply police department

[11:07] with equipment. our community outreach program. They are revamping it and they

[11:14] want to build a positive relationship with our

[11:18] youth and our citizen as a whole in West Memphis.

[11:24] Crime rate has gone down relative to this time

[11:28] last year. I'm looking forward to a wonderful

[11:34] working relationship with our police department who are doing a very good

[11:37] job. We want to thank you all and report. Thank you. We're going to move

[11:42] down the budget. >> Yes, sir. Budget met last Thursday. Uh

[11:47] Miss Perry has emailed everyone several reports this morning. I believe we'll be

[11:52] closing the 2025 book year midFebruary maybe. Um and then of course after the

[11:59] order's over with, there'll always be a couple adjustments you'll have to go

[12:02] back in and address. Uh the 2026 budget is in the system and everybody's working

[12:08] with that now. Thank you. Were there any other

[12:13] committees? All right. We have no appointments.

[12:18] Now we're going down the presentation by the mayor. I know some of you council

[12:22] people may see a a large uh group of people in the building today. And I

[12:26] personally want to first say I want to read a few things and then say thank you

[12:30] to all the men and women that comes to work for West Memphis to make it be what

[12:34] it needs to be. Thank you.

[12:43] Our city has endured so much whether it was the pandemic of COVID nearly over a

[12:49] year ago as well as the nearly over a year ago catastrophic historic flood.

[12:55] now historic snowstorm. And I want to remind everyone, the citizens of West

[13:00] Memphis, that this too shall pass. I can express how proud I am of the great work

[13:07] that our department heads and staff, city members, and citizen volunteers did

[13:12] during this recent weather storm. to have snow, sle, and freezing rain come

[13:18] down on our city for approximately 24 hours where below freezing temperatures

[13:24] for the days following is very unusual. Yes, we learning that God works in

[13:32] mysterious ways. But yes, this is the one thing we can learn and learn from.

[13:38] You all know that I don't hide my faith and what God's mean to me. I pray in my

[13:44] office every day for each one of my city family members on a daily basis that you

[13:49] are performing your task to the best of your ability. And it reminds me of

[13:52] Romans 13:7 where it said admonishes us to give honor to to whom honor is due.

[14:01] Our emergency response efforts were led by OEM director

[14:07] Dwayne Rose. He coordinated with all of our

[14:12] departments to ensure that city government was there for our citizens.

[14:18] Director Rose, I want to say thank you for doing that for us.

[14:27] Our police far EMS departments responded to every call

[14:33] that came in with little regard for their own life and safety. They once

[14:40] again overachieved. Our public works and street departments

[14:45] worked around the clock to ensure that as many of our major streets and

[14:51] thorough affairs were passable as soon as it was possible. teams led by Odell

[14:57] Slaughter and Danny Montgomery

[15:01] and the team did the basic needs but not overtime was not overlooked because they

[15:09] done everything they could do during the time that we have. So many people have

[15:13] to understand that we don't necessarily have all of the million-dollar equipment

[15:19] that major cities up north have because guess what? They have snow on a daily

[15:24] basis. So, it'd be smart for this council to come in and buy the equipment

[15:28] if we had all snow throughout the year, but we have to work with what we have.

[15:33] And many people have gotten hurt on we're doing this. Long before the storm

[15:38] set in, our utility department understood that one of the best things

[15:43] that they could do was to implement an aggressive tree cutting program to clear

[15:48] lands lines as as many tree limbs as possible. and they did that. That's why

[15:55] our power didn't go out. They also was ready to address any power outages if

[16:01] some had occurred. Every one of our team members was ready

[16:07] to contribute. Even as mayor, I didn't miss a day of work because if I asked

[16:14] them to come in, I needed to be here as well. Even if it was just in their

[16:19] office, they need to see me. if I'm going to ask these men and women to put

[16:24] their lives on the line. As I have grown, I have learned that it may be

[16:29] though few little citizens that may complain, but there are thousands of

[16:34] them who are so thankful. It also reminded me of John 16 and 33

[16:41] and it says in the world you will have tribulation

[16:46] but take heart I will overcome the world. God never said that it would be

[16:52] it wouldn't be struggles, but he assured us that we will always be for us to see

[16:58] things through. So I imagine myself a crazy thought.

[17:06] If I had a dream, I said, "Let me go to heaven and talk to

[17:12] God." And I thought was so important when I were thinking about this. And I

[17:16] said, "Why did you let the why did you let it snow in the city of West

[17:20] Memphis?" And you know, his response was, "I

[17:25] allowed to snow in 75% of the United States."

[17:30] Then I said, "But some of my citizens wanted to get out and see and check on

[17:34] their family." His response once again was, "It's best

[17:39] not to get out because over 65 families and your neighboring states like

[17:44] Tennessee and Mississippi are making funeral arrangements.

[17:48] If no one died here in the city of West Memphis, my citizen was complaining

[17:53] about staying at home and just watching TV."

[17:57] His response once again was Tennessee was one of the worst power allergies

[18:02] from Nashville to the middle of the state and West Memphis didn't have no

[18:08] power allergies. Some was complained about not having

[18:12] drink well some complained about having water to drink and didn't get to the

[18:19] store. And guess what respond once again to me was at least you had water and

[18:25] some people like in Park and Arkansas right down the road are under more

[18:29] water. Some people wanted to drive anyway but

[18:34] they said it was limited. Once again, his response was, "It's best

[18:40] to drive limited because right in Mississippi, they can't go nowhere

[18:45] because most of the highways and Interstate 55 was closed."

[18:52] People saying that they trash didn't get picked up.

[18:57] Now, many I got I can name three people, but due to I don't want to call their

[19:03] name publicly, they are hurt right now. I was injured and Danny Montgomery knows

[19:08] what I'm talking about. They are in injured picking up people's trash and

[19:12] helping in the streets picking up the mess that we throw out. But we rather

[19:16] risk our own people life to pick up our mess and we can't take one or two days

[19:21] just to hang tight to make sure that all of us is safe.

[19:29] » So his response was, "No, they are working overtime to pick up trash. You

[19:34] know that." and getting hurt picking up trash. If the trash is more important

[19:38] than the most precious commodity in the city, which is his people, look right

[19:44] across the bridge in Memphis. They still haven't start picking up trash.

[19:50] » That's true. So, my last thing God said, Marco, this

[19:56] going to be the last question I'm going to answer right now. I got to ask him a

[20:01] lot of question. So he said we have to open up a warming shelter and many of us

[20:08] had to go up there and volunteer. I had to get Councilwoman Muhammad at the

[20:13] house to >> to come with me as well. Uh Councilman

[20:17] uh Mundy was there to come help me open up this shelter and to get to help the

[20:23] homeless. But not just the homeless. It was people that some people that wasn't

[20:27] homeless. Some of them had HVAC issues where they cannot have quality uh

[20:34] warming in their home. So they had to come there. And some

[20:39] that were just hungry because let me tell you this at the woman shelter they

[20:44] feed you better than when you at home.

[20:49] and his respond was simply that was really my doing because I believed and

[20:54] wanted to see the horror of the people of West Memphis

[20:59] and because of that this is why I allowed that to happen. So he said so

[21:05] when some people pray for strength I'm not going to come from heaven and give

[21:09] you muscles >> I'm going to give you challenges to help

[21:13] to build your strength. So I looked at him, he looked at me,

[21:20] » I looked back at him and he looked at me and then I looked at him again and he

[21:24] looked back at me and I said,

[21:31] "I'm I'm sort of upset." He said, "Well, what you going to do?"

[21:36] » I said, "What I'm going to do? I'm going to go down there and tell the people

[21:41] what I told them last time to stay that

[21:47] And he looked at me and said, "No, this not what you're going to tell him, but

[21:50] what you're going to do, you're going to motivate and you're going to encourage

[21:53] your citizen by saying, "Be strong, be courage,

[21:58] do not be afraid or dismayed for me, the Lord your God will be with you all

[22:05] forever as we go." So he said, "Honor your people." And when I think about the

[22:12] people who have helped us to the storm, I honor the Wayne Rose. Thank you. Odell

[22:19] Slaughter, your men and women. Danny Montgomery, your men and women.

[22:27] Chief Taylor, your men and women.

[22:33] Chief Elely, your men and women. Bob Atkins,

[22:39] your men and women. Nick Coulter for making sure that the world knew what was

[22:45] going on.

[22:49] Buzz Spears from the county, thank you for taking care of the whole county

[22:57] and all of the city family members here in the city of West Memphis, this city

[23:01] council and all of you, but not just you all.

[23:05] New Beginning Methodist Church, the Bridge Church,

[23:10] Jean Stimson, Big Star. I thought I seen some of them back in the back.

[23:14] » Done. It's back there. >> Okay. Done. I see you. I see you. Pizza

[23:18] Pro, New Beginning Methodist Church, Robert Skill Bosch.

[23:26] I seen Kenny Phillips, Judge Woody Willis, Dennis Sumpter,

[23:32] Rob Thorne. Can y'all believe it? For the first

[23:36] time, the Patriots and the Devils got together to do something together. West

[23:40] Memphis School District and Marian School District, they brought food.

[23:48] our city council, but also I want to tell you all about Miss Carla Meris,

[23:55] Jolie Wales,

[23:58] Victoria Phillips, Miss Ursula Williams,

[24:07] Toana Tana Tana Bailey,

[24:14] Dena And I'm telling y'all, she is a beast. A

[24:19] real beast. She came in and ran this show like that was her own house. Dr.

[24:24] Afreda Robinson,

[24:29] Joanne Clark, Kathy Hot Baker,

[24:35] Call the Grove. Where you at? Call the Grove. Barry Brad Johnson, where you at?

[24:43] Ricky Felix,

[24:47] Carrie Sullivan, Lawrence Carter, Andre Dunigan,

[24:54] Darcier Robinson, Lawrence Carter, Emerald Whitley.

[25:01] I don't know how to pronounce this name is a Y A L Y. What's that?

[25:10] and Cecilia. Bass for Bass for >> analise. That a what? This ain't what

[25:17] this Anelise Beford.

[25:25] Did I leave anyone out? Cuz you was there all today. You was there every

[25:28] day. I think I got everyone. Did I leave any businesses out there? Could you

[25:33] » Wall Bass? >> Wall Basset.

[25:35] » Walt Mass. >> Walt Mass. That's right. W Mass Bass

[25:38] Chevrolet. They they donated >> him.

[25:48] » All right. I hear them deltas in the house. Hey, let me hear that little

[25:52] noise. Let me hear that little noise y'all do.

[25:56] It was the Deltas. Okay. >> New Beth Church as well.

[26:03] All right. Oh, I I Nick gave me some real good real

[26:09] good I'm getting ready to bring to I want to make sure we got everything real

[26:13] acknowledge everything because during this time and we still going through it.

[26:16] We not over. So I want folks to know we still my men and women out there are

[26:19] battling with this this weather as weather still slipping and falling. Our

[26:24] police department was on the little 4x4 chasing people. Well, not chasing people

[26:29] but it uh the the ambulances are going everywhere. So, it's it's still going

[26:34] on. But let me show you why this is so good. Because when you you go through

[26:38] this and you show that you have a great heart.

[26:42] I tried to get us some help. And I think uh Mr. O Slaughter, he went and talked

[26:46] to a young man by the name of Nick Haynes in Santino and said that we need

[26:51] some help trying to get these streets. They were doing what they do, but you

[26:55] know, but it was impossible for us to do every street in West Memphis. So, we had

[27:00] to try to get some help. And we did go and try to get the schools and

[27:05] SN, that's their proper name, they came out and um got lots of uh street

[27:11] shoveling for us and they charged us $28,842.

[27:19] That what they charged us to do. And then guess what they did? They came to

[27:24] me and said, "Guess what, Dwayne Rose? We want to donate that

[27:30] $28,842,000

[27:34] check back to the warming center. Nick, raise your hand. You said stand

[27:40] for a minute. Stand for a second. Yeah.

[27:53] So, it's great people like this within our community. So, we have learned when

[27:57] we need one another. We be we really become one West Memphis and we work

[28:02] together and I I'm I'm going to go to war for my city family members because

[28:07] regardless, uh I know what you all go through and you all are appreciated. I

[28:12] know when people say, "Well, hey, they ain't doing this. They ain't doing

[28:15] this." I know what you're doing. And I just want to say thank you as mayor and

[28:20] this council, I'm sure they feel the same way that I feel. We appreciate you

[28:24] for everything that you are doing for our city.

[28:42] All right. I got one more other thing I want to add.

[28:47] I have this great opportunity right now to introduce

[28:52] our new police chief. I'm going to bring him forward. A young man that has been

[28:56] with us almost 20 years who is now leaning homebased

[29:02] and got a homebased team that's with him. So I'm going to let him introduce

[29:06] his men and women. Chief Taylor, will you come forward,

[29:11] please?

[29:21] Hey everybody. >> First of all, uh I want to thank you

[29:24] mayor for this opportunity. Um make sure you know council know I'm going to do

[29:29] everything I can to make sure to make this choice worthwhile for you guys um

[29:33] for the city of West Memphis and for the West Memphis Police Department. Um, one

[29:39] of the ways that I've been trying to do that right now, uh, trying to get me a

[29:42] staff together that's full of, um, experience and knowledge and that's as

[29:47] well as vested in this community and and in the department. Um, introduce my

[29:52] assistant chief um, well known James Presley, been serving this community 28

[29:58] years.

[30:03] Uh, we got Captain Captain Brad Brent Bradley been serving this community for

[30:07] 23 years.

[30:12] So, Major Anthony Hampton, been serving this community for 26 years.

[30:19] Uh, we got a Captain Eric Johnson, been serving this community for 18 years.

[30:27] And we got Captain Mickey Strahorn. Yes, sir. I've been serving this community

[30:31] for 37 years. I got one captain that's um that's he's

[30:37] been hired u actually his orientation he'll be he'll be here in in uniform

[30:41] starting February 23rd and he also has another 20 25 plus years of service in

[30:47] this community. Um our analyst we hired a crime analyst

[30:52] Joseph White. He also has 18 years of service. And

[30:58] just want everybody know we're going to do what we got to do to make sure that

[31:01] uh build our build this relationship with you guys with the community and

[31:05] make sure that uh we we >> support each other.

[31:08] » Ma'am, >> support each other.

[31:09] » Yes, ma'am. This department going to support each other and we going to all

[31:12] be we're going to be one West Memphis.

[31:22] So I I definitely want you all to meet our new police department and the great

[31:26] men that's locally here who's coming our department

[31:30] » also. Um

[31:37] do we have an announcement to by the council? Did you all have an

[31:41] announcement? >> I do have one announcement. Our next

[31:44] council meeting on February 19th, we will be having our annual black history

[31:48] program in our five five o'clock session and it's going to be directly after our

[31:53] meeting. All of the participants and honores have been contacted and they

[31:57] most certainly are looking forward to such a grand event.

[32:01] » Thank you. I guess we'll go down this way. I just I'm also I just want to

[32:06] recognize transit equality day uh here so you all would know about that.

[32:12] transfer quality today. You all have an announcement thing you

[32:17] want to add? >> Chamber dinner tonight.

[32:19] » Chamber commerce dinner is it's at the W.

[32:26] » I'm sorry. Mayor Ferguson >> the George Ferguson Center.

[32:30] » What time is that? 7. >> 6. Thanks start getting here at 6.

[32:34] Thanks to start program starts at 6:30. >> Dan Betty, can I call your name up on

[32:39] this one? I know you stand up and tell her who in the chamber.

[32:43] » All right. Good afternoon everyone. Um the annual

[32:48] chamber banquet Saturday night banquet will be tonight at the mayor city center

[32:53] at 6:30 p.m. Our guest speaker for the hour is

[33:00] grouped

[33:04] over to the next president of the board of directors for

[33:11] » uh what we want you to keep.

[33:16] I was just joking. All right. Uh, was there any other announcements?

[33:24] Well, I guess I got to get back to work. So, I

[33:28] look at you then you going to look at me. I look back at you. Got to get a

[33:34] motion. Second to move. Second. Second. All in favor? I oppose. That's all.

West Memphis City Council Meeting 02/05/2026

Transcript