West Memphis gets back on track as winter weather resides

Garbage pick-ups to redouble efforts, meetings rescheduled

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

Last week, the City of West Memphis faced the brutal brunt of a severe winter storm, resulting in the closure of numerous government offices, a city council meeting, and local schools. However, the Department of Emergency Management ensured that essential services remained operational and doubled its efforts to address any arising emergencies or issues. As the city embarks on a new week everything appears to be operating smoothly and life is gradually returning to normal.

The windy winter storm which whipped through West Memphis, brought freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. In the interest of residents’ safety and to avoid potential hazards associated with the snow-covered roads, Mayor Marco McClendon made the decision to temporarily shut down several government offices and canceled all meetings for the week including the airport commission and city council meetings. Both are expected to be rescheduled for this week.

“We are luckier than many smaller towns in Arkansas because ARDOT maintains many of our vital roads through the city. They did a phenomenal job.” said Emergency Management Director DeWayne Rose, “unfortunately, many of our side streets were not so lucky, but our local street crews also did a great job salting and sanding some of the most dangerous intersections of the city. While it is not economically feasible to purchase plows for the city that might be used once every few years, we are looking into the viability of purchasing plow attachments for heavy vehicles that would essentially do the same job.”

Despite the closures, the Department of Emergency Management continued to serve as a steadfast backbone for the city. Rose went on to praise the city’s infrastructure in that while there were some sporadic reports of residents temporarily losing water pressure due to everyone leaving their faucets running, there were no power outages as many expected. West Memphis certainly fared better than our neighbors to the east as reports are still coming in of residents

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being under and “boil advisory” as well as being asked to conserve energy in order to lesson strain on the power grid.

With warmer temperatures expected this week, the City of West Memphis has returned to its routine functioning. All government offices, including the previously closed city council, will reopen their doors to the public. The mayor, along with city council members, looks forward to resuming discussions on vital matters that concern the citizens.

Moreover, the schools within the West Memphis School District have resumed in-person classes after being closed due to inclement weather. The administration has ensured the implementation of necessary safety protocols to guarantee the well-being of students and teachers.

As the city bounces back from the winter storm, the City of West Memphis has announced that it will deploy additional resources to get the sanitation trash pick-up schedule back on track. In order to catch up on missed collections, the sanitation department will be doubling up on its routes. Residents are urged to keep their trash cans accessible and properly placed, ensuring smooth and efficient waste removal for all.

As West Memphis transitions from a weather-induced hiatus back to business as usual, the dedication of the Department of Emergency Management and the resilience exhibited by the community during the storm serves as a reminder of the city’s strength in the face of adversity. With the worst of the winter weather behind them, the city eagerly moves forward, prioritizing the well-being of its residents and the continuity of its services.