Pine Street gets new name

The renaming of Pine Street in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — a controversial item not on Thursday’s Arkadelphia Board of Directors agenda — passed in a 4-2 vote.

The meeting, it seemed, was near its end when Vice Mayor Ann Sanders interrupted routine business to suspend the rules in order to talk about an “issue” she said needed to be addressed. She did not reveal what that issue was until other directors voted unanimously to suspend the rules.

Sanders said, “There is an issue before us we’re going to have to deal with sooner or later, and I’m talking about Martin Luther King Boulevard. This board or the next board can’t leave it hanging any longer. I move that we vote on this tonight, and the majority will rule.”

Mayor Chuck Hollingshead said he’d rather put the topic on the agenda for the next City Board meeting so that a public hearing could be held.

Sanders said the city has been talking about the issue for five years, and people “kept finding a way to go around it.” She further said that she wanted the board to “sit right here and vote — that’s all I’m asking.”

City Attorney Ed McCorkle noted that Sanders did not address exactly what she wanted to talk about prior to suspending the rules, a procedure he said was necessary before placing it on the agenda.
There was discussion regarding the procedure, but Sanders’ motion to suspend the rules (despite not having said what the issue was) carried after Director Johnny Harris noted the board already knew what the issue was since they had been talking about it prior to McCorkle’s comment. Also, Harris said, the motion to suspend the rules had already carried.

Director Brenda Hagerich moved to rename the street, followed by Sanders’ second. The measure would need at least four votes in order to pass, and there were six directors present: Hagerich, Harris, DeeDee Baldwin, Director-at-Large James Calhoun, Sanders and Hollingshead.

Hollingshead asked for discussion on the topic before moving on to a vote.

Hagerich said the renaming of the street had been brought to her attention by constituents, and added that it is an “element” in the Clark County Strategic Plan.

She addressed the concerns from Pine Street business owners who have argued against the renaming of the street since it would cost them money in postage, changing addresses and switching stationery. Hagerich added that it was her “vision” to rename the street in honor of King in the historically African American area and be an “inclusive community.”

Calhoun mentioned past discussions and public hearings on the topic, especially one in a half-full auditorium at Central Primary School, in which a definite conclusion was never met. He echoed Hollingshead’s comments regarding his desire for a public hearing before putting it to a vote.
He added: “I know this is going to sound bad, and it’s probably going to be misinterpreted; but we’ve talked tonight about public input.” (In an unrelated item, directors had previously been discussing the importance of the public’s opinion on city business) “I’m not opposed to doing it, but I am opposed to doing it without anyone knowing it’s going to be on the agenda.” He posed a rhetorical question: “What if I made a motion to change the name of a different street? What if I wanted to name a different street Martin Luther King?”

Hollingshead, a white man, said he grew up in the 1950s and “had a lot of black friends.” He recalled one time when he asked a black friend to go eat with him one night, but the friend didn’t want to go because he was afraid he would not be allowed to sit with Hollingshead or other white people. Hollingshead said the unfair treatment then was shameful, and noted King’s attributes of being non-violent and treating everyone equally.

But, Hollingshead said, public input should be considered before carrying on with a vote on something that had not been on the agenda. Hollingshead said he would like to hear from the group of business owners who have concerns about the cost.

Sanders disagreed. “Before, we had several reasons we didn’t do it. There’s no reason we can’t go on and take care of it during regular city business. Discussing this has already been done.”

Harris said, “What I’m ready to do now is vote.” For residents who keep up with city business: “They can read it on the front page of the newspaper.”

Harris added that he was one of the first African Americans in Arkadelphia to go to a school with white people. Since he has lived in Arkadelphia, two streets named in honor of black men have been changed or deleted, he said.

Baldwin said she would be in favor of the name change, but agreed with Calhoun that the issue should first be placed on a future agenda. She said she was “surprised” at Sanders’ motion to carry on with a vote at the last minute.

Directors voting “yes” were Hagerich, Harris, Baldwin and Sanders. Calhoun and Hollingshead voted “no,” citing that the item should have been placed on a future agenda for public discussion.