Vote to rename Arkansas street for Martin Luther King Jr. angers some

Business owners cite expense, losses

Jonesboro City Council
Jonesboro City Council

After almost half a year's worth of debate, Jonesboro's City Council has approved naming a street after Martin Luther King Jr., to the chagrin of some business owners in the area.

The City Council voted 9-3 Monday to rename Commerce Drive and future additions after King, the minister and civil-rights activist who was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Council members voted to waive the second and third readings of the ordinance, despite some opposition.

Bill Campbell, a city spokesman, said Mayor Harold Perrin was unable to attend the meeting because of an upper respiratory infection he has been dealing with for a couple of weeks.

"He has been an advocate for naming a street after Martin Luther King Jr. for many years," Campbell said. "He is satisfied with the council's decision."

The City Council created the Unity Coalition Advisory Committee in June and gave the group the task of finding ways to honor King. The advisory committee came up with two options: Rename Aggie Road through the Arkansas State University campus or rename Commerce Drive, a north-south spur of Arkansas 18 that is to be upgraded to a four-lane eastern bypass.

In October, the city's public works committee changed the proposed ordinance. The committee decided to move forward with the Commerce Drive option, but the proposed ordinance was altered to change only parts of the eastern arterial from Interstate 555 to U.S. 49 that aren't built yet. The streets that already carried the name "Commerce Drive" wouldn't have been changed under the public works committee's plan.

That decision angered some members of the Unity Coalition. Lisa Melton, a member of the Craighead County chapter of the NAACP, said in a later meeting that she had "lost all respect" for the council and accused members of backroom dealings.

"I was angry and ashamed," Melton said Monday while issuing an apology for her previous remarks. "I carry the guilt of descending from the white power structure that at minimum allowed it to happen and benefit from that structure. ... I lost my temper."

Alderman Chris Moore, who served as mayor pro tempore at Monday's council meeting, assured the public that there had been no behind-the-scenes dealings.

The City Council created the advisory committee after some council members opposed a proposal to change Johnson Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Debates broke out at City Council meetings between residents who wanted to honor King by renaming a street after him and others who expressed concern about preserving the city's history.

Matt Elam, general manager of Silver Moon Trailers Inc., spoke at Monday's meeting and expressed concern during an interview Tuesday about how the series of events played out.

"They changed the original proposal of the Memorial Highway two weeks ago during the holidays," Elam said. "Then they changed the date of the meeting from Tuesday to Monday, and then they voted to forgo the second and third readings.

"It was odd. It feels rushed."

Elam said the decision to rename Commerce Drive creates an unnecessary financial hardship for business owners in the area.

He estimated that the cost of the name change will rise into the thousands for business owners.

"That is just in actual cost," he said. "That is not talking about the potential loss of business because it takes almost three years for Google Maps to update streets. I have had this business for 23 years, and I spent over a quarter of a million dollars in those 23 years advertising 1802 Commerce Drive."

Emma Agnew, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, said during Monday's meeting that she wanted to instill some clarity from the city's black community, which feels strongly about the street-naming issue.

"Dr. King fought for the freedom of all people, but if you were born free, then his legacy doesn't mean the same to you as it does for me and those of us who happened to be born black," she said.

The Craighead County chapter of the NAACP also noted the importance of the decision in a post on its Facebook page.

"Thanks for your prayers," the post read. "It has been an emotional struggle. It is crucial that we stay engaged and speak out on things that matter."

Dick Freer, a retired social work instructor at ASU, spoke about the potential legacy that council members were creating by refusing to rename the street after King.

"When your children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren ask 'how did you vote on honoring Dr. King?' will you say 'I voted no because the City Council couldn't find a way to satisfy business owners?' or 'the wishes of my constituents weren't there,'" Freer asked council members. "Or will you say, 'I voted yes because Dr. King's message was needed to promote unity and hope in our hometown of Jonesboro?' It was the right thing to do."

Roger Watkins, who opposed renaming the street, told City Council members that opponents would gather signatures to hold a referendum on the issue and that voters would vote to undo the council's decision.

"They are adding problems instead of resolving them, which is what I thought this was supposed to be about," Elam said of the council's decision. "Instead of compromise, I feel like the businesses in the area are having to foot the bill. I feel like we are being overlooked."

State Desk on 12/04/2019

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