By Ray King
Despite an impassioned plea from outgoing City Council member Glen Brown Sr., the Pine Bluff City Council pulled a resolution to change the name of Hazel Street in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Brown, who was defeated in his bid for reelection, said he had tried to get the street renamed under three different mayors, and during his explanation of why the name should be changed, passed out a 32-page list of states and foreign countries who had named a street for King.
The resolution he sponsored called for the street name to be changed from 13th Avenue South to its end at I-530 and he argued that the city established requirement that a majority of property owners had to agree to the change should waived.
That failure to follow procedure was one of the things Council Member Lanette Frazier spoke about when she talked about the resolution with Deltaplex News.
After the resolution was pulled, Brown walked out before the meeting was over.
In addition to Brown Sr., the Monday meeting was the last one for 2nd Ward Council Member Steven Shaner, who was also defeated in his bid for reelection. He was asked his thoughts after the meeting was over.
Mayor Shirley Washington also said goodbye to the council and city employees. Mayor-elect Vivian Flowers will be sworn in Jan. 1.
In other activity, the council approved a budget adjustment of $348,848 to pay for the construction of soccer and football fields at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Park, and the Barraque Street Pavillion.
