Suburbs

Catching up on some suburban news. It was a rather busy week with quite an array of stories.

Horn Lake

Democrats winning elections in DeSoto County seems a bit rare, but Jimmy Stokes won the Horn Lake mayor’s race over Republican Danny Klein in Tuesday’s municipal election. Stokes, a member of the city’s Planning Commission, carried the day with 1,479 votes compared to 1,396 for Klein.

But the Democratic swing also spread down to the alderman races, as five of the seven offices in that category went to Democrats. Only Republican incumbents Tommy Bledsoe and Jackie Bostick avoided defeat.

A perception from afar: The ward representation for Horn Lake contributes to smaller numbers of voters for each race. It also shows turnout of a candidate’s supporters is even more important.

Democrats Kelly Lee Smith in Ward 4 and Charlotte Armstrong in Ward 6 won their elections by a scant 18 votes each, Armstrong defeating Republican incumbent Robby Dupree.

Collierville

I don’t know whether the warmer summer months are going to bring about more big parties, but Collierville dealt with the issue again this week.

Well, last weekend to be exact.

A big gathering around Mayfield Road led to neighbors calling the Collierville cops. The initial complaint seemed to be for blocking the roadway, with some other claims the partygoers were parking in neighbors’ yards. I feel certain that loud music and the big crowd also came into play.

By the time police cleared the area, eight people were charged with a variety of offenses, from drug and weapons possession to public intoxication. A “resisting arrest” and “assault on a law enforcement officer” also made the list.

These situations have arisen frequently in the past few years, leaving people clamoring for a way to curb the celebrations and governments trying to walk the edge of law-breaking and law-abiding. Germantown changed its ordinance to address matters, adding some exceptions to what would qualify as acceptable.

And that has always been the problem. How do you specify the difference from a random big gathering to the post-graduation pool party with music playing across speakers loud enough to entertain the attendees?

And don’t say police or code enforcement will investigate these situations on a case-by-case basis. That leaves too much to interpretation or perception. I assure you such an approach of picking and choosing what to enforce means you really don’t have any regulations at all.

Collierville officials appeared to grasp the problems with drafting an ordinance against such events. Town Administrator Molly Mehner said any an ordinance has to be effective and enforceable, according to reporter Abigail Warren’s story this week.

“We were having a difficult time crafting something that would allow people the use of their property for birthday parties and small gatherings and things that are totally legit,” she said. “We don’t want to infringe on people’s property rights, and it was very difficult to find where that line existed.”

Bartlett

The ownership group that resurrected the Side Porch Steakhouse has expanded next door into the coffee business.

The Pharmacy Coffeehouse opened just west of the restaurant and is the latest venture for a group that includes school board Chairman David Cook and David Reaves, a Bartlett alderman.

Reporter Michael Waddell attended a soft opening before the business began operating for its regular hours. He outlined some of the drinks and eats available at the coffeehouse, the latest venture in a revitalization of Bartlett Station on the suburb’s western end in the Stage Road corridor.

Across Shelby County

I will close with a reminder that the new fiscal year starts for the suburban governments on July 1.

So, the various bodies, after a lot of figgerin’ and calculatin’ and whittlin’, are getting to the end of the process. In the coming weeks, property-tax rates will be set, and the financial plan for the next 12 months will be in place.

Public hearings will occur for most between now and the end of the month, the last say for citizens to express their view before final reading. - Suburbs editor Clay Bailey

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