Good news for West Point

Published 8:58 pm Monday, June 11, 2018

It’s often questioned how involved government officials are in the day-to-day operations of their areas. Many likely think that outside of the big items and events, most council members and commissioners are content to leave the normal minutiae of governance to those below them.

This is not the case in West Point.

Last week, the city council met for a work session and during that they heard the 2017 city audit. At the same meeting, they swore in a new police chief, officially ending a months-long search.

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The importance of this, besides the obvious, is in the fact the council has been so heavily involved.

This is displayed in the number of meetings held by the council. They hold three meetings a month: two work sessions and a business session. At the first, the council hears from the public, learns about different agenda items and then votes on what will appear at the next meeting. At the business meeting, they actually vote on the items agreed upon at the previous meetings.

This separation of meetings helps to keep things from getting overly long and the council from getting overloaded by information.

The West Point City Council has shown itself to be a governing body willing to put the effort in to keep the city running smoothly. Whether the issue is a minor one over seating requirements at alcohol serving restaurants or a major one concerning the state of the city police department, the council has shown a willingness to meet as often as needed to get the job done right.

The council has a difficult job but, so far, they have shown a willingness to do what needs to be done.