Mayor's bluntness is clearly needed

Sikeston Mayor Mike Marshall was not pulling any punches

Monday when he announced the formation of a new 4-

man Housing Authority Public Safety Unit. Marshall gave

notice to the "thugs and gangbangers" that their days are numbered

in our community. He later asked if he had been too

blunt. The answer is clearly no.

As announced earlier here, the Sikeston Housing Authority is

funding this special unit that will police all public housing in our

community. The purpose of the program is twofold. First, the officers

will help to provide security and protection for those who live

in subsidized housing. But also, these officers will help to weed

out the element who temporarily stay in public housing or who

prey on public housing residents. It's that second priority that

Mayor Marshall was addressing.

The Sikeston City Council clearly recognizes that we need to

eliminate the "thug" element from Sikeston for countless reasons.

One of those reasons is that potential employers may believe we

have a bad crime reputation

and steer their company elsewhere.

Well we don't deserve

that reputation because much

of our crime comes from an

element outside of our community

who simply "stays"

from time to time. It's that element that is in for a rude awakening.

Through the efforts of the Land Clearance for Redevelopment

Authority and now this new Public Safety unit, our community is

making substantial strides to reverse years of decline. And the

signs of that reversal are abundant.

This new public safety unit will also send notice to the residents

of public housing. If those residents are helping to house the criminal

element, they too will be removed from their subsidized

dwelling because they are part of the problem too.

If you look at the success of the noise ordinance, the increased

enforcement of ordinances against eyesores and the success of the

LCRA, you know that our community is taking a pro-active stand

to remove our problems and provide an improved community for

everyone. This public housing police unit will be just another step

in the long road to permanent improvement.

I commend Mayor Marshall for his bluntness. He is saying publicly

what many have said privately for far too long. It's time that

other voices - strong voices - join in the chorus and send a clear

message to the criminal element. You are not welcome in Sikeston

and we will make sure your days here are numbered!