Walnut Ridge Mayor Charles Snapp to seek re-election

Walnut Ridge Mayor Charles Snapp told Talk Business & Politics he intends to seek re-election. First elected in 2014, Snapp said that job creation, city tax base growth and growing other economic metrics will be his goals in another term.

“Serving Walnut Ridge has never been just a title to me, it has been a responsibility, an honor, and a commitment to the city I love. Over the last 12 years, we have led Walnut Ridge out of debt and placed our city on stronger financial footing than many thought possible. I believe there should be little doubt that I can continue managing your city and its finances responsibly, carefully, and with the future always in mind, I want to confirm that I am going to run for mayor again this year,” he said.

Snapp noted that the city of about 5,300 residents has more than $1 million surplus in its coffers. Walnut Ridge is the county seat of Lawrence County.

“What no mayor can control, however, is where people choose to shop or which businesses they decide to support. The strength of our local economy ultimately depends on the choices we make as a community. One thing I can promise is this – I can and will continue managing Walnut Ridge in a way that strives to improve the quality of life for our citizens and future generations,” he added.

Snapp said that his administration has tried and will continue to try to add jobs and businesses in the city. He noted that several businesses have been shuttered in recent years.

“Over the past few months, some businesses have closed. While those decisions were beyond the city’s control, they should challenge all of us to think carefully about how we support our local economy moving forward. The majority of city revenue comes from the city’s portion of sales tax, meaning every dollar spent outside our community is a dollar that does not return to help improve our streets, services, parks, public safety, employee salaries and infrastructure,” he said.

The mayor said that another point of emphasis will be to encourage residents to shop locally.

“Based on 2022 estimates from EPSI, approximately $32 million was spent outside our community on groceries, $18 million on fuel and over $21 million on restaurants and eating places. That is over $71 million leaving our area in a single year. Imagine what even part of that money could do if it stayed right here in Walnut Ridge, supporting local jobs, strengthening existing businesses, attracting new investment, and helping the city continue improving services without placing additional burdens on our residents,” he added.

During his term, multiple street improvement projects have been tackled and more are on the way, he said.

“Despite those challenges, we have continued moving forward through disciplined and responsible management of your tax dollars. For 11 consecutive years, we have overlaid city streets, and this summer alone more than $500,000 in street improvements are scheduled. Most households continue receiving weekly trash pickup for their first cart at no cost. Residents no longer pay a mosquito treatment fee on their water bill. We have strengthened our police and fire departments, improved our parks, and continued investing in critical water and sewer infrastructure,” he said.