Christmas parade revival announced at listening session

Incoming West Plains City Councilman Crockett Oaks, III, hosted a listening session at The Lincoln School Thursday night. Oaks is running unopposed and scheduled the event as an opportunity to introduce himself and hear from the community before taking office. 

 

“Before I get into office, I want to hear what’s on the mind of citizens and see if it compares to what’s on my mind,” Oaks said.

 

One of the things on his mind was the future of the annual Christmas parade. The West Plains Chamber of Commerce announced last month that the 2025 parade was their last.

 

Mayor Mike Topliff was in attendance that night, and he announced that Ozark Marketing will be taking over the parade. 

 

Before Mayor Topliff announced the good news, Oaks said about the parade, “We have to be part of the solution to make sure these benefits are rolled out.” He spoke of “changing the dynamic” and creating opportunities for more people to be active participants. 

 

It would prove to be a theme of the conversation. Over and over, Oaks returned to the idea of stirring up the people of West Plains to “change the narrative and add to the tribe of doers,” “applying bespoke solutions,” and praising ideas that came up as ones that “need a champion.”

 

Among the topics on the minds of citizens that night was the extraction economy of business profiting from West Plains, but not reinvesting here, the growing homeless population, incentivizing new construction to be energy efficient, economic growth, and crime. 

 

“I’m serious about the business of the city,” Oaks concluded. "One thing I do well is bring people together. If I can bring the community together in a consistent way, I’m going to bring them out. I’m going to put ‘em to work.”