Just this week, we wrote how a public hearing was a necessary in the proposed renaming of Lapsley Street and then strongly criticized Mayor George Evans for the lack of public input in the search for management company or buyer for the historic St. James Hotel.

So, today, we are writing that we might be a little hypocritical.

Today, we are calling on State Rep. Darrio Melton to reverse his decision on seeking public input in the naming of the under-construction bridge on Dallas Avenue.

Weeks ago, Selma resident and regular contributor to the Times-Journal, James Smith said the bridge should be named for Selma native and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Howard Gilmore.

Gilmore gave the ultimate sacrifice to his country — and to the men under his command — serving as commanding officer of a submarine in World War II. His actions were found to be so amazing, so outstanding that he was awarded our country’s highest honor.

It would seem naming a bridge after him would be an easy decision.

Instead of taking this great suggestion and moving forward on what everyone would consider a no-brainer decision, Melton instead decided to use it as a ploy of some kind.

Instead of pushing through a piece of local legislation through the Legislature — a piece of legislation that would surely garner unanimous support — Melton set up an online polling process to seek names for who the bridge should be named after.

Why? How did this go from a great suggestion and a way for Melton to do something great for the Selma community to an online popularity contest?

So disgusted by Melton’s response that Smith, a veteran himself, withdrew the request, not wanting to put Gilmore’s name through the so-called public polling process.

Didn’t the scrutiny and investigation led by military officials into Gilmore ahead of awarding him the Medal of Honor serve as evidence he had the character worthy of anything, especially the naming of a bridge in his hometown? We think so.

Melton should reverse course and write up a resolution immediately so the bridge can be named for Gilmore upon its scheduled completion in May.

If he doesn’t, then we call on the community to flood Melton’s website calling on him to do what is right, do what he should have done from the beginning and push for Gilmore’s name on the bridge.

In his column, where he said he was going to first seek public input, Melton said “I hope you will join me in the process to give the Dallas Avenue bridge a name that we can all be proud of.”

Melton’s right, but he doesn’t need any additional input.

The Selma community is already proud of Gilmore and is calling on its elected leaders to stand on their own two feet and help us honor the sacrifice Gilmore made.