Facts:
Contact Us
info@arkadelphiaalliance.com
2401 Pine Street, Suite B
Arkadelphia, AR 71923
Phone: 870.246.1460
Fax: 870.246.1462
February 23, 2010
EDCCC Recaps 2009
The Economic Development Corporation of Clark County (EDCCC) and Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance (Alliance) summarized their 2009 achievements in a number of presentations in January and February. Shawnie Carrier, Executive Director of the Alliance, recapped the year to the Arkadelphia City Board, the Gurdon Rotary, the Quorum Court, and the Amity City Board.
The EDCCC served local existing industries by funding over $180,000.00 for the following projects in 2008-2009:
- Alumacraft: $14,478.95 for upgrades
- Petit Jean Poultry: $14,293.48 for equipment
- Georgia Pacific: $80,699.09 for training
- K&P Cabinet Doors in Amity: $30,000.00 for 10 jobs
- Danfoss Scroll Technologies: $24,900.00 for training
- Print Mania in Arkadelphia: $20,000.00 for 10 jobs
The EDCCC initiated a regional partnership with Clark, Pike, Montgomery, Nevada, and Dallas Counties in 2009 by creating the Southwest Arkansas Intermodal Authority. Creation of this group, which operates under Act 690 of 1997, will likely facilitate the member cities and counties in acquiring, equipping, constructing, and operating industrial parks that offer freight support services like warehouses and packaging and distribution facilities. Under that act, authority members may combine resources to be more competitive in retaining existing industries and recruiting new commercial activities. An authority member may also be a catalyst for economic growth in southwest Arkansas by maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of the region’s transportation system.
In addition, the Alliance began exploration of a partnership with the Little Rock Metro Alliance.
In 2009, the Alliance entered into a partnership with Lonnie Jackson with the Henderson State University Small Business and Technology Development Center to develop and implement a Business Retention and Expansion Program. Tasks of this program will include compiling a list of countywide businesses, scheduling industry site visits, developing quarterly meetings with local industry managers and human resources managers, developing a needs assessment for local businesses, and exploring the possibility of a business incubator in the county.
In 2009, the EDCCC worked to gain land for potential businesses looking to expand or locate in Clark County. A tract at the Clark County Industrial Park was purchased, and a land parcel of over 150 acres is still being examined for purchase. The EDCCC engaged engineering firms to conduct environmental studies, surveys, and elevation studies and to look into providing infrastructure on prospective land purchases.
Leadership Clark County, a program of the Alliance that engages local leaders and emerging leaders in a nine-month course, continued with its second year, and the number of applicants for the program increased.
Marketing efforts in 2009 included development of an Alliance website, www.arkadelphiaalliance.com, which was unveiled on January 11, 2010. The website will be used to market Clark County and the region to prospective businesses and industries looking to locate or expand in Clark County and to provide information about the area for tourists and community members. The website also includes a video featuring attractive qualities of the county for businesses and tourists. The Alliance continued efforts to brand the community by adopting a logo and using consistent key messages to advertise the community.
The Alliance began a partnership with Del Boyette Strategic Advisors in 2009 (pursuant to a goal of the Clark County Strategic Plan) to engage a nationally recognized consulting firm to perform a blueprint for economic development which includes a targeted industry analysis and incentive policy. The Alliance also began consideration of hiring a consultant to perform a labor market study, which would provide needed statistics on the area workforce beyond the information available through the existing records such as U.S. Census numbers and would be a vital tool in encouraging businesses to expand or locate in Clark County.
Alliance staff members maintained memberships in and attended networking events with state, regional, and national economic development entities in 2009, including Arkansas Economic Developers, Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives, American Chamber of Commerce Executives, Southern Economic Development Council, International Economic Development Council, and CoreNet Global (a professional association for corporate real estate industry).
In upcoming news, the Alliance has planned an announcement of 95 jobs slated for late February, and is currently working with a business prospect to possibly announce more jobs in the coming months. Also, work continues to examine opening a transload facility and distribution center in the Clark County Industrial Park through the newly formed Southwest Arkansas Intermodal Authority. A regional visitors center in Caddo Valley is projected to open in summer or fall of 2010.