Contacts made at a conference in Washington, D.C., are starting to get some attention for Howard County and Southwest Arkansas.
Vanessa Weeks, the county’s economic development director, told the Developing Howard County board Monday, Aug. 31, that she and her counterpart in Sevier County have been asked to present at two conferences in Mexico.
One will be in September, the other in October. Weeks and Veronica Ozura have been invited to make presentations to industries interested in relocating to the United States, especially Arkansas.
Board members voted to pay Weeks’ expenses for the two meetings, a total of $4,300.
“This will be another way for us to get our message out,” Weeks said.
Board vice chair Charles Smith said Weeks has “been successful in making contacts. We need to support her in this.”
Other topics were discussed during Monday’s brief session for August.
DHC’s annual meeting will be held Thursday, Oct. 22, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Midtown Social in Nashville. Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic
Development Commission, will be the speaker.
Weeks told the board that DHC has been offered $4,000 to help pay for a crew car at the Howard County airport.
The vehicle would be housed at the airport and would be available for visiting pilots and flight crews.
“People fly into our airport pretty often,” Weeks said.
Howard County Judge Brent Pinkerton said there is the possibility of other improvements at the airport.
