By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
Developing Howard County saw a “year of momentum,” Director Vanessa Weeks told the economic development panel’s annual meeting Thursday, Oct. 22.
“We don’t have an industrial announcement yet,” Weeks said, but the panel made progress in a number of other areas.
DHC was in the first cohort of Select USA, Weeks said.
“We were able to promote Howard County in front of international companies. We were invited to Mexico City,” where Weeks and Veronica Ozura from Sevier County were the only economic development directors in attendance at a meeting where they promoted Southwest Arkansas.
“We have prime real estate,” according to Weeks. “We’re usually in competition with Little Rock. We have to market ourselves.”
Developing Howard County hosted several site visits from prospective industries, Weeks said.
Four prospects visited the former Ox Bodies site during the past year.
The Okay site “is back on the radar” and hosted one prospect, Weeks said.
“We tell what’s happening in Howard County anytime prospects are here,” she said.
Workforce development and talent are important to prospects, according to Weeks.
Some companies have expressed reservations about the number of workers in the immediate area, but Weeks tries to allay those concerns by pointing out that travel time for workers outside Howard County is not the same as a longer commute in Little Rock.
Weeks acknowledged the partnerships which DHC has formed with various agencies and offices, along with local media.
State Rep. Dolly Henley was in the audience last Thursday and has always been available, Weeks said.
A representative of Congressman Bruce Westerman’s office attended the meeting.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District and a number of other groups have provided assistance, Weeks said.
Local media, including Southwest Arkansas Radio and the Nashville News-Leader, “are always ready to tell about what we do,” Weeks said.
Weeks reviewed the work of DHC’s different committees during the past year.
The housing group was part of a roundtable discussion on ways to offer housing in the area.
The tax education and public information committee has worked to provide tax education to residents. County Judge Brent Pinkerton “has been great. He’s always telling people about how taxes are used. He tells them about courthouse records.”
Maintaining and attracting business and industry continues to promote the county, Weeks said. “We hope to make two retain announcements in coming weeks.”
Branding, recreation and entertainment has worked on numerous ways to present Howard County to prospective businesses and industries.
DHC hosted the State of the Southwest meeting in April, attended by more than 200 people involved in economic development.
When DHC began three years ago, “AllI had was an office,” Weeks said. “We weren’t a non-profit at that time. Now, we’re on the national and international stage. I want to thank everyone who has given their time, money, and helped in any way.”
In response to a question about the county’s population, Judge Pinkerton said the declining numbers are part of a population trend. “It’s not just a Howard County problem, not just a Southwest Arkansas problem. Northwest Arkansas, Central Arkansas and the Jonesboro area are growing,” while other parts of the state have lost population.”
The judge said that if the county loses population, “We lose money from the state for roads and other projects.”
Earlier in the meeting, DHC board chair Paul Britt welcomed attendees and gave the financial report.
He said that Developing Howard County has received $123,716 in sales tax income from the county so far, and “none has been spent yet.”
Britt expects the full share will be around $220,000-$225,000.
To ensure transparency and accountability, “We will have a full CPA audit every year,” according to Britt, and may request an annual legislative audit.
Following the business meeting, Clint O’Neal, director of AEDC, was the guest speaker.
