WARREN, Ark. – The Bradley County Economic Development Corp. (BCEDC) meeting on Monday, March 28 opened with a discussion regarding industrial recruiting efforts in a closed session. Attending the meeting were Board Chairman Dr. Bob Smalling, members Morgan Richardson Meeks, Stacey Gorman, James Wells, John Lipton, John Gavin, Bridgette Harding, Kelly Ashcraft, Hugh Allen Quimby,…
A lengthy discussion about the economic impact of Bradley County Medical Center and options for its future was held at Monday’s monthly Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board meeting. BCMC CEO Leslie Huitt began her presentation by discussing a Rural Health Partnership economic impact study that showed the hospital has an annual economic impact of…
Incoming wintry weather changed some plans for Bradley County Economic Development Corp.’s annual meeting but the meeting went on as scheduled at Immanuel Baptist Church on Monday. Board Chairman Dr. Bob Smalling explained that Clint McNeal, Arkansas Economic Development Commission director, was scheduled to speak but had to cancel. He said McNeal would be rescheduled…
The 2023 Warren city budget was approved by the City Council in December 2022, but there are several projects still pending that could change the overall total. The budget shows an estimated $4,102,438 in income for the general fund and $964,868 in income for the street fund. Other funds bring the total budget to $6,657,254.…
Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority board held its first meeting of the year Wednesday at Bradley County Economic Development Corp. SEARIFA will hold all meetings this year in Warren. The group alternates its meetings between Warren and Monticello. The board consists of three members each from the cities of Warren and Monticello, and the…
A discussion about Internet access in Bradley County came with the bold claim by County Judge Klay McKinney that with an additional grant, the county could become the first one in the state to be fully covered. Glen Howie, state broadband director of Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and Mark Golden, director of external and governmental…
A school district is a major employer in any county and Bradley County is no exception. At one time, the county had 60 separate districts. Now it is down to two in Hermitage and Warren, and those superintendents described their schools at the monthly meeting of Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board on Monday. Top…
The Warren Community and Economic Development Committee met for the first time in several months to consider some long-standing problems but didn’t come away with any immediate answers. Committee members included Chairwoman Angela Marshall and Alderwomen Memory Frazer and Dorothy Henderson. Top photo: Warren Community and Economic Development Committee members met Tuesday. Shown, from left,…
Bradley County Judge Klay McKinney told Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board members Monday night that negotiations were underway with a company that could save the city of Warren and Bradley County thousands of dollars in waste disposal. Green Energy Co. is planning to build a disposal facility near Lake Village that will handle up…
Bradley County Economic Development Corp. received its first check from LaSalle Corrections on Monday, along with a deed to 20 acres, it was revealed at the monthly BCEDC board meeting later in the day. The property had been intended for a regional jail housing Bradley and Drew County prisoners, along with some state prisoners. However,…
Details about the newly developed Arkansas Center For Forest Business were presented to Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board members Monday night. ACFB Director Dr. Matthew Pelkki was accompanied by research associate Ana Gutierrez and post-doctoral scientist Dr. Sagar Godar Chhetri. Pelkki said state funding for the program began last year. He noted Arkansas is…
Steve Mahanes, plant manager of AHF (formerly Armstrong Hardwood Flooring), addressed Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board of directors Monday. He said he began working at the Warren plant about four years ago as maintenance manager. He has spent the last 10 months as plant manager. The company builds 25 million square feet of flooring…
WARREN, Ark. – Bradley County Economic Development Corp. approved an agreement with LaSalle Corrections Monday night in regard to the former proposal for a Southeast Arkansas Regional Jail. State Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, who is a BCEDC board member, was involved in negotiations along with Mayor Denisa Pennington and the BCEDC Executive Committee. When the project…
WARREN, Ark. – Several crucial pieces of information about economic development were provided to Bradley County Development Corp. board of directors during its monthly meeting Monday night. First up, state Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, a board member, said he would give a full report on negotiations with LaSalle Corrections at the next meeting. The company had…
Warren, Arkansas – The annual meeting of Bradley County Economic Development Corp. was held Monday at Immanuel Baptist Church with Arkansas Commerce Secretary Mike Preston as guest speaker. Board Chairman Dr. Bob Smalling gave the welcome and the Rev. Matt Overall gave an opening prayer. “This has been a very active year for BCEDC,” Smalling…
Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board members had a lengthy discussion during their last meeting of the year Monday as to their prospects for future funding. BCEDC and Bradley County Chamber of Commerce each asked for $18,000 in next year’s city budget to fund their respective offices. Warren City Council has rejected the requests as…
Warren, Arkansas – A number of items of business were dealt with Monday, November 8 during the regular monthly Warren City Council meeting, with a large portion of the time spent going over the proposed City 2022 budget, as well as actions and deliberations of the Council’s Ways and Means Committee, and comments from Committee…
Most of the discussion at Monday’s Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board meeting concerned the disposition of the Southeast Arkansas Regional Jail. LaSalle Corrections recently informed Bradley County Quorum Court that it would be economically unfeasible for the company to build and maintain the jail. However, company officials left open the possibility that the county…
Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board members attempted to clarify some points about the Southeast Arkansas Regional Jail project but took no action regarding it at their monthly meeting Monday. At the last Quorum Court meeting, Billy McConnell, owner of LaSalle Corrections, said it was not economically feasible for his company to build the jail.…
The project underway for some five years to build a private prison in Southeast Arkansas to house 500 State of Arkansas inmates and to provide jail space for Bradley and Drew Counties is in jeopardy of being canceled. Billy McConnell, a high ranking officer of LaSalle Corrections, a private firm that operates prisons and jails…
The operations of one of Bradley County’s largest employers were explained to Bradley County Economic Development Corp. board members Monday night. Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center Superintendent Mark Wargo and Assistant Superintendent Dana Harvey appeared before the board. Wargo said the biggest challenge they faced was in getting enough employees who could pass a drug…
