By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com
Citizens may be getting a chance to have their voices heard by members of the public board that plays a significant role in landing jobs in Clark County.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Economic Development Corp. of Clark County was so well attended that each of the 25 or so chairs for citizens was filled. That isn’t normally the case for EDCCC meetings, which usually attract the usual 5 or so faces of attending citizens.
Tuesday’s crowd was likely in response to a special-called meeting in mid-April, when the board green-lit the sale of its 1,000-acre Gum Springs site to a data center that would soon rein in its interest in Clark County.
No portion of the EDCCC’s meeting agenda is dedicated to public comment. Citizens may, through a request filed with the Alliance office, be included on the agenda to address the board. As was the case Tuesday, when outspoken Justice of the Peace Jenna Scott addressed the board, calling for more citizen input on decisions related to economic development.
Scott had filled out the paperwork required, and met the deadline, to address the EDCCC. She cited the data center as a perfect example of how, currently, citizens have no input. “The citizens did not know what was being proposed until that meeting actually started,” Scott said, noting there would have been no way to request to be on that agenda.
Scott also called on the EDCCC to slow its decision-making process “when something is so heavily being questioned. … Allow more time to process what it is that we’re considering.”
Scott continued: “When it’s something that affects us all, like the potential of a data center, I would really like to see that there is more time given to the opportunity to ask questions.” A roar of applause indicated that those in attendance approved Scott’s plea.
Following Scott’s speech, board members discussed their support for allowing public comment. The board ultimately tasked Alliance CEO Shelley Short with drafting a policy. She is expected to return to the July 28 meeting with a proposal.
In other business, the board:
• Heard Short confirm that, despite rumor, there are no data centers looking to build in Clark County.
• Approved a measure to open a new account at Citizens Bank to hold the $50,000 nonrefundable earnest money transferred to the EDCCC from Devco LLC.
• Approved to move forward with matching up to $948,000 for a site development grant from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.
• Approved to match up to 20% in funding, or roughly $400,000, for a transload facility on EDCCC property near Georgia-Pacific’s Gurdon mill. Funding is contingent on whether the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program awards the 80/20 matching grant.
• OK’d a proposal to increase the listing price of Southwest Arkansas Mega Site acreage to $25,000 per acre.
• Learned that the city of Arkadelphia’s permit from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to draw up to 20 million daily gallons of Ouachita River water for the Sun Paper project has expired, and that city does not plan to request renewal of the permit.
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