Many deserving of credit in building partnership

The groundbreaking for three new public buildings was overshadowed by other news a couple of weeks ago, but we didn’t want to let the moment pass without taking note of the achievement to make these structures a go.

They are the Dr. Josetta Wilkins Jefferson County Health Unit, the Sgt. Elga Lee Roberts Jefferson County Veterans Services Office and the U.S. Brown Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.

Much of the credit for making this happen goes to County Judge Gerald Robinson, who knew before taking office that the buildings were in dire need of being replaced. Actually, the buildings were in dire need of being replaced years ago, no doubt, with leaks and mold and, as one observer noted, a health department facility that looked like it could make a person ill.

As well, Robinson was able to put together a public-private partnership that helped the project move forward. Also instrumental in the equation was the fact that Simmons Bank donated $1 million toward a couple of the projects.

“For more than 100 years, Simmons Bank has been committed to community,” Daniel Robinson, community president of Simmons Bank in Pine Bluff, said at the time. “Donating this gift to support our veterans and our local health unit is investing in the future of Pine Bluff, our hometown, and our headquarters.”

Yes, the Simmons name has been on untold events and projects as a driver and sponsor, but $1 million is a staggering amount of money for a corporation to give, even if it is for the home of the headquarters. So a huge thank you to those folks.

Additionally, kudos to Saracen Casino, which pitched in an undisclosed amount of money for the construction.

Said Carlton Saffa, a casino executive: “Before I was working at the casino, I worked in government, and I learned this phrase: ‘best practice.’ And I say that because how can you engage in best practice and encourage health best practices when your roof leaks, you have pests and vermin, and the health department is a rough place? How can you talk about health care best practice when there’s nothing healthy about the health department? The good news is that changes today.”

Another player was the P3 Group, which worked with Gerald Robinson to create the public-private partnership.

So there were a lot of moving parts. The passion of an elected official seeing something that needed to be fixed, help from the private sector in the way of donations, and some creativity in making it all happen. Standing ovations for all involved!

Once completed, these facilities will be yet another feather in the local cap, which, as we have noted, is getting pretty crowded. It’s a good problem to have.