HSC progressing in roads, broadband, economic development
HSC Judge Dennis Thornton and the members of the Quorum Court have made several broad moves this year that will positively impact the county for decades to come.
Some of that progress is attributed to funding opportunities and federal assistance, but these developments could not have been seen to fruition without the proactive mindset and concrete measures county officials have embraced over the last year.
“This past year has been really strong for us,” Thornton said in a recent sit-down.
One main development he noted is the renovation and maintenance upgrades several municipal buildings are currently undergoing, thanks to the county’s consulting/construction agreement with Mckinstry Corporation.
Mckinstry is known for their eco-friendly, energy efficient designs and their expertise with preserving the historic beauty of a structure while adopting modern solutions.
Mckinstry has designed a plan that incorporates energy efficient practices and equipment, such as new boilers and lighting in many municipal buildings, a new roof an the jail, two electric vehicle charging stations, and a 4-acre solar array that will be installed out at Jones Mill Industrial Park, along with innovative system shortcuts that will not only save the county money, but also bring a different opportunities for revenue.
Thornton said the county needed a $5.4 million dollar bond issue to complete the project, but the work was essential because the HVAC systems in every county building are anywhere from 23 to 30plus years old, and many had already reached their life expectancy.
“I knew there was no way for us, that if everything went out in one summer, there wasn’t enough money in the county to fix it,” Thornton said.
“So by using this energy efficient group, it allows us to replace lighting, we’re going to be replacing windows, and naturally, all the HVAC systems,” he said. “We’re getting rid of the old chiller and boiler, which in my opinion is just dangerous.” The current system also does not allow each office to manage its own climate, but the new system will provide individual thermostat controls.
The maintenance was sorely needed, and the innovative approach will be a boon to the county for generations. The solar array comes with a “1 for 1” solar buyback credit agreement. “So, for every kilowatt hour, whatever we pay right now, when we produce a kilowatt, it pays us exactly back the same,” Thornton explained, adding that a swift installation of the solar array should start within the next month.
Another point of pride for Thornton’s administration is the number of grants the county was awarded in 2022, including a Hazard Mitigation Grant for $94,125, which went toward building a 50-ft. bridge on Chestnut Road; another such grant for $74,185 that helped the county build a 28-ft. bridge on Country Club Road; and one in process for $114,825, which will be used to build a 50-ft span on Chandler Road.
“We’re applying right now for an Unpaved Road Grant, we’re applying for $240,000 that would supply a 60-foot bridge and box culvert on Broken Bow Road,” he said. “It’s something that’s been desperately needed.” They will soon apply for a $2 million RAISE Grant for roadwork infrastructure. Officials are in charge of maintaining almost 650 miles of county roadways and 400 miles of public roads , so any alternatives that lessen the taxpayer burden are welcome and appreciated by HSC residents.
The county was awarded a Historic Preservation Grant in the amount of $185,000 for much-needed replacement of the black cast-iron sewer pipes with PVC. Thornton said the old pipes are starting to crack and rust from the inside out, so the grant monies could not come at a better time.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has given HSC $250,000 annually, to a total of $1.25 million over the last several years, to complete needed work on roadways that connect to a boat landing on an Arkansas river or lake. This past year’s funds went toward completing work on Edgewood Street and will also be applied to improvements on Grigsby Ford Road.
The county has received federal funding over the last couple of years to install Fun Park playground areas in several HSC communities. Last year, they were awarded a grant just shy of $75,000 to build a Fun Park in Lono, and work on the project is currently underway. Officials plan to pursue funding for additional parks in Bismarck, Glen Rose and Oma, the last few remaining communities in the county without a public park area.
Thornton is excited about the work taking place at the county’s two main industrial parks. The Jones Mill and I-30 industrial parks are well-situated for interstate commerce and have most of the amenities that new industry is looking for, and the changes taking place at both locations are expected to bring new economic opportunities and sales tax revenue into the county.
Outdated structures at the Jones Mill park are currently being demolished, to make the property “shovel ready” and inviting to new businesses. The county was awarded a $1.91 million EDA Grant to put infrastructure in place, including water, sewer and 3-Phase electricity. They also received funds through the American Rescue Plan Act that were applied to the project.
The Quorum Court appropriated funds for a D6 Caterpillar bulldozer and one additional county employee, whose main duty will be to assist in the removal of wood waste and debris. The judge said he’s already been in talks with officials and business owners from neighboring counties who are interested in the development, and the outlook for the county’s economic future is very bright.
“If we want to provide jobs for our children and our grandchildren, then you got to do something today,” Thornton said. “I just could not be more excited about our two industrial parks and the direction we’re moving.”
One of the biggest highlights is the welcome arrival of Internet access, thanks to federal programs that incentivized telecommunications providers to expand broadband into all corners of the county.
“The pandemic revealed that you can’t survive without fiber, that schools can’t operate,” Thornton said. “And there was a federal program started, and we were able to tap into that.”
Thornton is on the Board of Directors at Central Arkansas Telephone Cooperative, which received a $4.5 million grant to expand broadband into most of HSC. Other parts of the county will be serviced by Resort Cable and South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative. Most of the work falling under CATC’S scope has already been completed, and the other providers expect their respective expansion projects to be finished by 2025.
The last item Thornton wanted to note was a restructuring of the Solid Waste Authority’s budget authority.
Budget requests from a previous SWA administrator over several fiscal years, coupled with inaction after the fact, allowed a budget surplus to build up in the SWA’S accounts before current SWA Administrator, Ray Cook, accepted the position in early 2021. In the meantime, the HSC Quorum Court appealed to state legislatures in Feb. 2021 to pass a measure that shifted budgetary control out of the SWA’S hands and to the QC and the SWA’S municipal members of Midway, Friendship and Donaldson.
Thornton noted that over the last three years, approximately $3.5 million in excess sales tax funds from SWA has now funneled back into the county’s coffers. The QC has approved each proposed budget amount submitted by SWA over the last two years, but there are still sticking points between the SWA and the Court in exactly how the funds will be utilized.
Thornton said the restructuring the process may be controversial to some, but it’s in the best interest of the county and the taxpayers. “We’re projected this year, that the county should receive another $1.3 million,” he said. “So, you can see that in close to a four-year time frame, it will bring close to $5 million dollars back into Hot Spring County that can be put into budgets for whatever, general purposes.”
Despite any drama or difficulties the county has seen in the last year, HSC officials and municipal staff as a whole have worked both harder and smarter to help the county flourish. Thornton thinks the budget changes and sweeping innovations they’ve adopted over the last year will reap immediate benefits, but will also set us up nicely for the future.
“I want our county to be successful, and I want my grandkids and yours and everyone else’s to have a bright future and know that this county is secure for many years to come with jobs and recreation, and all the things that make Hot Spring County what it is.”