Union County communities look forward to a productive year
El Dorado
While it’s difficult to predict what the future holds, Mayor Frank Hash is confident that El Dorado’s future remains bright and promising.
Hash said he believes the city will continue to grow and make steady progress in essential areas, including adding more jobs, community investment by local business and industry, and quality of life matters across the spectrum to make El Dorado a desirable place to live, work and play.
In 2017, the city welcomed new retailers, restaurants, a hotel, VA Outpatient Clinic and the openings of the Murphy Arts District and Conifex, which created 100 new jobs for the area, with the anticipation of more jobs to come as the plant matures to full capacity.
Hash said the El Dorado area offers a wide range of activities and amenities that rival those of other cities throughout the state, including the South Arkansas Arts Center, Murphy USA Classic, MusicFest and Symphony on the Square.
The community is abundant with volunteers who serve in a variety of capacities, including the various city boards, commissions and committees. Another new hotel is expected to be completed this year, along with the second phase of MAD. The El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex board of directors is also working to secure funding to make the facility the premiere sports complex in the region.
“There are always refinements and improvements that could be made. El Dorado’s present economic and financial status is one to be proud of and is the envy of many municipalities throughout our state and region,” Hash said. “I proudly call El Dorado my home and unabashedly invite all I meet to come see all that is being done to make El Dorado an exciting destination.”
Felsenthal
Mayor Linda Newbury said Felsenthal is a tiny town populated by citizens with big hearts and who want the same thing for their community that cities and towns around Union County and Arkansas want: a peaceful place to live that offers beautiful and security.
Newbury said several improvement projects are on tap for 2018. The city’s workshop will be upgraded to guard against flying debris. A metal covering will be added to the front of the building, and door tracks will be installed in the garage section of the shop.
A metal building that was crushed last year by a tree will be removed and a climate-controlled building will be erected in its place to house historical town records and store excess inventory for Feslenthal’s water and sewer infrastructure.
In 2017, the water tower was power washed, cleaned of rust and mold and repainted. Newbury said future plans call for the interior of the tower to be cleaned, Newbury said.
Town officials hope to secure a grant in fiscal year 2019 to overlay at least two and a half miles of streets to complement similar work that was completed with grant funds a few years ago.
Newbury said city officials are also enforcing new ordinances to help rid Felsenthal of abandoned, neglected and misused properties that create health and safety hazards.
“We hope to complete this process without having to use legal recourse, but we are prepared to do just that if we cannot get cooperation in other ways,” Newbury said.
The town is also closely monitoring rising water situations and rain forecasts, with a sharp eye on the melting of snow from the northern reaches of Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
Barring inclement weather, the annual Felsenthal Bream Festival will be held May 25 and 26.
Huttig
The city of Huttig is gearing up for the completion and start of several improvement projects for 2018, including an issue that has not been addressed in 60 years, said Mayor Tony Cole.
A $2.5 million water improvement project is more than 50 percent complete. Cole said new water lines have been installed and a new water well drilled, adding that the new infrastructure has passed water quality testing.
“They should be putting new pumps around it real soon. Huttig has not had new water lines since 1950. We still have galvanized pipe. Providing water for our citizens to drink and take a bath is one of my top priorities as mayor. That’s a big improvement for the city of Huttig,” Cole said.
Once the water improvement project is completed, Cole said city officials will prepare a grant application to submit to the state for sewer and drainage upgrades.
A $45,000 renovation is also expected to begin this year on the city park. Cole said building materials have been delivered, and crews are waiting on clear weather to begin work on the project.
New playground equipment will be installed on the north side of the park, and the old equipment will be removed. New basketball goals — at a cost of $1,200 apiece — will be installed, and the basketball court will be expanded.
Cole said the parking lot will also be improved to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Everything will be modernized and brought up to date,” he said.
In January, the city completed a $250,000 street-repaving project, which covered 10 streets, and Cole said work is under way to apply for a grant to repave an additional 10 streets.
Another grant application will be submitted for a proposed project to refurbish the old Huttig school gym. The city purchased the school property last year, and Cole said plans are to renovate the gym and open a community fitness center in the old field house.
“I have a million and one other projects in my head, and in my second term as mayor, I’m learning how to work better with the city council. I’m getting better at presenting those ideas and not throwing too many tasks at them at one time,” Cole said.
Strong
Cleaning and beautification are the main goals for the city of Strong in 2018, said Mayor Daryell Howell.
Howell said city officials hope to accomplish those goals with help from a local improvement committee and a grant program to help renovate properties along the frontage of U.S. 82, which bisects the town. He noted BancorpSouth is affiliated with the project and is assisting with its implementation.
The city is in the process of identifying the first building to submit for renovation, Howell said.
“We certainly want to beautify and clean the town. We’re going to come up with an action plan to do that with the help of the city council and making the community part of the process,” he said. “We’re going to have town hall meetings and public meetings to get ideas for an action plan from the community.”
To help bring entice more families to move to Strong, Cole said the city is partnering with the Strong-Huttig Scholl District on ideas to build multifamily housing in the city.
“We want to build some apartment complexes here. We have a group that has applied for some land, and we want to be ready to move on that this year,” he said.
More families will not only boost the population for Strong — the population is 558, according to the 2010 Census —, but also increase student numbers for the school district.
In 2017, city officials began exploring the possibilities of annexation and expansion of city limits.
“We’ve completed the groundwork and map work, and we’re going to submit it to the Strong City Council and (Union County) Quorum Court to review,” Cole said. “We’ve met with an attorney already, and we’re going to go back and redo some things.”
Howell said the city is also looking to tap into resources and support from outside the community at some point to help work toward its goals.
“But first, we want to set the foundation in our town. We’re excited about 2018. We want to try to implement these plans and goals to create a different atmosphere,” Howell said. “We’ve got a lot of positive people here, and we want to meet with them to get things done.”
Norphlet
Mayor Jim Crotty said the city has plans for infrastructure upgrades, growing festivals and events and hosting athletic events for 2018.
The wastewater discharge line that goes into Smackover Creek will be upgraded. Crotty explained that the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality will no longer allow the city to discharge wastewater into Flat Creek, which follows into Smackover Creek.
The street department is also looking to surface more streets with the assistance of a grant.
Crotty also noted that the Norphlet Fire Department received a new Insurance Service Office of 3 and will continue to improve the city’s fire suppression services.
In May, Smackover-Norphlet schools will host the 3A state high school softball and basketball tournaments.
Plans are under way for a fall festival/car show in late October at Norphlet City Park, and the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony is slated for Dec. 3.
“We continue to make Norphlet a wonderful place to live with good schools, churches, wonderful citizens and our new restaurant, Restaurant 1891,” Crotty said.
Smackover
Smackover has kicked off the new year by expanding its police department.
Officer Michael Davidson joined the police department in January, bringing 10 years of experience to police force that now has five full-time officers and one part-time.
Mayor Bobby Neal said the new hire is part of an ongoing effort to help improve the quality of the life in the town of 1,885.
In 2017, a new pavilion was erected in Smackover Cemetery, and Neal said city officials are hoping to launch other improvement projects for 2018.