Ward 3 community forum set for Tuesday

A community forum will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20 at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1016 Wilson.

El Dorado City Council Member Willie McGhee urged local residents, particularly those who live in Ward 3, to attend the event to learn more about city government and operations, including how to share ideas, address grievances and various city departments, boards, commissions and public facilities.

Ward 3 is represented by McGhee (Position 1) and Roy Bullock (Position 2).

“I have so many phone calls from people complaining about things, having ideas about things but when we get a chance to come together, I don’t know whether it’s fear or they feel like people aren’t going to listen to them or we’re just going through the same old motions …,” McGhee said.

He said the forum is an opportunity for residents to have their voices heard and to assure them that have a vested interested in city operations.

“Everybody pays tax dollars here in this city. Everything y’all use, everybody pays for it, whether they want to utilize it or not, they help pay for it,” McGhee said.

He then referred to a pending project that has been funded by the city to build an arena to host equine events in Union County.

The site for the South Arkansas Expo Center is located on Arkansas 335/Del-Tin Highway on the east side of the highway, less than a mile south of U.S. 82.

The property was donated by Gary Sewell, a member of the SAEC board of directors. Union County is handling the dirt work.

The city has dedicated $3.7 million from the El Dorado Works tax — one-cent city sales that is earmarked for projects that support economic development, municipal infrastructure and quality of life — toward the project. The city also plans to hire a part-time manager to oversee SAEC operations.

Last June, the El Dorado Works Board, who administers the tax, and city council signed off on the $3.7 million funding request with the caveat that the SAEC committee come up with cost estimates for two options — the initial proposal and expanded facilities that include larger classrooms and seating capacity, concessions and additional restrooms.

Robert Edmonds, director of public works, previously explained that the $3.7 million will likely cover base-bid components of the projects and the SAEC committee would have to return to the EWB for any additional funding for the alternate bids.

The SAEC committee is tentatively scheduled to present a revised proposal to the EWB in March.

“They’re going to help pay for that horse arena,” said McGhee.

“I don’t ride no horses. I don’t go to the rodeo but my dollars are out there, so wherever my dollars go, I ought to be able to go. I’m going,” he continued. “People need to know that they may not physically support stuff but their tax dollars support stuff.”

McGhee called for more communication and transparency among city officials in order to unify the community and keep residents better informed.

He invited city officials to the community forum so they may be on hand to answer questions and address concerns.

For more information about the forum, call McGhee at 870-314-1441.