Leadership conference starts today

The Leadership Initiative for Texarkana Leadership Summit will kick off today with hopes of encouraging cooperation between city leaders to strengthen the Texarkana area.

Members of the Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors as well as the Texarkana, Texas, City Council will be present. They will meet with Mary Jo Clark and Pat Heiny, national facilitators of Contemporary Consulting Inc. out of Richmond, Ind. The facilitators will encourage conversation between the two cities to come up with solutions on how to make Texarkana better.

Leadership Texarkana officials say that over the years, Texarkana citizens have articulated numerous visions for the two Texarkanas to work together for community excellence, pride and progress.

The three-day summit will be held today through Saturday at Texarkana Country Club, 1 Country Club Lane, Texarkana, AR 71854.

Anyone wishing to submit comments or questions for any session of the summit can send them to leadershiptxk@cableone.net or Leadership Texarkana P.O. Box 311, Texarkana, TX 75504.

Schedule of events: Thursday—Texarkana Country Club Formal Dining Room

1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.— Facilitators meet with Texarkana, Ark. Board of Directors

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.— Facilitators meet with Texarkana, Texas City Council

6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.— Predinner reception 7:15 p.m. to 8 p.m.—Dinner 8-9 p.m. to 9 p.m.—Kickoff

Friday—Texarkana Country Club Ballroom

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.—City Leaders Summit

Saturday—Texarkana Country Club Formal Dining Room

8 a.m. to 11 a.m.—Breakfast and next steps

For more information, contact Ruth Ellen Whitt at 903-7920011 or leadershiptxk@cableone.net, or visit supportlift.org.