Abb anticipates challenges for Bella Vista
Mike Abb grew up in Northwest Arkansas and has been watching Bella
Vista grow and change ever since. He’s now serving on the board after being appointed to an unexpired term. According to the governing documents, appointments only last until the next election, so this spring Abb is running to continue to serve on the POA board.
He has firsthand experience with some of the negative comments about the board that appear on social media but he doesn’t pay much attention.
“A lot of the negative is from keyboard heroes and that should not sway me or anyone else,” he said. “I’m not going to get pushed out by them.”
Abb said he’s looking forward to the challenge of reinventing Highway 71B when Interstate 49 is completed. The west side of Bella Vista, including the area around Loch Lomond, will be growing as well. There will also be an opportunity to work with Bentonville around Little Sugar Creek when the decisions are made about the dam that forms Lake Bella Vista.
“Berksdale South, the Greenway — it’s exciting stuff,” he said about the former golf course on 71B and the Razorback Greenway, the paved trail that will soon reach Metfield Park. While he’s conscious of progress impacting the environment, including the tree canopy, he’s happy to be part of the process.
Abb is supportive of the POA’s efforts in food and beverage and he thinks the rest of the board is as well.
“I don’t know how we can not capture some of the hospitality sector. Bella Vista has always had those restaurants,” he said. But it takes time to develop a successful business and he’s willing to wait. As the area grows, so will the customer base. Not everyone wants to drive to Bentonville for a dinner out, he said.
The two-tier assessment system is fair, he said. Some of the undeveloped lots will never be developed because of the challenging terrain. Owners of those lots don’t use the amenities and it wouldn’t be fair to expect them to pay the same fee.
Abb, whose job title is creative director, manages projects all over northwest Arkansas, often in cultural or cycling areas. His career has taught him to keep an open mind to the possibilities that come with change and growth. He wants to apply that experience to working on the POA board.