Miller family recognized by NCQC

PRESCOTT – Nevada County’s Quorum Court was told about an Explore Success program at its September meeting Tuesday.

However, before this was discussed, Justice of the Peace Kenneth Bailey recognized the family of Deputy Larry Miller as the citizen deserving recognition from his district.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office (EDO) said the idea is to get young people involved in planning their futures. Initially, the concept was to only have high school juniors and seniors in the program, but the state mandates education cooperatives to include eighth graders.

The program will be held on Oct. 16, being hosted by the Southwest Arkansas Development Alliance (SADA) in partnership with the Southwest Arkansas Education Cooperative (SWAEC). It will be held from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Hempstead Hall on the campus of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope (UACCH). Eric Thomas was hired as the motivational speaker for the event at a cost of $20,000.

According to Godwin, this will be a youth manufacturing conference which will include CEOs from area companies, who’ll be on hand to talk to students about the kind of education they’ll need to get jobs with the various companies. The SWAEC, she added, wanted to partner with the regional group (SADA). Additionally, students will be taught “soft skills” needed for the job market, such as showing up on time and dressing appropriately for the job.

There will be several breakout sessions, where students will learn about different things. One room will have a panel discussion with CEOs. Another will have representatives from area colleges on hand to discuss educational opportunities and needs, while two rooms will have booths where the students can learn about job opportunities in this region. Godwin said this will be a hands-on event for the students and will be an annual event. However, volunteers are needed to help out with the program and anyone interested needs to contact the EDO.

Godwin switched gears and told the court Nevada County has been included as an opportunity zone for the state. An area along I-30 is where the county’s opportunity zone has been located. Godwin said there were 337 places in the state where these zones could be located and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson could only select 85. She continued, saying her office is around 90 percent done with the paperwork involved to become certified as an opportunity zone.

She informed the court the program was created at the federal level to help low income areas get investors and assist in economic development.

Questions, she said, have been raised about the count funding affordable housing. Other counties have done similar things, but it would be up to the court to get proactive and do something about the housing problems in the county. The key, she added, is it has to be affordable housing.

Godwin wrapped up her presentation to the court saying there’s been more interest from the retail segment than she’s ever seen. Overall, 10 businesses have expressed interest in starting up in Prescott. She said two were interested in food places, three for entertainment, four for retail and one being a service oriented business.

Jamie Hillery, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, followed, updating the court on the Chambers activities in the last month and reminding the panel the annual Fall Festival and Trade Days is coming up. She said with a month to go, she already has more vendors signed up than last year, but there are still spots available. The festival, she added, should bring people to Prescott.