Newport Economic Developer Tells Lions About Prison in Newport
Newport’s Economic Development Director, Jon Chadwell (shown here with Steve Harris of the Hempstead County EDC) spoke to the Hope Lions Club Monday about Newport’s experience with having a prison located in that town. Chadwell said “The prison’s been great for us. It’s a substantial pillar of our economy, it provides really good jobs for folks. It gives an option to folks who want a job, and maybe a career, where they don’t have to go off to college for four years, they can get into a career more quickly that has retirement benefits….it really has been good for us.” He further noted there has been very little downside in Newport. Chadwell said they have prisoners who get out and help in the community on work crews and they save money as a city and county because of what the prisoners can do for them. Chadwell said “We have overall found it to be a fantastic addition. In fact, I challenged the group to come to Newport and start talking to people and see if you can find one person who’s mad the prison is there….because I don’t think you’ll be able to find them, Everybody is very appreciative we have it”.
Chadwell said the prison is only one pillar of the economy. “We have manufacturing, we have agriculture, but it’s a very stable pillar of our economy that helps us” said Chadwell.
The only downside Chadwell said Newport has seen from the prison is that the crime statistics within the prison are counted within the county. He said they hope to work with the legislature to have the way the statistics are lumped in with the county changed. Chadwell also says he shows potential industries the separate crime statistics for the prison and the actual county statistics and they understand right away. He also noted he has not had one industry that has refused to located in Jackson County because of the prison.
Chadwell is well-known in our area as he served as an economic developer previously in Prescott and Camden. He told a story about when he was in Camden and was working to try and get a prison there. He said he talked to a lady in Calico Rock who worked at the Arkansas Department of Corrections North Central Unit in that community and he asked her how they could convince the folks in Camden who were against it that the community needed it. She said “You can’t….just shove it down their throat and they’ll thank you in three to five years”. Chadwell said the lady was initially against the prison but after it came, the company where she and her husband worked closed down and if hadn’t been for the prison, the would have had to move. She told Chadwell they had the best jobs they’d ever had in their lives at the prison and within three to five years, practically everyone would have a friend or relative working for the prison and would be glad it was there.
The large prison looking at Hempstead County would bring 370 jobs to the county. Chadwell said in addition to the prison jobs in Newport, there are 100 to 125 additional jobs there in support of the prison.
Newport has gained population in the last two censuses compared to most of the towns in southwest Arkansas, including Hope, which have lost population.