Hope Kiwanis Hears Program on Economic Deveopment Corporation by Anna Powell

The Hope Kiwanis Club heard from Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation President Anna Powell on Tuesday (8-22).  Powell opened the program by inviting the club members to the EDC’s annual meeting September 12th at Hempstead Hall.

Powell told the club about a marketing program though Dennis Quaid’s “Viewpoint” program.  The program will utilize various short spots promoting Hope and Hempstead County.  She showed the club a five-minute video that will be utilized in the program.  The videos will begin airing in September.  Funding for the program comes in part through the Hope Tourism Commission and Arkansas’s Great Southwest.

Powell said the EDC is launching a non-resident survey to help determine some of the needs in the community and what could help persuade people to move here.  She noted 27 to 34% of the employees at our plants come from across county lines.  A similar percentage of Hempstead County residents also leave the county to work.  Powell said next year they hope to have a similar survey for county residents next year.  Among the important needs in the county is more housing.  Powell noted there is a high vacancy rate in the county.  There are about 2,200 vacant houses in the county.  She said there is a specific need for what she called “workforce housing”, affordable housing for families with two working adults and children.

Powell noted they have undertaken some wage and benefit surveys and they’ve learned wages have gone up and the job market is more competitive.

Powell urged everyone to follow “experience Hope AR” on Instagram.  This will allow marketing of the community.  Powell said the age group the utilizes Instagram closely parallels the working age people the EDC would like to draw to live in Hope.

The club learned there has been over $20 million dollars in reinvestment in the industrial infrastructure in Hope over the past year and she expects further data will show there’s been even more investment than that number.

Powell said they have a prospect looking at a site and then intend to submit a “letter of intent to purchase” some land in the industrial park.

One of the club members asked about the lithium industry and how it could affect Hempstead County.  Powell noted Hempstead County could land a small plant and if a “mega site” gets a large plant in either Miller County or Clark County, it will benefit Hempstead County.  “Mega sites” contain at least 1,200 acres.  Hempstead County’s largest site is about 500 acres.  Powell said plants that would employ 100 to 300 people would be the most comfortable fit for Hempstead County.

The Kiwanians greatly enjoyed the program and Powell stayed after the meeting to answer questions from the club members.