In a 6-2 vote Thursday night, the Mountain Home City Council approved an economic development partnership with the North Arkansas Central Chamber Foundation for $40,000.
The North Arkansas Central Chamber Foundation, a 501(c)3 established in 2012, is a nonprofit and a separate entity of the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce. The funding from the foundation will be used to pay for the economic development of Mountain Home and Baxter County.
The purpose of the Foundation will be to focus on job creation, improving the economic well-being and quality of life for the citizens of Mountain Home and Baxter County. CEO and President of the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce Dani Pugsley stated as of right now there is not one single person or entity that is working on economic development in the community and multiple projects are happening independently. With this partnership, the hopes are to bring the city and the county together to work as a collaborative group and have one point of contact.
The funding will allow the Chamber to add another person to the staff to help with the day-to-day responsibilities, while allowing Pugsley to focus on economic development and grant writing.
Pugsley stated the number one source of economic development in Mountain Home is tourism, followed closely by healthcare, education and industries.
According to state law, the funding has to be approved each year and the amount will not go over the approved contract of $40,000 from the city. Pugsley states next week they will present the same agreement to the Baxter County Quorum Court. The agreement is set to begin in January 2024.
In other business, the council approved a letter to be sent to the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to request a Certificate of Closure for the NABORS landfill as the “host city” per ADEQ rules. Mayor Hillrey Adams hopes this move help keep the landfill closed.
The council also revisited an ordinance for the display of a-frame signs in the city’s downtown entertainment district as there was an error in how the ordinance was numbered in the last meeting. Before approval, there was discussion on if the ordinance singles out downtown businesses and questions if other businesses in town are able to utilize the new sign ordinance. City Attorney Roger Morgan stated any group within the city could come to the council or planning commission and ask for approval of additional signage. The ordinance approved was brought to the council from the newly formed Baker District Merchants Association due to the property lines of the downtown businesses ending at their doorway with no options for advertising signage.
The council also approved two ordinances for the Mountain Home Police Department to waive competitive bidding and authorized the purchase of six vehicles from a dealership in Hattiesburg, Ms. along with having the equipment installed by Dana Safety Supply in Little Rock. These ordinances supersede previous ordinances approved earlier this year as those vehicles became unavailable.
A request to move $100,000 into the recycling line item for the Baxter Day Service Center was approved by the council. This was final step needed to present a check to the center.
Two ordinances were also passed by the council to rezone two property locations. One property located at the end of Parkway Drive was approved to be rezoned from a Residential R-2 and Commercial C-3 to a Residential R-4. The property will be the site of approximately 19 single family homes built by Thomas Embach. The second property was approved to be rezoned from a Residential R-1 to Commercial C-4 for the building of storage units by Michael and Brigette Lally.
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