Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

JPs To Aid Company

Five resolutions were passed by the Clark County Quorum Court to help a new industry in the county.

The court met in special session Monday, Nov. 20, for this matter.

These resolutions were to help clear the way for Polycarbon to begin construction on the spec building owned by the Clark County Industrial Council and to help the company make its self-imposed deadline of six months to be operational.

According to Percy Malone, president of the CCIC, one of the resolutions designated Polycarbon's location as an Enterprise Zone.

This will help the company in its ability to purchase equipment with some incentives and tax breaks.

Enterprise Zones were created in the 1980s by then-Gov. Bill Clinton to help make Arkansas competitive with Tennessee in attracting business and industry.

Under Clinton's guidelines, quorum courts had the authority to designate where Enterprise Zones would be. Malone said there were four of five in Clark County. Now, however, the entire state is designated as an Enterprise Zone.

This means businesses and industries locating in the state are eligible for certain incentives, providing they meet specific guidelines. Polycarbon does.

According to resolution 95-10, which designates the Enterprise Zone for Polycarbon, the company has been endorsed by the Clark County Quorum Court for benefits as provided under the Arkansas Enterprise Zone Program Regulations of 1993 (when the entire state was included in the zone), with this resolution taking effect immediately.

The other resolutions include a residential anti-displacement plan. What this means is, Clark County will replace all occupied and vacant occupiable low and moderate income housing units demolished or converted for a use other than housing. This is to be done within a three-year period of the demolition or conversion.

Malone said there is little, if any, chance this will ever occur.

The third resolution simply allowed the county to seek an Arkansas Community and Economic Development Program (ACEDP) grant.

The fourth resolution established a policy prohibiting the use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies against individuals engaged in non-violent civil rights demonstrations.

The final resolution gave Clark County Judge Grady Runyan the authority to enter into an agreement with the West Central Arkansas Planning and Development District to perform those duties and services associated with the ACEDP grant.

"We got the resolutions passed to complete the AIDC financing end of it," Runyan said. He added the project will be receiving funds in the form of grants and loans.

"The county will do some work," he said. "We'll be involved as heavy as we can.

"Everything's on schedule with Polycarbon. Nothing's in the way."

Runyan said the company still plans to open in six months according to its deadline.