Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Two Grants Are Awarded To City Of Prescott

Reliant Energy-Arkla Gas has been running gas line up Highway 19 towards Exit 46.

According to Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, this is being done through a rural utilities grant and Reliant Energy-Arkla Gas.

Chadwell also announced the city of Prescott received a Streetscape grant to benefit historic preservation in downtown areas.

The first project will have 7,920 feet of two-inch PVC plastic pipe ran down Highway 19 to provide access to natural gas to a total of 20 homes. Of these, 10 are houses and 10 are mobile homes.

Businesses in the area, he said, will be allowed to hook onto the gas line if they choose, but the original intent of the grant had nothing to do with commercial use.

Chadwell said there were at least three prospects who wouldn't locate in this area of Prescott because no natural gas was available at the time.

The city asked Reliant to help in November. The gas company then figured the costs involved, looked for a grant, wrote the grant and work began with the city matching on a 60-40 percent basis.

The grant, Chadwell said, is paying $11,200 of the cost, with Reliant picking up $11,439. This means the city had to pay $9,361 for its part. However, he added, for every new customer who signs onto the system once it's in place, the city gets reimbursed by Reliant.

"It would not have been economically feasible for the city to do without the grant," Chadwell said.

The gas line will run from the church just past Buzz Buy and go all the way to Exit 46.

Natural gas lines are already in place at the site for the Rip Griffin Truck and Travel Center, and have been for a few years, Chadwell said.

The Streetscape grant was given in response to a proposal submitted by Chadwell's office in January.

This grant can be used to plan the refurbishment of streets, sidewalks and curbs in downtown Prescott.

According to Chadwell, competition for the grant was heavy as 24 communities applied for the funds. Prescott is one of 12 communities receiving the grant.

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) announced it would divide the money, $147,795, equally among all 12 communities.

Prescott will receive $12,316.25 from AHPP.

Chadwell said his office will send a representative to a training seminar on May 11 in Little Rock.

"This will be another small part of the project to help bring back traffic and business to the downtown area of Prescott," he said.

"While all areas in a community are important, visitors quickly judge an entire city by the state of the downtown area, so we must work to develop it as we are developing the outlaying areas of the community."