Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ward Named To Head Downtown Project

The Partnership has officially established the Prescott downtown development office with. Karen Ward has been selected as its first director.

The downtown office will focus specifically on revitalizing the downtown area.

Initiating improvement projects, working with existing and future downtown merchants and creating new draws for Prescott's downtown will be some of the office's initial responsibilities.

Walt Denton, executive director of The Partnership, states, "The Prescott downtown development office signals a new commitment to the redevelopment of downtown Prescott. The establishment of this office would not have been possible without the leadership of the city of Prescott and my board of directors.

"The downtown of any city, no matter how large or small, is its center," he said in a prepared release. "It is how we are perceived and directly effects our quality of life. Our downtown area has challenges and it requires an office that can focus solely on its development.

The problems, which currently face Prescott's downtown, did not occur overnight and neither will its re-emergence. However, since establishing downtown revitalization as a goal of The partnership last July an improving downtown can already been seen through a number of active projects and the announcement of a new million-dollar Prescott-Nevada County Library and Education Center," he said.

"It was our goal to find the best possible person to move this office forward," Denton continued. "We could not have asked for a more qualified candidate than Karen Ward. She is pro- active, holds an outstanding educational base and will place this new office in the best position to succeed. She brings a great deal to the table and we are excited to have her."

Ward, who is a member of the Prescott City Council, will forfeit her vote if at anytime issues involving the downtown development office come before the council, a news release stated. She also asked to be removed from the inter-local Cooperative Industrial Development Board to avoid any possible conflicts.

"These were two issues which Mrs. Ward addressed before allowing herself to be considered for the position," Denton said. "I think Karen felt she could better serve the community in this new capacity. These were workable points and we were more than willing to insure that they were addressed before moving forward."

Ward's job is a part time position.

The establishment of the Prescott downtown development office was one of three goals set by The Partnership last July. With the development of the Prescott-Nevada County Industrial Park and certification under the new Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) Program being the other two.

Last week, the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, along with Mayor Howard Taylor, submitted its ACE certification booklet to the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, putting Prescott and Nevada County in a position to be the first community in Arkansas to gain certification under the new program.

The Partnership also anticipants gaining final federal approval to begin advertising bids for the industrial park this month. The project will include the development of the parks main entranceway and then the construction of a 55,000-square-foot speculative building. This will mark a month that has already seen over $1,060,00 in funding come to the community through the efforts of Sen. Mike Ross and Representatives Percy Malone and Sandra Rodgers.