Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

CCIC works for entire county trying to find jobs for area

Gurdon's Municipal Building was the site of the Clark County Industrial Council meeting held on Thursday, July 19.

Brown Hardman, president of the CCIC, opened the meeting by telling everyone how proud he was to be in Gurdon for the council meeting. Hardman also reminded everyone, "anything good that happens in Gurdon helps all the surrounding areas in Clark County."

Hardman said the council will try to hold a quarterly meeting in Gurdon. " The CCIC bands together to create a positive attitude of all for one and one for all.'"

Kevin Copeland, executive director of the CCIC, took the floor after Hardman to update everyone on the 41 acres on W.P. Malone drive which the CCIC is still waiting on grants for the infrastructure.

Copeland said, "Clark County can sell itself, and it shouldn't be hard to place business' in the new structure. It would also help if we show the building periodically to show progress."

Bill Gerber, from Alcoa Primary Metals, presented a check for $10,000 to the CCIC for the new Southwest Arkansas Technology Learning Center. The money presented will be used to buy equipment and furnishings for the building.

The Southwest Arkansas Technology Learning Center will be used to improve the skills of the many employees of Clark County's industrial areas and teach new employees also.

The CCIC is hoping to find at least 40 acres in the Gurdon area to produce an industrial park. Clayton Franklin, Gurdon mayor, said, "I have two particular spots in mind and will keep looking."

Hardman is interested in helping Gurdon start an industrial park and was pleased to have Franklin helping the CCIC with the idea.

Problems with litter at the Clark County Industrial Park have been reported again. Hardman said the trash receptacles placed there in the past are not helping.

He said most of the litter problem is do to the fact most workers bring their lunches, yet they do not have anywhere to eat. Most workers eat in their vehicles and then just throw their trash out the window. "If they had a workers center to eat in to even a picnic area with a pavilion it might eliminate this problem."

Another idea was to have people adopt sections of roads at the industrial park to help control the trash pile up.