Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Industry eyeing Gurdon

Will Gurdon be getting a new industry in the not-to-distant future?

While the answer to this question isn't known, representatives with the Clark County Industrial Council have been working a prospect interested in possibly locating in Gurdon.

At the monthly meeting of the CCIC, Thursday, Aug.16, Kevin Copeland, executive director, said the Arkansas Department of Economic Development was contacted by a company specifically about the Arkadelphia-Clark County are.

This company needs a 50-acre site along the railroad, preferably with a spur.

One such site is available in the Arkadelphia area, but has no infrastructure. There are two sites meeting the requirements in Gurdon, both with rail spurs in place.

Copeland and members of Teamwork Arkansas met with Gurdon Mayor Clayton Franklin, touring the city to look at potential industrial sites.

A prospect, Copeland said, would like to have a 40-acre plot of ground to build on. Three locations were found in the Gurdon area, two being privately owned, and the other owned by the city.

The problem, he said, could be infrastructure, primarily water. Gurdon's water is supplied through deep wells, and industrial prospects prefer a more reliable supply than wells.

Along with the interest shown in Gurdon, Copeland said, there were two site relocation officials down to have a look at Arkadelphia, one being a Fortune 50 company.

One of the companies, he said, is looking for a temporary site for seasonal work, but this could turn in to something more permanent. This company is interested in possibly locating in the satellite business park on W.P. Malone Drive.

The other is the one needing rail access, as its representatives questioned the ADED about a rail car refurbishing center. This company is also looking at Gurdon.

Preliminary construction on the new spec building will begin soon. Copeland has met with the engineers to discuss the site picked out. An expert on soil testing has also been selected to make sure the location is suitable for the building.

The spec building will be little more than a shell metal structure. This is done to any industry locating there can finish it to meet its needs.

Once all the data has been gathered, Copeland said, bids will be let on the project, with local contractors encouraged to participate.

Debbie Sorrells reported on the activities of the existing industries committee. She said the CCIC will have a booth at the Clark County Fair, Sept. 10-16, where local industries can let visitors know what they do.

The CCIC booth, she said, will be at the fair Wednesday through Saturday.

The Fifth Annual Industrial Appreciation Golf Tournament has been scheduled for Sept.26. The tourney will begin at 1 p.m., with the dinner and awards ceremony to follow, sometime around 5 o'clock.

Sorrells said the committee has been discussing getting the public relations classes at Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University to work on a promotional video to show prospects why they should locate in Clark County.

Angela Canada followed talking about Arkadelphia and Gurdon getting recertified through the Arkansas Communities of Excellence program.

Both were certified in 1998, but this must be done every three years, she said, in order to maintain ACE status.

The committee has met twice, first to determine what the ADED would require, then to start getting the information together.

Canada said the recertification focuses on projects with developmental growth.

At this time, committee members are getting feedback from people in the communities, working to find what the strengths, weaknesses and area of needs are.

Also along these lines, Copeland said Lonnie Jackson, with HSU, is doing a wage and hour survey for Clark County. He is using graduate students to help gather and collate the data.

When completed, Copeland said, the survey will show which companies pay what and where they stand in comparison with others.

Plans for the Southwest Arkansas Technical Learning Center's new building are progressing, he said. The architect is pleased with the plans, and 31 resumes have been received from applicants seeking the executive director's position.

The position came open when the former director, Tim Stokes, resigned in June. Copeland has been acting as interim director since.

A committee will be formed to examine the resumes, and issue invitation to those selected to come in for an interview.

Brown Hardman, CCIC president, said the holdup on starting construction of the center's building has been the Soil Conservation people.

This group, he said, will actually put the building up, with the CCIC then giving it to HSU for maintenance and upkeep.

Al Lynch reported on his findings about members of the CCIC board of directors and executives getting liability insurance.

The initial problem was the lack of a personnel handbook. This has been remedied. Now, he said, the CCIC will have to work up the specifications for the insurance and let them for bid.

This should be ready by the time the CCIC meets in September.