Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Prescott Becomes 31st ACE Community

Wednesday, Dec. 11, was a red-letter day for Prescott.

Gov. Mike Huckabee officially named Prescott as an Arkansas Community of Excellence, or ACE community.

Work on becoming an ACE community began in 1993, when the Prescott City Council and Nevada County Quorum Court voted to agree an contribute money to form an economic development office. The Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office has been a reality since the summer of 1994.

Huckabee, during his speech at Prescott Elementary School, praised the effort of the Interlocal Council along with the city and county government and EDO for the work these agencies have done in accomplishing this goal.

"What we have here," he said, "is a celebration evident of what people are doing in Arkansas. The answers are not 'out there' in Washington, D.C. or Little Rock, but right here in our communities.

"I'm thrilled at being a part of this. I know of nothing you can do as governor that's more thrilling than to come to a community where the people have earned ACE status."

He said the governor does plenty of interesting things, but none are more fun than being with a city celebrating its new level as an ACE community.

Huckabee said the ACE certification isn't something Prescott is being given, but something the city, county and residents have worked hard and earned. "This isn't a governor's prize or earned through a vote," he said. "This only takes place when a town, on its own initiative, rises and meets established criteria and earns the right to be an ACE community."

There are six rigid criteria which must be met before a community achieves ACE certification. These include the creation of an economic development organization; developing an industrial program for existing industry; meeting infrastructure requirements; getting community information together for prospects; having a three year economic development plan and one year action plan; and, finally, creating a marketing plan for the city.

"Prescott," he said, "has met all of these requirements, and is now one of 31 in Arkansas to be an ACE community.

"You are all to be congratulated for what you've done," Huckabee continued. "You looked at the local economy and decided you could do a better job yourselves and did.

"ACE is a bar to jump across, and you got it the old fashioned way -- you earned it. These same kinds of things are happening across Arkansas."

Huckabee called the certification a celebration for the county, which happened because the leaders saw what was needed and did what they had to in order to correct the situation.

He used the analogy of a car's rearview mirror and windshield, saying both are important, the mirror for seeing where you've been and the windshield for seeing where you're going and what's coming at you.

"You can look at the past and use it as a reference for the future," he said, "to give you perspective, but focus on looking ahead.

"You've glanced back and saw what was and said Prescott is not going to die, we will work to improve life and keep our young people here.

"You've worked to make Prescott a better place and have taken a giant leap to make it happen."

He said when businesses look at relocating, they want to know what a city will do for them. The ACE status, he continued, shows business Prescott wants them and will work for them.

Huckabee said in listening to the legislature and people across the state, he keeps hearing the same thing -- people want the government to quit fighting amongst itself, get down to business and do what it needs for the people.

The people, he said, want to be left alone as much as possible, keep as much of their hard earned money as they can and have the government work to hold spending in the state.

Chandler Russ, executive director of the NCEDO, said the ACE certification is a symbol of rebirth in Prescott and opening the door of opportunity.

However, he said this is not the end, but only the beginning of the work needed to be done in attracting business and industry to Prescott and Nevada County.

"We need to pledge our resources to meet these challenges," he said, "and work harder. We can't sit and wait.

"Economic development is not done by one person or a group, but by all the citizens of a county working for a common goal."