Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Co-op May Be Moving

Keeping the Dawson Educational Cooperative is of the utmost importance to the Clark County Industrial Council.

In its regular monthly meeting, Sept. 19, CCIC President Brown Hardman said the organization will do all it can to make sure the Dawson CoOp stays in Clark County.

"I'm proud of the way Percy Malone approached them," Hardman said of the former CCIC president and State Representative. "He let them tell us what they wanted."

By finding out what the cooperative wants, the CCIC believes it can submit a proposal which will be attractive enough to keep the educational entity from moving out of the county.

However, there is a possibility it may move to a different location within Arkadelphia.

Hardman said the organization is expected to make a decision by Oct. 11.

He then introduced the CCIC panel to its new executive director, Peter Lawson.

Lawson has been on the job a month, and has spent a good deal of this time going through files to see what has been happening and getting the office set up the way he wants it.

He attended the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission's (AIDC) annual meeting in Fairfield Bay recently, where he met several members of the group.

"I'm new in this business," he said. "I'm impressed with the quality of people they have there (AIDC). They are dedicated and a good group."

Lawson said he will be working closely with the AIDC on Arkadelphia's and Gurdon's recertification under the Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) program.

The ACE program, he said, is a real plus when it comes to attracting industry.

In addition, Lawson has been meeting and greeting local business and industry leaders. During his first month in office, he has met with more than 20 different industry leaders, saying they have all been cooperative and helpful.

"The industry we have seems to be happy now, with some offering to talk to new prospects," he told the CCIC members.

"The key," he continued, "is working with existing industry, while we keep seeking outside industry."

Lawson concluded his talk to the board by promising to get a membership drive underway for the CCIC.