The Bradley County Economic Development Corporation held their annual meeting at Immanuel Baptist Church Family Life Center on Monday, January 30.
Clint McNeal, director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission was scheduled to be the guest speaker at the annual meeting, but due to the bad weather he was not able to make it to the meeting.
The BCEDC board members began the meeting with a moment of silence in memory of Sue Wagnon. A resolution would be presented to her family at a future meeting.
BCEDC Director Dr. Bob Smalling presented his annual report to the other members. He reviewed the year for the BCEDC. He shared all the guest speakers that attended the meetings each month. The BCEDC heard from local businesses, local officials, and local school superintendents.
Dr. Smalling said they were working on getting a website set up for the BCEDC.
Dr. Smalling said it is important to continue working with the industries that are here.
The BCEDC nominating committee nominated Stacy Gorman, Bridgette Harding, Dr. Bob Smalling, and John Stone were nominated and approved to be on the BCEDC board.
The nominating committee nominated the following for re-election: Dr. Bob Smalling a BCEDC president, Hugh Quimby as BCEDC vice president, and Carlton Davis as BCEDC secretary-treasurer.
Accountant Bob Milton went over the financial report for the year.
Judge Klay McKinney reported they were almost done with the Bradley County Courthouse bell tower project. He stated they were waiting on the light system.
Judge McKinney commented the new recycling facility being built in Chicot County will help with recycling and solid waste in the surrounding counties.
Warren Mayor Gregg Reep presented his report to the BCEDC. He said there were serious structural issues in downtown Warren. The Bryant building is owned by the city of Warren and will have to be taken down. He said windows popped out and the structure keeps shifting. Mayor Reep said it looked like there was more structural movement happening. The state fire marshal told the mayor the buildings downtown was dangerous and would have to come down. He said there were major structural problems. Mayor Reep said a structural engineer will come down and give his final report on the buildings. They will give their findings to the owners of the buildings.
The next BCEDC board meeting will be on Monday, February 27 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is held at the BCEDC building.
