City of ClarksvilleCommunity Economic Development Committee

Strategic Economic Development BlueprintOctober 2009

boyettestrategicadvisors.com

City of Clarksville Community Economic Development Committee

Strategic Economic Development Blueprint

October 2009

BoyetteStrategicAdvisors.com

2 October 2009

STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ........................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ............................................................................... 6 Summary of Findings ........................................................................... 29 Community Assessment ................................................................................................ 29 Benchmarking Assessment ........................................................................................... 35 Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 35

Arkadelphia/Clark County, Arkansas .......................................................................................... 36 Paragould/Greene, Arkansas ....................................................................................................... 41 Russellville/Pope, Arkansas ......................................................................................................... 45 Searcy/White County, Arkansas .................................................................................................. 49 Siloam Springs/Benton County, Arkansas .................................................................................. 53 Sewanee/Winchester, Tennessee ................................................................................................. 55

Insights from Stakeholder Interviews and Group Discussions .................................... 60 Insights from Surveys ................................................................................................... 61 Educational Assessment ................................................................................................ 66 Recommended Targeted Business Sectors ........................................... 75 Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 75

Alternative Energy – Wind ........................................................................................................... 77

Customer Contact Centers ............................................................................................................ 80 Distribution/Logistics................................................................................................................... 83 Niche Food Processing ................................................................................................................. 86 Retirement Services ...................................................................................................................... 91

Sustainable Products Manufacturing .......................................................................................... 95

3 October 2009

Strategic Recommendations .............................................................. 100 Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 100

Economic Development Organizational Structure ................................................................... 102

Business Development ................................................................................................................. 110 Marketing and Communications ................................................................................................ 114

Real Estate/Site Development ................................................................................................... 122

Community Development .......................................................................................................... 124

Appendices ........................................................................................ 130

Appendix A – Stakeholder Interview/Group Discussion Participants ................................................ 131

Appendix B – Summary of Stakeholder Interviews and Group Discussions ..................................... 132

Appendix C – Summary of Survey Results............................................................................................ 137

Appendix D – Demographic and Employment Data – Johnson County ............................................ 151

Appendix E – Demographic and Employment Data - Comparable Cities and Counties ................. 154

Appendix F – End Notes ....................................................................................................................... 159

4 October 2009

INTRODUCTION The City of Clarksville Community Economic Development Committee, which was appointed by the Mayor, engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors to develop a Strategic Economic Development Blueprint (Blueprint) to enhance current efforts to attract jobs and promote the area as a business location. The Blueprint will provide direction for economic development efforts in Clarksville/Johnson County for the next five years. In addition to the Blueprint, the Committee also engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors to complete a thorough assessment and analysis of the workforce in the region. Findings and recommendations from this analysis will be addressed in a separate document. Completion of this Blueprint involved: Conducting an assessment of the area and its

assets by: Reviewing information related to current

economic development efforts. Gathering information on current

successes in supporting existing business and industry and attracting new business and industry to the area.

Reviewing recent marketing and communications activities conducted related to the economic development efforts in the area.

Conducting stakeholder interviews and group discussions with 39 key community leaders, state economic development leaders, and others.

Conducting an online survey with 265 respondents.

Conducting research on six benchmark cities/counties in order to assess competitive strengths of Clarksville/Johnson County against those communities.

Identification of six targeted business sectors

that involved review and consideration of how the sectors targeted by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission fit with the assets available in Clarksville/Johnson County. Following in-depth research to confirm the appropriate targets for the area, Boyette Strategic Advisors developed a profile of each sector that included: A brief overview of the sector; Baseline employment in the sector in the

nation, state and region; Growth opportunities; and Competitive strengths of Clarksville/

Johnson County within each sector. Development of Blueprint strategic

recommendations that address the following: Organizational Structure Business Development Marketing and Communications Real Estate/Site Development Community Development Education/Workforce Development

5 October 2009

Following delivery of the Blueprint, Boyette Strategic Advisors will work with the Community Economic Development Committee to develop an

Implementation/Action Plan designed to provide a roadmap for achieving the goals outlined in the Blueprint.

6 October 2009

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction

Clarksville and Johnson County are strategically located on Interstate 40 in the Arkansas River Valley bordering the Arkansas River and Lake Dardanelle to the south, and the Ozark National Forest to the north. The county has a very diverse industrial and commercial base and an excellent quality of life. Johnson County has a current population of 24,999. Clarksville alone has 8,640 residents and is considered one of the fastest growing areas of the state. Industries, businesses and residents benefit from the area's close proximity to Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 64. The Union Pacific Railroad main line also runs through Johnson County and there are eight motor freight carriers that service the area. Transit times to major destinations range from one to five days. The Clarksville Municipal Airport has a 4,500-foot, lighted and paved surface with a high-intensity approach, instrument landing system, and available fuel. Forty-five buildings in Clarksville's downtown area have either been listed or are eligible to be on the National Register of Historical Places. The district begins at Spadra Bridge on Main Street and ends at the historical Depot that holds the Chamber of Commerce. The Clarksville Light & Water Company (CLW) provides electricity, water, and sewer treatment services for its

customers at a reasonable cost in the community. CLW presently serves approximately 4,000 customers. Additionally, CLW treats and supplies water for the cities of Lamar, Coal Hill, and Hartman, as well as the Horsehead, Ludwig, and East Johnson County water associations. The service area is 17.91 square miles, with peak demand of 48.8 MW. The current system capacity is 58 MW. Clarksville is home to University of the Ozarks (UO). The university has an enrollment of 675, including students from 22 states and 20 countries. UO offers Bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 academic areas such as accounting, chemistry, economics, education, environmental studies, management, marketing, mathematics, political science and Spanish. Pre-professional programs are offered in engineering, medical sciences, pharmacy and veterinary science. Approximately 37 percent of residents in Clarksville and 33 percent of residents in Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes.

7 October 2009

Johnson County has a labor force of nearly 11,500. Based on employment, the top five industries in the county include Manufacturing (31.61 percent of workforce), Education (8.44 percent of workforce), Retail (12.39 percent of workforce), Healthcare (7.51 percent of workforce), and Accommodation/Food Services (6.42 percent of

workforce).

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission lists five available sites in Johnson County. The AEDC database also includes four buildings, one commercial and three industrial, ranging from 10,000 to almost 95,000 square feet. In addition, the City of Clarksville Community Economic Development Committee is exploring additional opportunities for sites in the Johnson

County area.

Johnson Regional Medical Center is an 80-bed acute care hospital that provides comprehensive medical care to residents of Clarksville and Johnson County. The facility offers physicians, specialists, therapists, and nurses to assist in achieving the maximum level of recovery. Patient services include emergency, outpatient services, lab and diagnostic services, surgery, labor and delivery, physical therapy, radiology and home

care services.

These assets help position Clarksville/Johnson County for future economic growth in a variety of sectors. To improve the community’s competitive position, the City of Clarksville Community Economic Development Committee, which was appointed by the Mayor, engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors to develop a Strategic Economic Development Blueprint (Blueprint). This Blueprint has been prepared to enhance current efforts to attract jobs and promote the area as a business location. The Blueprint will provide direction for economic development efforts in Clarksville/Johnson County for the next five years.

In addition to the Blueprint, the Committee also engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors to complete a thorough assessment and analysis of the workforce in the region. Findings and recommendations from this analysis will be addressed in a separate document.

Benchmarking Assessment

Boyette Strategic Advisors conducted detailed research on cities/counties with similarities to Clarksville/Johnson County that have shown either emerging or successful economic development efforts in order to identify ideas that have been implemented by such cities/counties that led to prosperity. The cities were selected based on knowledge and research by representatives of Boyette Strategic Advisors and members of the Community Economic Development Committee. Some of the criteria used to select the benchmark cities/counties included: Comparable demographics to Clarksville/

Johnson County Home to an institution of higher education,

preferably a smaller liberal arts institution Located on or near a major interstate City-Owned Electric Utility Provider

Recent economic development successes

The six benchmark cities/counties include:

Arkadelphia/Clark County, Arkansas Paragould/Greene County, Arkansas Russellville/Pope County, Arkansas Searcy/White County, Arkansas Siloam Springs/Benton County, Arkansas Sewanee-Winchester/Franklin County,

Tennessee

8 October 2009

Some specific findings from this benchmarking research includes: Economic Development Organizational Structure All but one of the communities researched have an economic development function that is, in some way, affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce.

Following is a brief overview of these structures:

Arkadelphia/Clark County created the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance (Alliance) in 2008 as the organization responsible for economic development efforts in the area. Groups included in the Alliance are the Clark County Industrial Council and the Arkadelphia and Gurdon Chambers of Commerce. The Alliance is governed by a five-member board of directors consisting of the same individuals who serve as members of the Economic Development Corporation of Clark County (EDCCC) board. The Economic Development Corporation of Paragould (EDC) is a private not for profit organization that directs the economic development efforts for Paragould and Greene County. The EDC, which is housed with the Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, works in partnership with the City of Paragould; City of Marmaduke; Greene County; Arkansas Methodist Medical Center; Paragould Light, Water and Cable; and the Chamber of Commerce to ensure readily available land, buildings, and other necessary resources needed for the betterment of the Paragould area. The primary organization responsible for economic development in Russellville is the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s economic development program is marketed as the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development. The Arkansas Valley

Alliance for Economic Development is a public/private organization whose mission is to recruit new industry to the area and is made up of members representing industry, businesses, and government. The communities of Russellville, Pottsville, Atkins and Pope County are all members of the organization. The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce is the primary organization responsible for economic development activities in the community. The Chamber has a professional staff of three people and a 25-member board of directors. The Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation (SREDC) is the Chamber’s economic development component. The goals of the SREDC are to attract new employers and to expand existing industries and business; identify strengths and weaknesses of Searcy and the trade area and then work to build upon strengths and correct the weaknesses; work to improve communication and cooperation between governmental agencies on city, county, state and federal levels, and involve the business community, educational institutions, cultural organizations and the citizens in working toward creation of a better Searcy; seek to expand the base of financial support for economic development, realizing that all citizens benefit from sound, planned economic growth; and actively seek both large and small industry for Searcy. Both the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce and the City of Siloam Springs promote the city as a business location. However, the Chamber of Commerce generally takes the lead in managing any projects in the community.

The Franklin County (Tennessee) Industrial

Development Board (FCIDB) is the primary

organization responsible for economic

9 October 2009

development activities in Franklin County. The

FCIDB serves as the point of contact for assistance

or information about: available buildings and

sites; existing industry; state and local business

incentives; transportation; utilities and

infrastructure; and workforce and area

demographics. The FCIDB is served by a staff of

two and a nine-member Board of Directors.

Incentives Local incentives policies are somewhat unusual, but are becoming more important in the recruitment and negotiating process. Among the benchmark communities, only Arkadelphia has a comprehensive incentives policy in place. Following is an overview of that policy: In 2007, the voters of Clark County, Arkansas approved a sales tax to fund economic development activities in Clark County. Funds may be used to provide local incentives to qualifying businesses under the Clark County Advantage Program. A qualifying business includes any of the Clark County targeted sectors, as well as any other businesses eligible for incentives offered through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. If in an eligible business sector, the company must also meet the following requirements in order to be a qualifying business: Create or retain at least 10 full-time jobs;

and Pay at least 100% of the average wage of

the county. Total Economic Incentive Grants provided for new job creation of new or existing business will range from $1,250 to more than $10,000 per job based on the average wage of the jobs created. Economic

Incentive Grants may also be available for the retention of jobs in certain situations.

Franklin County is the only other benchmark community with any published local incentives. Franklin County offers a Payment-In-Lieu-of Tax (PILOT) to both new and existing manufacturing facilities. The terms of this PILOT are determined by the amount of capital investment, the number of jobs created, and the amount of wages and benefits paid by the company. Buildings and Sites All but one of the communities reviewed as part of this process had one or more buildings or sites available for development in the community. Having available property with infrastructure can be an important factor in attracting new business to a community. The East End Industrial Park in Russellville has five sites with a total of 147.5 acres available for development. Sites range in size from 10.7 acres to 60 acres. The sites are owned by the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development, the organization responsible for economic development in the community. The majority have utilities on site or easily available at no cost to the customer. The industrial park is located approximately 1.5 miles from Interstate 40 and less than one mile from U.S. Highway 64. Russellville also has two commercial and three industrial buildings available ranging in size from 20,000 square feet to 238,500 square feet. Searcy/White County has three buildings available and two green field sites, both of which are owned by the Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation, the organization responsible for economic development in the county. One of the green field sites is a cleared 25-acre site that has all utilities available. The other green field site is

10 October 2009

nearly 68 acres and utilities are in the process of being extended to the site. In addition, Searcy/White County has an estimated nine commercial sites available for retail development, including commercial warehouse space, some of which are existing buildings but many of which are actual identified commercial sites ranging from two to 80 acres. There are also two marketed office sites available in Searcy/White County. The Clark County Industrial Park is located on U.S. Highway 67, approximately five miles south of Arkadelphia. The 313-acre site is located within two miles of Interstate 30 and within minutes of the Arkadelphia Municipal Airport. The Missouri-Pacific Railroad mainline runs along the east side of the park. The Clark County Industrial Park has approximately 160 acres remaining for development. The Clark County Business Park is currently under construction and is being designed to attract high-paying, knowledge-based companies and information technology firms. The business park will include state-of-the-art technology and fiber optics infrastructure. Phase One of the project includes building the entrance road into the property; clearing, grading, landscaping, and lighting; and extending utilities to the site. Insights from Stakeholder Interviews

Boyette Strategic Advisors interviewed a total of 39 stakeholders through one-on-one interviews and small discussion groups. The top five recurring themes from the interviews related to strengths and weaknesses of Clarksville/Johnson County are as follows listed by what was heard most frequently to least frequently.

Strengths Weaknesses University of the Ozarks Limits created by being a

dry county Medical facilities and care available at Johnson Regional Medical Center

Lack of restaurants and retail amenities

Geographic location on Interstate 40, equal distance between Little Rock and Fort Smith

Limited workforce available for any new jobs that are created

Public schools Downtown area that is perceived to be dying

Small town atmosphere Community appearance and pride

The top five recurring themes from the interviews related to challenges and opportunities of Clarksville/Johnson County are as follows listed by what was heard most frequently to least frequently.

Challenges Opportunities Utility rates, particularly for commercial and industrial customers

Recruiting new businesses

Integrating the Hispanic population into the community

Securing land for future economic development

Public schools – growth rates and need for community support

Revitalizing downtown

Support for business retention

Supporting and retaining existing businesses

Enhancing infrastructure to keep up with growth

Leadership for economic development activities

11 October 2009

The top five visionary thoughts to ensure success

in Clarksville/Johnson County were as follows:

Visionary Thoughts to Ensure Success Developing a strategy to retain and expand existing businesses Ensuring that the city-owned utility is an economic development strength Securing appropriate land for future economic development Revitalizing Downtown, possibly for entrepreneurial activities Developing a new group of local leaders

Insights from Community Survey

An online survey was conducted with 265 community representatives. Below are summarized responses to the survey questions. Note that for the survey, respondents were provided with answer options for the majority of questions but also were given the opportunity to provide other answers as they desired. Related to strengths of Clarksville/Johnson County, the answers varied somewhat from those of the interview participants.

Top Four Greatest Strengths Strength Percentage

Quality of life (good place to live and raise a family)

61.5%

Affordable cost of living 48.8% University of the Ozarks 33.5% Transportation 28.5%

Just as with the interviews, the one of the greatest weaknesses from the survey was the lack of amenities such as restaurants, retail stores and entertainment. While community appearance and

pride was cited as a weakness in interviews, survey respondents identified residents’ unwillingness to invest in the community and a lack of positive perception of the community.

Opportunities identified by survey respondents also differed somewhat from those heard in interviews.

The top five industry sectors believed to be best suited for Clarksville/Johnson County were as follows:

Top Four Greatest Weaknesses Weakness Percentage

Lack of amenities (restaurants, retail, etc.)

69.4%

Residents’ unwillingness to invest in community

48.4%

Lack of white collar jobs 47.3% Lack of positive perception of community by residents

29.1%

Greatest Opportunities Adding more amenities (restaurants, retail, hotels, etc.) Locating more business, industry (quality jobs) Revitalizing downtown Clarksville Retaining/growing existing businesses Enhancing/promoting area recreational opportunities NOTE: Of 10 “other” replies, five were about allowing alcoholic beverages to be sold in the county.

Industry Sectors by Ranking Distribution Green and Sustainable Building Materials Health and International Foods Information Technology/Telecommunications Data Centers

12 October 2009

The top five thoughts to ensure success for Clarksville/Johnson County in the 21st Century included:

Visionary Thoughts to Ensure Success Create more and better jobs Develop more restaurants and retail outlets Allow alcoholic beverages to be sold in restaurants in the county Create more white-collar jobs Identify forward-thinking leaders

Educational Assessment

Clarksville/Johnson County has a variety of educational opportunities for both children and adults. The county is home to three public school districts serving elementary and secondary school students, as well as a high school that is part of the Jasper School District in neighboring Newton County. In addition to the University of the Ozarks, which is located in Clarksville, three other post-secondary institutions are in close proximity to the county. These include Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. Elementary and Secondary Schools The Clarksville School District has five school complexes that serve approximately 2,500 students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The Lamar School District encompasses 300 square miles of Eastern Johnson County and a small portion of Western Pope County. The district has an enrollment of 1,147 in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Westside School District is located in an agricultural region of Western Johnson County. It is the smallest of the county’s three school districts, with an enrollment of 633 in 2007-2008. Oark High School, located in the northern part of Johnson County, now

operates as an isolated school and is part of the Jasper School District. It has an enrollment of 76 students. Colleges and Universities Recent high school graduates and adults considering returning to college have a variety of options available either in or near Johnson County. University of the Ozarks (UO), located in Clarksville, is a small, private liberal arts university that offers Bachelor’s degrees in almost 30 fields, including several that focus on business subjects. UO has an enrollment of 675, including students from 22 states and 20 countries. Arkansas Tech University provides access to both a traditional four-year institution in Russellville, 27 miles from Clarksville, and at a two-year campus in Ozark, 23 miles from Clarksville. The Russellville campus offers bachelor’s degrees in almost 50 subject areas in addition to master’s degrees in several subject areas. The Ozark Campus offers Associate of Applied Science degrees and Technical Certificate programs. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, located just one hour from Clarksville, has an enrollment of almost 6,500. UA Fort Smith provides Certificates of Proficiency, Technical Certificates, Associate of Arts degrees, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Applied Science degrees, and Bachelor's degrees as well as work-based learning and community education. The University of Arkansas Community College (UACCM) at Morrilton, which is located 52 miles from Clarksville, offers several different degree options ranging from Certificates of Proficiency, which allow students to enter the workforce quickly, to Associate degrees, which offer students

13 October 2009

the education required to continue to a four-year institution. Targeted Business Opportunities

The identification and prioritization of targeted business opportunities is important to the creation of an efficient and focused economic development effort. In order to identify such targets for Clarksville/Johnson County, Boyette Strategic Advisors first re-reviewed the targeted industry sectors identified for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), which were launched in January 2008. Boyette Strategic Advisors also reviewed and considered the perspective of stakeholders interviewed and surveyed as part of this process. Boyette Strategic Advisors then performed additional research on each of these sectors as well as other potential targets that it identified based on information gained in the stakeholder interviews, discussion groups and surveys, secondary research, and Boyette Strategic Advisors’ own experience in location analysis and knowledge of current industry trends. The targeted business opportunities for Clarksville/Johnson County listed below were ultimately selected based on a comparison of the area’s assets and a review of the current business environment against the needs of the potential targets.

Alternative Energy – Wind

Customer Service Centers

Distribution/Logistics

Niche Food Processing

Retirement Services

Sustainable Products Manufacturing

Alternative Energy - Wind

The following are the primary reasons alternative

energy – wind is a fit for Clarksville/Johnson

County:

Six of the top 20 states for untapped wind energy are located near Arkansas, with most of them west of the state. These six states are Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Clarksville/Johnson County is located on

Interstate 40, providing access to major wind energy states. The area also offers main line rail service and water-borne transportation access via terminal facilities in Dardanelle, which is 31 miles from Clarksville.

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) in Russellville is home to one of only two accredited engineering programs in the state. ATU’s Mechanical Engineering Department is housed in the Center for Energy Studies. In addition, ATU is home to the Arkansas Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, which is an organization dedicated to the advancement of research and education in the areas of energy, natural resources and the environment.

The state of Arkansas offers competitive state

incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates, and cash grants.

Customer Service Centers The following are primary reasons customer service centers are a fit for Clarksville/Johnson County: Approximately 33 percent of residents in

Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor

14 October 2009

or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes. In addition, current students and recent graduates of the University of the Ozarks and area retirees provide additional potential workers for this sector.

ATU offers Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, computer science, information systems and information technology. In addition, an Associate’s degree is available in information technology and a Technical Certificate is offered in business technology at ATU’s Ozark campus, 23 miles from Clarksville.

Clarksville/Johnson County should have the

telecommunications infrastructure needed by customer service centers with Century Tel offering ample fiber and T1 lines in the area.

The state of Arkansas offers a competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies, including customer service centers.

CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing Business”

report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business.

Distribution/Logistics The following are the primary reasons distribution/logistics is a fit for Clarksville/ Johnson County: Clarksville/Johnson County is located on

Interstate 40, close to the center-point of Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City and Dallas and is within a day’s drive of major population centers along the East coast and in

the Midwest, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Houston.

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the United States.

The Arkansas River and the McClellan-Kerr

Arkansas River Navigation System forms the southern boundary of Johnson County, providing water-borne transportation access via terminal facilities in Dardanelle, which is 31 miles from Clarksville.

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-county

labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Since 1992 Wal-Mart has operated a major

distribution center in Clarksville/Johnson County. With over 900 employees and approximately 900,000 square feet under roof, the facility is one of Clarksville’s largest employers.

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UA

Fort Smith), 58 miles west of Clarksville, offers courses in distribution and logistics management through its Center for Lifelong Learning. In addition, the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, 90 miles from Clarksville, offers a Bachelor’s degree in Transportation and Logistics, an MBA in Supply Chain management and also has a nationally recognized Supply Chain Management Research Center.

The state of Arkansas offers a competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds,

15 October 2009

payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies:

Niche Food Processing The following are the primary reasons niche food processing is a fit for Clarksville/Johnson County: Arkansas has a major agricultural component

to its economy, which produces significant raw materials for the food processing industry. Poultry, cattle, corn and soybeans are all grown in the Johnson County area.

The Cole Westbrook Fruit Research Station in Johnson County is part of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. The station provides a site for research on a number of fruit crops due to its location within a unique microclimate. Research covers peaches, apples, nectarines, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and pecans.

Clarksville/Johnson County is within a day’s drive of major population centers along the East coast and in the Midwest, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Houston.

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the U.S. In addition, water-borne transportation access is available via terminal facilities in Dardanelle.

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-county

labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, 90

miles from Clarksville, is the home of the Dale

Bumpers College of Agricultural Food & Life Science. Arkansas Tech University (ATU) in Russellville, located 27 miles from Clarksville, offers a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business.

The state of Arkansas offers a competitive

array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies:

CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing Business” report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business.

Retirement Services The following are the primary reasons retirement services is a fit for Clarksville/Johnson County: The scenic beauty, favorable climate,

recreational amenities and low cost of living available in Clarksville/Johnson County are likely to attract retirees to the area in the future.

An increasing number of people are also choosing to retire in college towns and the University of the Ozarks provides an asset that few towns of Clarksville’s size can claim.

Clarksville’s Johnson Regional Medical

Center (JRMC) provides comprehensive, high quality medical care through its network of physicians, specialists, therapists, and nurses. JRMC has a long history of quality healthcare and has experienced growth in many areas over the years, matching its expertise with the needs of the region.

16 October 2009

Adequate pool of healthcare professionals and strong educational programs are available to provide trained healthcare workers.

Many retirees are attracted to mild climates

that still offer four distinct seasons. Clarksville/Johnson County meets these criteria.

Compared to the rest of the country,

Clarksville's cost of living is 29.68 percent lower than the U.S. average.

A number of the existing assisted living facilities in Clarksville/Johnson County are at or near capacity.

Clarksville/Johnson County is located in the

Arkansas River Valley between the rivers and lakes of the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains, providing residents with opportunities for fishing, boating, canoeing, swimming, camping, hiking and picnicking.

Arkansas’s population is aging and more than 25 percent of Arkansas residents are age 55 or older.

Sustainable Products Manufacturing The following are the primary reasons sustainable products manufacturing is a fit for Clarksville/ Johnson County: Baldor Electric is a global leader in

manufacturing energy efficient electric motors that become component parts for many products that would be considered “green.”

Automated Solutions, Inc. automation design

products and services enable its clients to achieve greater efficiencies in their

production thereby reducing per unit energy consumption.

Clarksville/Johnson County is located on

Interstate 40, providing access to major markets for sustainable products .

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the U.S.

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-county

labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, 27

miles from Clarksville, is home to the Arkansas Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, which is an organization dedicated to the advancement of research and education in the areas of energy, natural resources and the environment.

The state of Arkansas offers a competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies.

Strategic Recommendations Based on the primary and secondary research completed for Clarksville/Johnson County, Boyette Strategic Advisors was able to determine there are five main areas that need to be the focus of economic development efforts. The program areas include: Organizational Structure Business Development Marketing and Communications

17 October 2009

Real Estate/Site Development Community Development

Strategies have been developed in each of these program areas, which are defined below, and performance measures will be created to ensure the strategies are effective moving forward. Organizational Structure Once a community has a plan, they should do everything possible to provide a structure through which the plan can be implemented with the highest possible likelihood of success. Boyette Strategic Advisors is recommending a revised economic development model for Clarksville/Johnson County. The Clarksville/Johnson County Regional Chamber of Commerce should continue to lead the community’s economic development effort. The Chamber should, however, set up a mechanism and structure that provides for a separate entity that is under the Chamber umbrella, but with segregated funding and governance. The economic development entity would be housed with the Chamber, which would allow the two groups to share resources and expenses. The Chamber should be renamed the “Clarksville/Johnson County Regional Chamber of Commerce” to reflect the fact that Clarksville is the jobs center for communities beyond the county line of Johnson County. A separate not-for-profit named “Clarksville/ Johnson County Economic Development Commission” (the CEDC) should be established under the Chamber umbrella.

Funding of the Chamber should continue with its current model of membership dues. The Clarksville/Johnson County Economic Development Commission should be funded through three primary sources:

1. Private sector “investments” in economic development by individuals and companies committed to the future economic growth of Clarksville/Johnson County.

2. Cities and county funding based on the understanding that the CJCEDC will be essentially performing development responsibilities for the cities and county through an outsource agreement.

3. The new organization should also receive funding through the dedicated community development sales tax that is already in place in the city of Clarksville. It is recommended that this funding level become a percentage of tax revenues collected.

The Chamber Board of Directors would continue with the following modification:

1. Form an overall Executive Committee that would include two representatives from the Chamber Board, two representatives from the CJCEDC Board and one public sector representative.

The CJCEDC would form an initial Board of Directors selected from among its financial supporters and appointed by the public sector funding entity. The board should not be too large, ideally from five to seven members, and be active in the organization’s development efforts.

A new position would be created for a Chief Executive Officer/Chief Economic Development Officer who would head all Chamber and CJCEDC efforts. The position of Executive Director of the Chamber would remain and continue to fulfill most of its current responsibilities, with the exception of the above mentioned economic development tasks.

18 October 2009

Clarksville is an outstanding community, with great people and wonderful assets. To ensure economic success in the 21st Century, communities must be proactive in developing themselves in a way that will be attractive to residents, existing companies and companies looking for a new location to invest and grow. The most likely path toward success is to establish a focal point in the community and provide it with the funding and skills required. Business Development Business Development is at the heart of economic development, which involves the creation of wealth in a community. Innovation and Entrepreneurship One key to economic development success in the 21st Century is supporting entrepreneurial activities which will offer the opportunity for new wealth creation. The ability to generate new ideas and turn those ideas into reality is a critical factor in creating a competitive advantage and wealth for both companies and communities. Communities that build strong entrepreneurial programs and energize local entrepreneurs are more attractive to outside entrepreneurs looking for a good place to grow their ideas into a successful enterprise. Recommendations Consider developing an

Entrepreneurship Program as part of the existing Business Enterprise major at the University of the Ozarks (UO).

Hold quarterly meetings for general

networking and education of entrepreneurs located in the county.

Explore the creation of a business

incubator to support local entrepreneurs, potentially in revitalized downtown office space.

Education/Workforce Development Workforce development includes various educational components, from elementary and secondary education to colleges, universities and workforce training providers. Recommendations Explore the specific needs of the

Clarksville School District and determine if an increased millage rate is appropriate. If it is determined that an increased millage rate is needed, the community’s economic development leadership should assist district officials in promoting successes and future needs for continued educational improvement in Clarksville.

Work with one of the universities in the area to develop a logistics curriculum that would provide the trained workforce needed to attract distribution/logistics companies to Johnson County.

Explore developing a program focused on

wind energy as part of the Arkansas Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies at Arkansas Tech University.

Existing Business Retention and Expansion A successful business retention and expansion program should facilitate job growth and result in saved jobs due to possible downsizing or relocation. It is typically less costly and time intensive to retain an existing business than it is to recruit a new one.

19 October 2009

The Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce currently manages all existing industry efforts for the community, including regular visits with businesses to determine needs and opportunities for assistance.

Develop a business retention program to create a consistent and timely mechanism through which every company in the county is touched on a regular basis.

Recommendations

Establish an Existing Business Retention

and Expansion Team comprised of key Clarksville/Johnson County business and government representatives.

Visit with identified key businesses on at least an annual basis to learn more about the company, their growth plans, and any issues they have in the area.

Hold quarterly meetings of the Existing

Business Retention and Expansion Team for a presentation and discussion of topics or relevant issues to the businesses of the county.

Identify key existing companies in the

county that should be a focus of the retention and expansion effort.

Develop a database program to track

existing industry visits. Create a standard procedure for annual visits to existing business.

Establish a Corporate Headquarters

Visitation Program to make regular contact with parent company officials of businesses located in Johnson County.

Incentives Policy An incentive may be defined as something that incites, or encourages one to action or effort. Incentives are an important factor in offsetting project cost for companies that are expanding or locating new operations. Clarksville/Johnson County should consider development of an incentives policy that would allow the community to meet the needs of new and existing industry. Examples of local incentives include: Build to lease options Cash grants Competitive utility rates Environmental studies/soil borings Expedited permitting Free or reduced land cost Local road work Property tax abatement Relocation cost offsets Site preparation costs Subsidized rent Temporary office space Utility infrastructure Waiver of local permit and connection

fees Other

In addition, an incentives policy should require that projects meet certain parameters related to job creation, average wage and investment before incentives are offered. The incentives policy should also include performance requirements and clawback provisions. The policy might also include incentives for retention when a company is considering closing, downsizing, or relocating operations to another state or country.

20 October 2009

Utility Issues Historically, utility companies, particularly electric and gas utilities, have been important partners in community level economic development success. While this includes investor-owned and privately held utilities, it is particularly true of city-owned utility providers. Generally, city-owned utilities have the ability to offer more affordable rates to business/industrial customers and the willingness to fund economic development activities in the community. In talking with existing businesses in Clarksville/Johnson County for this report, many of them expressed concern that Clarksville Light and Water was not “business friendly.” Community economic development leaders should continue to work with Clarksville Light and Water to explore opportunities to maximize the benefit of a city-owned utility in the recruitment of businesses to the area. Marketing and Communications In today’s environment, communications and marketing are critical to successful economic development activities. Communication and marketing efforts should focus on the area’s competitive strengths which result from comparing the critical needs of targeted projects with the area’s advantages. The competitive position should then be used to develop key messages that serve as the basis for all marketing and communications activities.

The marketing component of the Blueprint for Clarksville/Johnson County is focused on developing activities to promote the area both to internal and external audiences by employing several strategies including marketing infrastructure, website development, prospect development, partner relationships, social media and investor communications. The overarching goal for this marketing effort is:

Marketing Infrastructure Before an effective economic development marketing program can be launched, a variety of tools and materials must be developed. Recommendations in this area include: Develop a consistent branding strategy

for Clarksville/Johnson County and encourage all entities that seek to promote the community to utilize the same brand and design.

Adopt a core group of concise, clearly defined key messages to guide all communications initiatives in order to communicate effectively with the identified target audiences. Following are proposed key messages:

To position Clarksville/Johnson County as a small, but progressive community that offers outstanding amenities for businesses and residents.

21 October 2009

Create materials that are needed to begin

aggressively marketing Clarksville/Johnson County to potential new businesses, including a comprehensive sales-oriented community profile. Website An effective website presence is critical to economic development marketing. As use of the Internet has evolved in recent years, it is increasingly important to provide thorough and accurate information to site location consultants and corporate real estate executives as they begin to research potential new locations. Following are specific recommendations for enhancing the community’s web presence:

Develop a user-friendly site

architecture. Utilize the new Clarksville brand and

logo on the site.

Explore purchasing a new web domain –clarksvillear.com – for use as the business and economic development hub for the community.

Ensure that site is developed to allow staff to quickly and easily make site revisions.

Include Community Profile and targeted industry marketing profiles as PDF documents.

Create lists of available buildings and sites that link to a page specific to each building or site.

Include contact information on every page of the site.

Develop home page copy to include key words that will drive traffic to the site through Google searches.

Include rollover menus for each of the primary navigation buttons.

Prospect Development Promote Clarksville/Johnson County to

site location consultants and business location decision makers. Increasing awareness of Clarksville and its amenities for new and expanding businesses is critical to economic development success. Below are several tactics to be utilized in this promotional effort:

Site Consultants Clarksville should develop and maintain

a comprehensive mailing list of site consultants. This list will serve as the

Clarksville/Johnson County offers businesses a diverse labor force with an outstanding work ethic to ensure success.

Located on America’s Main Street – Interstate 40 – Clarksville/Johnson County provides access to an outstanding transportation infrastructure including interstate, rail and river access.

With a strong public education system, a local liberal arts university and three other colleges and universities within a hour’s drive, Clarksville has a variety of education and training options for enhancing workforce skills.

Clarksville offers residents a small-town environment, low cost of living, and outstanding recreational opportunities, all of which create a comfortable family community.

22 October 2009

basis for developing relationships with key site consultants.

Develop a direct marketing

campaign to the consultants. Prospect Visits A prospect visit is clearly a very important step in luring new businesses to Clarksville. These visits must be designed to put the best face on the community, while ensuring that the prospect has access to all the information critical to his location decision. The key to a successful site visit is a

comprehensive, planned approach by key community members.

Assemble a site visit team to cover

issues related to education, financing, labor, government, quality of life, sites and buildings, taxation, training and utilities.

Ensure confidentiality among all team

members. Demonstrate the ability of

Clarksville/Johnson County to meet the company’s needs.

Prepare a written schedule prior to the

visit. Arrange to transport the tour group

throughout the visit and to meet other logistical needs.

Ensure that potential sites to be visited

are in optimum viewing condition. Assemble a custom information

packet to be used throughout the visit.

Complete appropriate follow-up contact with the prospect and with visit team members.

Networking Events Clarksville representatives might consider attending key marketing and networking events in each of the targeted industry sectors. In addition, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission regularly hosts geographic marketing events in cities such as Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago. Clarksville should explore participating in one or more of these events in 2010.

Partner Relationships Develop and enhance relationships with

key economic development partners. Invite AEDC Executive Director, Maria

Haley, to speak at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet. The AEDC Commission might also be invited to hold their monthly meeting in Clarksville in 2010.

Host tours for two to three AEDC

project managers on a regular basis. Consider hosting UO alumni

receptions in key cities to provide an opportunity to enhance relationships and keep the alums aware of developments in Clarksville.

Social Media Explore opportunities to utilize social

media to promote Clarksville as a business location.

23 October 2009

Economic Development Organization Marketing In order for this economic development blueprint to move toward implementation, it is critical that investors and stakeholders throughout the area receive consistent and timely information about the program. Tactics for this effort might include: Announce the community’s renewed

commitment to economic development and plans for a new organization.

Create key messages to communicate with investors and other stakeholders.

Utilize a variety of tools to communicate

with stakeholders throughout the fundraising process and as the recommendations of the Blueprint are implemented, including:

Sharing Blueprint Recommendations Seeking Feature Story Placement Providing Elected Official Briefing

Real Estate/Site Development The availability of real estate or “product” is a critical step in preparing a community for economic development. As part of this Blueprint, Boyette Strategic Advisors reviewed a number of potential industrial sites in the county. In addition to touring the sites, Boyette Strategic Advisors also interviewed the building and sites manager for AEDC to gain a deeper understanding of current site development trends and needs in Arkansas.

Recommendations Clarksville must be prepared for several types of prospects and have property that is available and under control, at least to the extent of being optioned. Following are recommendations in order of priority: Acquire or option the Nite Lite Site.

Rationale for selection: Many corporations appreciate sites that give their facilities visibility from the Interstate system. There are currently approximately 12 to 15 known 50+ acre sites in Arkansas that are under the control of an economic development organization and are both visible from the Interstate and on a “frontage road.” Should Clarksville secure this site and have the initial engineering in place to move quickly, it would significantly magnify the chances of competing for more projects.

If possible it would be optimal for Clarksville

to secure some rights to the Wal-Mart Distribution #2 site (north of the existing Distribution Center facility) in order to have an alternative for companies that may not be impressed with having interstate visibility. In this event, it is recommended that the minimal level of engineering and planning take place prior to exercising an option to purchase. It would be necessary, however, to have the site platted, know the exact locations of utilities and the cost of bringing them to the site’s boundary.

Two types of real estate needs that could be satisfied through redevelopment of one or more downtown buildings. They are:

1. Customer Service Center - As mentioned

in other sections of this report, it is recommended that Clarksville target

24 October 2009

customer service centers as one of its focus industries. One of the empty downtown buildings has potential to meet the needs of this type of company.

2. Entrepreneurial Space – Once they

outgrow their kitchen tables, entrepreneurs need space along with the assistance services typically provided in a Small Business Development Center and/or Incubator. It is recommended that the city invest in redeveloping one of the vacant downtown buildings into several modest offices, with common space for meeting rooms and support functions.

Although not specifically a recommendation on property development, the organization responsible for economic development in Clarksville/Johnson County should develop and maintain an accurate database of all property and buildings that are available in the county and suitable for commercial and industrial use. Community Development Community Development is another important component of economic development. As Clarksville/Johnson County continues to grow and develop, it must work to make itself appealing to current and future generations of professionals and entrepreneurs.

In preparing the community for growth in the 21st Century, five issues are of particular importance: Enhancing development of Clarksville’s

downtown; Understanding and embracing cultural

diversity; Increasing entertainment and retail

opportunities;

Exploring the impact alcoholic beverage sales would have on the community; and

Positioning Clarksville/Johnson County as a sustainable community.

Downtown Development Downtown Clarksville possesses the infrastructure and architectural assets to stem the tide of decline and become a positive focal point in Clarksville’s future development. Several of the recommendations mentioned elsewhere have the added benefit of synergizing with a downtown development policy. Those are: Sustainable Community Development

• Redeveloping a select building with sustainable technology and materials

Retirement Services Development • Space for new companies within this

sector • Restaurants for retirees • Shopping for retirees

Entrepreneurship Development • Incubator space for entrepreneurs • Lease space for graduates of the

incubator Customer Service Centers

• Lease space for small- to medium sized facilities

Cultural Diversity • Space for Hispanic businesses • Space for services to Hispanic

population In addition, although it not a recommended targeted sector, the observations on enhancing the retail economy also directly relates to a downtown development strategy. Specifically, Clarksville should consider several policy tools and projects that would act as

25 October 2009

catalyst for downtown development. Examples of elements of this strategy could include: Rent subsidies for downtown businesses Liquor-by-the-drink zone for downtown Payment-in-lieu-of taxes for qualified

new downtown business (PILOT) Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for

improvements and incentives Cultural Diversity Cities and towns throughout the south have experienced large immigrations of Hispanics over the past 20 years. It is recommended that Clarksville assume a more proactive role in recognizing the opportunities of revitalization and growth that can be a consequence of its changing demographics. It is recommended that Clarksville increase its efforts to include the emerging Hispanic population into the fabric of the community as part of its overall economic development strategy. Examples of the type of initiatives that could become part of this effort are: Identify the number, nationality and locations

of the current Hispanic population. Develop an outreach and communication plan

in Spanish. Benchmark programs at the K-12 schools to

determine additional needs to support Hispanic students.

Support existing or create new festivals/celebrations of Hispanic culture.

Partner to create an alliance of Hispanic businesses and provide organizational assistance through the Chamber.

Provide cultural education programs for community leaders.

Identity information and service needs of the Hispanic community and provide information

on how to access services programs in Spanish.

Partner with UO and its large international program to maximize community resources.

A community initiative such as this will not remove all of the underlying stress and tension associated with the diversification of the population in Johnson County. It should, however, improve the cross-cultural environment, promote the development of more Hispanic-owned businesses and ensure that this trend is a net-positive for the county. Retail Development Retail development in Clarksville is not on par with other communities of a similar size. A specific strategy for attracting more retail outlets and restaurants should be developed. The first step in developing this strategy will

involve conducting research to better quantify the size of the market and the buying power of local consumers. Research might include:

Demographic information Statistics on projected population growth

Statistics on average household incomes A Retail Gap Analysis Information on labor availability Information on the low costs of doing

business A list of potential sites for retail

developments Highway infrastructure Interstate traffic counts Information on potential incentives that

may be available It will then be important to identify retail outlets that have a pattern of locating in communities with a demographic makeup similar to Clarksville,

26 October 2009

as well as developers who are known to work with these businesses and who construct developments in communities similar to Clarksville. Alcoholic Beverage Sales in Restaurants History of Prohibition The national prohibition of alcohol ended in 1933 with the repeal of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by the 21st Amendment. Yet, there are still hundreds of dry counties across the U.S. today. Approximately 18 million people live in the 10 percent of the area of the U.S. that is dry, most of which are rural areas of the country. A dry county may be defined as one in which alcohol sales are prohibited by law. The national prohibition of alcohol, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, was undertaken to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons, and improve health and hygiene in the U.S. Although consumption of alcohol fell at the beginning of prohibition, it subsequently increased. Alcohol became more dangerous to consume; crime increased; the court and prison systems were stretched to the breaking point; and corruption of public officials was rampant. No measurable gains were made in productivity or reduced absenteeism. Prohibition removed a significant source of tax revenue and greatly increased government spending. Economic Impact of Alcoholic Beverage Sales The alcoholic beverage industry contributes billions of dollars in economic activity and state and local taxes and millions of direct jobs to the U.S. economy each year. Alcoholic beverages supplement the hospitality industry, generating both increased sales revenue and jobs. Evidence from areas across the U.S. which have extended alcoholic beverage sales indicates that additional sales revenue is the usual result.

A recent study in Texas showed that the economic impact of allowing alcohol sales in a small community of 25,000 population with a per capita income 10 percent below the state average was $19 million in annual spending and 185 jobs in the local economy, just related to just the sale of alcoholic beverages. The sale of distilled spirits resulted in an additional $5.8 million in annual spending and 55 jobs in the local economy. Alcohol Sales in Arkansas and Johnson County In Arkansas, of 75 total counties, an estimated 42 counties, including Johnson County, are still dry. An Arkansas law was passed in 2003 to allow restaurants in dry counties to apply for licenses to sell alcohol. The basis of the passage of the law was to promote tourism and attract more business. Since the law was passed, numerous restaurants in Batesville, Benton, Conway, Malvern and Jonesboro, all cities in dry counties, have obtained private club permits to serve alcoholic beverages.

Other Background The prevailing reason that communities choose to preclude alcohol sales is typically based on social concerns. Clearly, there are significant issues related to alcohol abuse, including alcoholism, crime and drunk driving. However, being a dry county and not permitting the sale of alcohol, does not necessarily impact the consumption of alcohol. Residents of dry areas that want to have a drink will drive to a neighboring wet area to buy alcohol. As such, the main result of being a dry county is the loss of sales tax and business activity for the area. In addition, a recent study and statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation indicates that the number of fatalities associated with alcohol related crashes in the state of Texas has

27 October 2009

actually decreased even as alcohol has become more available throughout the state. Another recent study of about 39,000 alcohol-related traffic accidents in wet compared to dry counties in Kentucky found that a higher proportion of dry counties' residents are involved in such crashes. The analysis suggests that residents of dry counties have to drive farther from their homes to consume alcohol, thus increasing impaired driving exposure. A study in Arkansas found that wet and dry counties are often adjacent and that alcohol beverage sales outlets are often located immediately across county or even state lines. This would be true with Johnson County which is located adjacent to Franklin County, a wet county. Insights from Stakeholder Interviews and Surveys As previously indicated, Boyette Strategic Advisors interviewed an estimated 40 people and surveyed 265 people in Johnson County related to the development of this Blueprint. In both the interviews and surveys, many respondents believed that being a dry county limits growth related to restaurants and retail stores and also thought it was one of the county’s greatest opportunities. In addition, several survey respondents felt that allowing alcohol sales in restaurants in the county was the one thing that really needs to happen for Johnson County to be successful in the 21st Century economy. Boyette Strategic Advisors understands the sensitivities of the wet/dry issue in Johnson County. However, with the overwhelming response from the participants in this process that being a dry county was a weakness that limits growth in the county, the issue may need to be addressed in the near future.

Sustainable Community As Clarksville/Johnson County faces its future and

contemplates the development path it will follow, Boyette Strategic Advisors believes it should seriously consider fully embracing the sustainability movement and set itself apart from many of its competitors in the process. Many of the options Clarksville/Johnson County could pursue in this area are consistent with other recommendations in this report. Examples of possible elements of this community strategy are: Wind Energy Recruitment – Since wind

energy turbine and parts manufacturers are a targeted business sector opportunity, Clarksville/Johnson County would enhance its visibility with these prospects by incorporating some alternative and sustainable energy generation into its municipally owned utility mix.

Downtown Development – Should Clarksville embark on redeveloping any of the vacant buildings downtown for reuse as either restaurant or office space, they could do so using the most energy efficient and non-carbon energy producing technologies.

Retirement Services – As the baby

boomers research where and when to retire, they are considering factors their predecessors never contemplated. Combined with the natural setting, outdoor activities, affordable lifestyle and other attributes of the region embracing a sustainable development path would position the region to become home to many of these future retirees.

Public Policy – Should Clarksville seriously

consider this option, it should use the sustainability standards that are available from the many non-profits set up to assist communities as a litmus test while formulating new public policy.

28 October 2009

Beyond the reduction in utility costs for publically owned buildings and outdoor lighting, there is the added marketing and branding benefit that other communities have achieved through dedicating themselves to sustainable practices.

Conclusion

With its strategic location on Interstate 40, a population of more than 150,000 within the labor shed, the presence of a four-year university, outstanding recreational opportunities, and a diverse economic base, Clarksville/Johnson

County is poised for success in the 21st Century economy. Perhaps most importantly, community leaders have taken the initiative to develop a blueprint for the future that will ensure the region’s focus on key factors to positively influence its economic potential.

This Blueprint and the accompanying workforce/labor analysis will provide the direction needed to pursue these critical economic development activities for the next five years.

29 October 2009

Community Assessment General Clarksville and Johnson County are strategically located on Interstate 40 in the Arkansas River Valley bordering the Arkansas River and Lake Dardanelle to the south, and the Ozark National Forest to the north. The county has a very diverse industrial and commercial base and an excellent quality of life. Johnson County has a current population of 24,999. Clarksville alone has 8,640 residents and is considered one of the fastest growing areas of the state. 1

Industries, businesses and residents benefit from the area's close proximity to Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 64. The Union Pacific Railroad main line also runs through Johnson County and there are eight motor freight carriers that service the area. Transit times to major destinations range from one to five days. The Clarksville Municipal Airport has a 4,500-foot, lighted and paved surface with a high-intensity approach, instrument landing system, and available fuel. Forty-five buildings in Clarksville's downtown area have either been listed or are eligible to be on the National Register of Historical Places. The district begins at Spadra Bridge on Main Street and ends at the historical Depot that holds the Chamber of Commerce. The Clarksville Light & Water Company (CLW) provides electricity, water, and sewer treatment services for its customers at a reasonable cost in the community. CLW presently serves approximately 4,000 customers. Additionally, CLW treats and supplies water for the cities of

Lamar, Coal Hill, and Hartman, as well as the Horsehead, Ludwig, and East Johnson County water associations. The service area is 17.91 square miles, with peak demand of 48.8 MW. The current system capacity is 58 MW. Of that capacity, approximately 60 percent comes from renewable power sources. 2

Other electric providers in the county include Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative and the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company. Natural gas service is provided by Arkansas Western Gas Company and CenterPoint Energy Gas Co. 3

Demographics The estimated 2008 population of Johnson County, which includes the incorporated communities of Clarksville, Coal Hill, Hartman, Knoxville and Lamar, is almost than 25,000.4

30 October 2009

Clarksville, which has an estimated 2008 population of 8,640, is the largest community in Johnson County and is also the county seat. 5 The following chart contains select demographic data for Johnson County and the five communities

located in Johnson County. Detailed demographic information can be found in Appendix D.

As shown below, the projected population of Johnson County and Clarksville in 2013 shows an increase from 2008.

U.S Arkansas Johnson County Clarksville Coal Hill Hartman Knoxville Lamar

Population

2008 Population 306,069,955 2,857,344 24,999 8,640 1,090 657 578 1,559

Projected Population 2013 317,211,691 2,969,186 26,365 9,274 1,139 692 617 1,639

Age

2008 Median Age 37.1 37.3 36.5 35.5 34.4 36.3 35.2 35.3

Projected Median Age 2013 38.0 37.7 37.2 36.2 35.3 37.2 36.0 36.0

Household Income

2008 Average Household Income $69,346 $51,809 $45,977 $44,277 $40,992 $50,195 $47,504 $41,634

2008 Median Household Income $53,684 $40,474 $33,852 $31,699 $29,325 $30,753 $40,187 $32,190

2008 Per Capita Income $26,485 $20,970 $17,248 $17,399 $14,975 $18,312 $16,250 $15,326

Education Approximately 37 percent of residents in Clarksville and 33 percent of residents in Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate

degree or have attended some college classes. 6

Detailed educational attainment for Johnson County and the five communities located in Johnson County can be found in Appendix D.

U.S Arkansas Johnson County Clarksville Coal

Hill Hartman Knoxville Lamar

Educational Attainment

High School Graduate 30.0% 37.0% 40.14% 35.97% 45.33% 36.39% 36.62% 42.26%

Associate’s Degree 7.5% 5.9% 2.62% 1.57% 3.46% 2.84% 7.21% 3.72%

Bachelor's Degree 17.6% 12.3% 9.39% 11.23% 4.16% 7.04% 9.55% 8.02%

Graduate Degree 10.4% 6.4% 4.76% 6.58% 1.95% 4.98% 1.76% 2.25% Some College, No Degree 19.4% 20.4% 16.47% 17.75% 17.11% 14.07% 21.88% 14.98%

31 October 2009

The Clarksville School District has five school complexes that serve approximately 2,500 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district’s graduation rate for the 2007-2008 school year was 86.72 percent which is higher than the graduation rate for the state of Arkansas at 68.20 percent for the 2007-2008 school year. 7

The Lamar School District encompasses 300 square miles of Eastern Johnson County and a small portion of Western Pope County. The district has an enrollment of 1,147 in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The graduation rate of 83.1 percent is above the state average for the 2007-2008 school year. 8

Westside School District is located in an agricultural region of Western Johnson County. It is the smallest of the county’s three school districts, with an enrollment of 633 in 2007-2008. The Westside graduation rate of 93.82 percent is

approximately 25 percent higher than the Arkansas state average. 9

Clarksville is also home to University of the Ozarks (UO). The university has an enrollment of 675, including students from 22 states and 20 countries. 10 UO offers Bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 academic areas such as accounting, chemistry, economics, education, environmental studies, management, marketing, mathematics, political science and Spanish.11 Pre-professional programs are offered in engineering, medical sciences, pharmacy and veterinary science. 12

The Jones Learning Center (JLC) provides academic support to students with learning disabilities or AD/HD that is designed to let students take an active role in all the university's academic programs. The services each student receives are based on the student's individual needs as determined by his or her psycho-educational evaluation. Working with a Program Coordinator, each JLC student will practice the skills that will help him or her make the transition to independent learning. 13

In the 2010 edition of "America's Best Colleges" in U.S. News & World Report, released in August 2009, UO was ranked second in the category of "Great Schools, Great Prices" among 97 universities in the 12-state South Region that are considered Baccalaureate Colleges. It is the 10th time in the last 11 years that UO has been ranked in the top five of the best value category. 14

Business Climate Johnson County has a labor force of nearly 11,500.15 Based on employment, the top five industries in the county include Manufacturing (31.61 percent of workforce), Education (8.44

32 October 2009

percent of workforce), Retail (12.39 percent of workforce), Healthcare (7.51 percent of workforce), and Accommodation/Food Services (6.42 percent of workforce). 16

Major industries in the area include Baldor Electric, a manufacturer of electric motors; Bright Harvest Sweet Potato, a manufacturer of frozen sweet potato products; the hosiery division of Hanesbrands, Inc.; Tyson Foods, Inc., a poultry processing plant; Mid South Roller Company, established in 1980 which manufacturers custom rubber molding and industrial rubber rolls; Nulyne, Inc., a hardwood pallet manufacturer; and

Nite Lite Outdoors, a manufacturer of rechargeable hunting lights; and two catalog companies. Johnson County received grant funds from AEDC for expansion projects of Bright Harvest Sweet Potato, Hanesbrands Inc., and Nulyne, Inc.. With these expansions come an anticipated 110 plus new jobs over the next year. 17

The following chart contains select employment data for Johnson County and the five communities located in Johnson County. 18

Detailed workforce and employment information can be found in Appendix D.

Arkansas Johnson County Clarksville Coal Hill Hartman Knoxville Lamar

Employment by Industry

Manufacturing 19.4% 31.61% 36.28% 25.60% 25.35% 27.42% 30.39%

Education 8.2% 8.44% 9.40% 7.45% 10.88% 8.93% 7.13%

Retail trade 13.0% 12.39% 11.33% 14.98% 18.69% 17.10% 11.55%

Accommodation & Food Service 5.3% 6.42% 7.06% 3.90% 4.23% 6.21% 5.88%

Healthcare 11.4% 7.51% 7.13% 6.41% 6.40% 7.30% 6.45%

Agriculture and forestry 3.5% 5.31% 3.03% 7.17% 6.66% 1.86% 3.89%

Transportation & Warehousing 4.8% 3.38% 2.93% 3.61% 2.30% 6.72% 4.14%

Major employers in Johnson County include the following: 19

Employer Name Type of Business Automated Solutions, Inc. Conveyor & Robotics Manufacturing & Distribution Baldor Electric Company Small Motor Manufacturing

City Light & Water Utility Clarksville Footwear, Division of Munro Men’s, Women’s & Children’s Shoes Clarksville School District Education Greenville Tube Corporation Stainless Steel Tubing Johnson Regional Medical Center Healthcare

33 October 2009

Employer Name Type of Business Mid-South Roller Industrial Rubber Rollers Nite Lite Company Sporting Goods Nulyne, Inc. Pallet Manufacturing Bright Harvest Foods Food Processing Hanesbrands, Inc. Hosiery Tyson Foods Poultry Processing University of the Ozarks Education Walmart Distribution Center Distribution Walmart Supercenter Retail Available Sites The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) currently lists the following

available industrial sites in Johnson County: 20

Site Name Address City County Type Acreage

CLAR010 Market Street Clarksville Johnson Industrial 108.00

CLAR011 State Highway 109 Clarksville Johnson Industrial 35.00

CLAR013 SE Corner of Crawford St. & Clark Rd. Clarksville Johnson Commercial 15.00

CLAR014 Hwy 103 S. Rogers Street Clarksville Johnson Commercial 17.00

CLAR015 SW Corner of Rogers and Market Street Clarksville Johnson Commercial 11.30 The AEDC database also includes four buildings, one commercial and three industrial, ranging from

10,000 to almost 95,000 square feet: 21

Building Name Address City County Type Sq. Ft. OB168 – Sears 140 W. Market St. Clarksville Johnson Commercial 10,250

IB274 – Precision Chassis (Warehouse)

113 Porter Industrial Rd.

Clarksville Johnson Industrial 15,120

IB554 – Fish-N-Ski Barge (Fiberglass boats)

23375 Hwy 64 W Knoxville Johnson Industrial 24,493

IB334 – Stapleton Ladder Corporation (Ladders)

1997 Mills Rd. Clarksville Johnson Industrial 94,900

The City of Clarksville Community Economic Development Committee is exploring additional opportunities for sites, which is addressed later in this report.

34 October 2009

Healthcare Johnson Regional Medical Center is an 80-bed acute care hospital that provides comprehensive medical care to residents of Clarksville and Johnson County. The facility offers physicians, specialists, therapists, and nurses to assist in achieving the maximum level of recovery. Patient services include emergency, outpatient services, lab and diagnostic services, surgery, labor and delivery, physical therapy, radiology and home care services. 22

In recent years several million dollars in new services and equipment have been added, including a helical CT, on-site MRI, Nuclear Medicine, and sophisticated laparoscopic surgery procedures. Recent growth includes a new Critical Care Wing, expanded Physical Therapy Department, and a Geropsychiatric Unit.

Retirement/Assisted Living Facilities Countryside Manor nursing home is a long-term care facility located on highway 64 in Lamar near Johnson Regional Medical Center. The facility

provides 24-hour nursing care staffed in accordance with state and federal long-term care guidelines with certified nursing assistants, restorative nursing assistants, LPN's, and RN's. 23 Other available facilities include Heritage Inn Retirement Center, Clarksville Retirement Center and Clarksville Health and Rehab. All provide nursing home and/or assisted living services, which offer a total of more than 300 beds, and all are currently at full capacity. 24

35 October 2009

BENCHMARK COMMUNITIES

Overview Boyette Strategic Advisors conducted detailed research on cities/counties with similarities to Clarksville/Johnson County that have shown either emerging or successful economic development efforts in order to identify ideas that have been implemented by such cities/counties that led to prosperity. The cities were selected based on knowledge and research by representatives of Boyette Strategic Advisors and members of the Community Economic Development Committee. Some of the criteria used to select the benchmark cities/counties included: Comparable demographics to Clarksville/

Johnson County

Home to an institution of higher education,

preferably a smaller liberal arts institution Located on or near a major interstate City-Owned Electric Utility Provider Recent economic development successes

The chart below contains general demographic data for Clarksville/Johnson County as compared to each city/county selected. Note that the population for all benchmark cities and counties exceeds that of Arkadelphia/Clark County but no city has a population greater than 26,000. The average per capita income of each benchmark city/county is higher than that in Clarksville/Johnson County, and the average household income is greater in all comparable communities, except Arkadelphia.

Clarksville, Arkansas

Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Paragould, Arkansas

Russellville, Arkansas

Searcy, Arkansas

Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Sewanee/ Winchester, Tennessee

2008 Population 8,640 10,196 23,693 26,293 20,435 13,548 10,072

Projected Population 2013 9,274 9,802 24,679 27,893 21,400 15,277 10,314

2008 Median Age 35.5 27.2 37.5 32.1 31.0 30.3 36.7

2008 Average Household Income $44,277 $41,661 $49,692 $49,501 $57,836 $62,765 $52,117

2008 Per Capita Income $17,399 $17,708 $20,982 $19,948 $22,031 $23,586 $20,920

2008 Labor Force 4,064 4,729 11,610 13,033 10,832 7,326 4,545

Employed 3,455 4,421 10,883 11,905 8,371 6,739 4,201

Unemployed 601 288 702 1,089 2,440 585 341

% Unemployed 14.78% 6.10% 6.05% 8.36% 22.52% 7.99% 7.5%

County Unemployment Rate 2008 4.4% 5.4% 6.2% 4.5% 5.5% 3.8% 6.4%

36 October 2009

Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Overview Arkadelphia-Clark County is located in the southwest part of Arkansas off Interstate 30, about halfway between Little Rock and Texarkana. Both U.S. Highway 67 and Arkansas State Highway 7 run through Arkadelphia. State Highway 7 connects the community with Hot Springs, Arkansas, approximately 35 miles to the north. The area is also located in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains and near Lake DeGray. 25

The map to the right shows communities and roads within a 50-mile radius of Arkadelphia. The Missouri-Pacific Railroad, which runs from St. Louis, Missouri to the Texas-Mexico border, provides mainline rail service for the community. The Arkadelphia Municipal Airport has a 5,000-foot runway, refueling services, and recently remodeled terminal facilities. The airport is operated by Henderson State University which is located in Arkadelphia. 26

Arkadelphia, which has an estimated 2008 population of nearly 10,200, is the largest community in Clark County and also the county seat. The 2008 median age in Arkadelphia is 27.2 and the 2008 per capita income is $17,708. 27

Detailed demographic information can be found in Appendix E.

37 October 2009

Economic Development Structure Arkadelphia/Clark County created the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance (Alliance) in 2008 as the organization responsible for economic development efforts in the area. Groups included in the Alliance are the Clark County Industrial Council and the Arkadelphia and Gurdon Chambers of Commerce. The Alliance is governed by a five-member board of directors consisting of the same individuals who serve as members of the Economic Development Corporation of Clark County (EDCCC) board. 28

The EDCCC contracts to the Alliance, which provides 30.4 percent of its received tax revenue to pay for administrative services and salaries. The other 69.6 percent in the EDCCC’s fund is set aside for land acquisitions and other incentives for prospective industries. 29

Recent Developments Clark County recently adopted an incentive policy

Under the Clark County Advantage Program, local incentives are available to qualifying businesses that commit to creating new jobs or, in some cases, retaining existing jobs that pay above a certain wage and/or make a certain capital investment in Clark County. 30

Clark County is currently seeking grant funding to extend broadband Internet access throughout the county. Currently only Arkadelphia and Caddo Valley residents have broadband access. 31

Business Climate Arkadelphia has a labor force of nearly 4,730 workers and, based on employment, the top five industries in the county include Education (26.01 percent of workforce), Manufacturing (15.32 percent of workforce), Retail (12.45 percent of workforce), Healthcare (12.12 percent of workforce), and Food Services (6.87 percent of workforce). 5 Detailed employment data can be found in Appendix E.

38 October 2009

Major employers in Arkadelphia, listed in order of employment totals, include the following: 32

Company Product/Sector Henderson State University Education Scroll Technologies Air conditioning and heating equipment Petit Jean Poultry, Inc. Poultry processing Georgia Pacific Corporation Paper manufacturing Siplast Commercial roofing materials Ouachita Baptist University Education Arkadelphia School District Education Anthony Timberlands, Inc. Lumber manufacturing Wal-Mart Retail Baptist Medical Center Healthcare Gurdon School District Education DeGray State Park State park Twin Rivers Health and Rehabilitation Rehabilitation services Atwood Distributing, Inc. Retail home improvement store Curt Bean Lumber Company/Transport Sawmills and planing mills W.P. Malone, Inc. Allied healthcare (Pharmaceutical) Southern Bancorp Banking The Human Development Center Healthcare Group Living Healthcare (Developmental disabilities) Dawson Educational Cooperative Education Alumicraft Boating Incentives In 2007, the voters of Clark County, Arkansas approved a sales tax to fund economic development activities in Clark County. As previously mentioned, such funds may be used to provide local incentives to qualifying businesses under the Clark County Advantage Program, a qualifying business includes any of the Clark County targeted sectors outlined below, as well as any other businesses eligible for incentives offered through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Alternative Energy - Biofuels

Customer Development Centers Distribution/Logistics Green/Sustainable Building Products

Retail and Retirement Services are two other targeted sectors of Clark County. In general, retail, service, government and non-profit businesses are not eligible to receive incentives that are funded through the local economic development sales tax. However, developers of certain projects in the retail and retirement services that have the potential to provide a substantial economic impact to the county may be eligible to receive other incentives.

39 October 2009

If in an eligible business sector, the company must also meet the following requirements in order to be a qualifying business: Create or retain at least 10 full-time jobs;

and Pay at least 100% of the average wage of

the county. Total Economic Incentive Grants provided for new job creation of new or existing business will range from $1,250 to more than $10,000 per job based on the average wage of the jobs created as outlined below: Wages greater than 100% but less than

110% of the average wage of Clark County = $1,250 per job.

Wages greater than 110% but less than 125% of the average wage of Clark County = $2,500 per job.

Wages greater than 125% but less than 150% of the average wage of Clark County = $5,000 per job.

Wages greater than 150% but less than 200% of the average wage of Clark County = $7,500 per job.

Wages greater than 200% of the average wage of Clark County = $10,000 per job.

Economic Incentive Grants may also be available for the retention of jobs in certain situations. Representatives of the Alliance will prepare an Economic Incentive Proposal, which will outline a company’s performance requirements that must be met to qualify and receive the grant. The performance requirements will include the number of full-time jobs to be created or retained

and the average wage, and may also include the capital investment or other details specific to the project. Economic Incentive Grants will typically be paid as a reimbursement grant of project expenses over a period of time based on the company’s attainment of negotiated performance requirements on or before an agreed date. Buildings and Sites The Clark County Industrial Park is located on U.S. Highway 67, approximately five miles south of Arkadelphia. The 313-acre site is located within two miles of Interstate 30 and within minutes of the Arkadelphia Municipal Airport. The Missouri-Pacific Railroad mainline runs along the east side of the park. Current companies in the industrial park include Goodrich, HITCO Carbon Composites, Petit Jean Poultry, Scroll Technologies, and Siplast. The Clark County Industrial Park has approximately 160 acres remaining for development. 33

The Clark County Business Park is currently under construction and is being designed to attract high-paying, knowledge-based companies and information technology firms. The business park will include state-of-the-art technology and fiber

40 October 2009

optics infrastructure. Phase One of the project includes building the entrance road into the property; clearing, grading, landscaping, and lighting; and extending utilities to the site. 34

Education Approximately 57 percent of residents in Arkadelphia hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes. 35

Detailed educational attainment data for Arkadelphia can be found in Appendix E.

The Arkadelphia Public School District includes five schools and has a total enrollment over 2,000 for the 2007-2008 school year. The district’s graduation rate for the 2007-2008 school year was 81.67 percent, which is higher than the graduation rate for the state of Arkansas of 68.20 percent for the 2007-2008 school year. 36

Arkadelphia is home to two institutions of higher education: Henderson State University (HSU) and Ouachita Baptist University (OBU). HSU has an enrollment of more than 3,600 students and offers Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. HSU has more than 50 program areas and offers Bachelor’s degrees in areas such as accounting, aviation, biology, business administration, business information systems, chemistry, education, finance, human services, management, marketing, mathematics, medical technology, music, nursing, and physics. Pre-professional programs are offered in dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. Master’s degrees are available in business administration, liberal arts, education, sports administration, teaching, and counseling. 37

The Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), a component of HSU’s School of Business, provides consulting, training, research, and technology services for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Clark County area. Primary program areas include business planning, growth, financing, marketing, management issues, and improving business profitability. 38

OBU is a four-year liberal arts college which has an enrollment of approximately 1,450 students. The college offers Bachelor’s degrees in the schools of business, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, Christian studies, fine arts and interdisciplinary studies. OBU has more than 60 program areas of study including accounting, advertising and public relations, biology, business administration, Christian studies, computer science, education, engineering, landscape architecture, law, medicine, nursing, and physics. 39

The Southwest Arkansas Technology Learning Center is a workforce training consortium made up of local industry, educational institutions and training providers. The center provides credit and non-credit courses as well as training programs as requested by industry in order to create a well-trained workforce for the surrounding area. 40

41 October 2009

Paragould, Arkansas

Overview Paragould, which is located in Greene County, has an estimated 2008 population of nearly 23,700. The 2008 median age in Paragould is 37.5 and the 2008 per capita income is $20,982. 41

Detailed demographic information can be found in Appendix E.

Paragould is located in the corner of Northeast Arkansas, only 88 miles from Memphis, 153 miles from Little Rock, and 208 miles from St. Louis. 42 State highways 135, 358, 69 run through Paragould and U.S highways 412 and 49 also intersect the city. 43

The Union Pacific Railroad, which spans the U.S. from Seattle, Washington, to Chicago, Illinois, and down to New Orleans, Louisiana, also runs through the heart of Paragould providing mainline service to the community.

Paragould provides airport service to the community at Kirk Field Airport. Its runway length is 4,500 feet with a paved surface and an instrument approach of 500 foot overrun. Economic Development Structure The Economic Development Corporation of Paragould (EDC) is a private not for profit organization that directs the economic development efforts for Paragould and Greene County. The EDC, which is housed with the Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, works in partnership with the City of Paragould; City of Marmaduke; Greene County; Arkansas Methodist Medical Center; Paragould Light, Water and Cable; and the Chamber of Commerce to ensure readily available land, buildings, and other necessary resources needed for the betterment of

the Paragould area. 44

The Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce serves Paragould and the surrounding areas in Greene County. The Paragould Regional Chamber is involved in several programs in the community and is committed to serving businesses as well as the citizens of the region from business and economic development to tourism and education. Business After Hours, Friday Morning Mixers, Ribbon Cuttings, Chamber Showcase, and the annual Chamber Banquet are among the networking opportunities provided to the members of the Chamber of Commerce regularly. The Chamber maintains a professional staff of three individuals and 16-member board of directors. 45

42 October 2009

The Education Committee is the committee which establishes projects and activities that foster and uphold the value of business and school interaction with the intent of better informing students of career choices and to provide positive role models through mentoring programs. The Committee oversees Partners In Education, Arkansas Scholars and the publication of the “Get a Life” magazine, which is given annually to every student in Greene County who is in eighth through twelfth grade. The Business Development Committee assists existing businesses that expand and organize seminars and other events that provide direct benefit to the membership. The Transportation Committee monitors state and federal issues and lobbies for improvements to major highways and other transportation projects that will enhance Greene County’s ability to compete in a global market. Leadership Paragould is a program held during a 12-month period with a group of 30 individuals. The program consists of identifying existing and potential community leaders, providing training in various concepts of leadership and the accompanying skills, providing participants with an awareness of the issues and opportunities facing the community, and establishing a plan enabling participant to work confidently as individuals and collectively as a group to address community challenges. 46

Youth Leadership Paragould is a seven session course on leadership for high school sophomores

in Greene County. Students exemplifying leadership skills in the community and at school are chosen to participate in the course. It is designed to introduce students to leadership styles and community involvement. Students are nominated by their schools to participate, and the program is funded by donations from local businesses and Leadership Paragould. 47

Recent Developments The food service packaging company, Anchor Packaging Inc. of St. Louis, announced in May 2008 it would expand its thermoforming plant in Paragould, a move that will create 120 more jobs in the already operating facility. Investing $40 million in the expansion project, the company then will house eight new state-of-the-art inline machines for processing. The company has had a plant in Paragould for more than 20 years and currently employs 540 people. It also has a distribution center in Paragould and another manufacturing facility in Marmaduke.48

Business Climate Paragould has a labor force of 11,610 workers and, based on employment, the top five industries in the county include Manufacturing (30.59 percent of workforce), Retail (12.90 percent of workforce),

43 October 2009

Healthcare (9.96 percent of workforce), Education (7.98 percent of workforce), and Food Services (5.42 percent of workforce). 49

Detailed employment data can be found in Appendix E.

Below is a chart of the largest companies in Greene County and their employees to date. 50

Company Product

Emerson Electric Electric Motors

Tenneco Automotive Shock absorbers and struts

American Railcar Industries Hopper railcars

Arkansas Methodist Medical Center

Healthcare

Anchor Packaging Plastic food containers

Utility Trailer Manufacturing Trailers

L.A. Darling Tubular garment racks

Teleflora Flower Wire Service Martin Sprocket and Gear Sprockets & gear

Prestolite Wire Corp. Auto wire & cable

Anchor Distribution Distribution/ shipping facility for plastic food containers

Garlock Rubber Technologies

Rubber conveyor belts and sheet rubber

Allen Engineering Corp Concrete/ paving equipment

7 Up/RC Bottling Co. Soft drinks & custom bottling

KNL Holdings, LLC Material handling equipment

Smith Drug Company Pharmaceutical wholesale for independent pharmacies

Buildings and Sites Paragould has a 101,000-square-foot speculative building available, which was constructed in 2006. 51 In addition, two industrial sites are currently listed with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. One site is comprised of 416 acres, while the other is 106 acres. 52

Education Approximately 37 percent of residents in Paragould hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes. 53

Detailed educational attainment data for the community can be found in Appendix E.

Paragould School District is a consolidated district with more than 2,800 students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Paragould school district comprises the former districts of Oak Grove, Stanford, and Paragould. Three neighborhood elementary schools, Baldwin, Oak Grove, and Woodrow Wilson, serve kindergarten through fourth grade. Oak Grove Middle School, a unique neighborhood campus, is home to fifth and sixth graders. Students at the middle school are able to learn in an environment that prepares them for junior and senior high without feeling as if they are still in elementary school. Seventh and eighth graders attend Paragould Junior High School, while Paragould High School is home to freshmen through seniors. The district also includes The School of the 21st Century, a unique concept providing comprehensive child care for

44 October 2009

infants and toddlers with before and after school care programs. All schools in the district are accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. 54

The Greene County Technical School District encompasses the southern half of Greene County as well as portions of the City of Paragould and Craighead County. Grades K-12 have a student enrollment of 3,600 students. A Preschool/Day Care Center on campus provides additional educational experiences for young children. Young students are provided learning opportunities in a Day Care-Early Childhood Program offered on campus. An extensive Vocational Agriculture Program blends history with the future and helps define the heritage in Greene County. 55

Situated on Kings Highway, Arkansas State University’s Paragould hometown location makes it attractive to local students, while remaining highly accessible to commuter students from surrounding areas. The school’s location allows it to have strong ties to the Paragould area, as most of the students, faculty and staff reside in the area and are alumni of the local high schools. This blend of community and education is responsible for the school’s rapid growth from approximately 220 students to around 600 students in only six years. 56

Crowley’s Ridge College is located on Highway 412 West within the city limits of Paragould. The 150 acre campus, which was founded in 1964, has

provided a quality educational experience for more than 5,000 students. Crowley’s Ridge College (CRC) offers Associate and Bachelor’s Degrees and is the only Paragould college to offer intercollegiate sports. 57

Arkansas Northeastern College is a comprehensive, two-year institution of higher education located in Blytheville with a satellite campus in Paragould. Arkansas Northeastern College offers a flexible schedule and courses at each of its locations in Blytheville, Burdette, Leachville, Osceola and Paragould. Arkansas Northeastern College is a non-residential college, with a primary focus on learning. The Paragould Center is located adjacent to Arkansas Methodist Medical Center. The Paragould Center provides a broad range of both credit and non-credit offerings and is equipped with distance learning technology to increase course availability. The Paragould Campus offers training in Practical Nursing, Phlebotomy, and Registered Nursing, in addition to training students to become Nursing Assistants, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and Paramedics. 58

Black River Technical College offers students cost-effective programs at a convenient location, with small class sizes and caring instructors in a close-knit, hometown atmosphere. Programs available at Black River include art, computer, criminal justice and technical courses, business programs, nursing, prerequisites, distance learning, night and weekend classes and college transfer classes.59

45 October 2009

Russellville, Arkansas Overview Russellville, Arkansas is located in west central Arkansas off of Interstate 40, a major east-west artery. Other major roads running through the community include U.S. Highway 64 and State Highway 7. The community is also located between the Ozark Mountains and Ouachita Mountains and just north of the Arkansas River.60

The Port of Dardanelle on the Arkansas River, which flows into the Mississippi River, is served by 14 barge lines and provides transfer, storage, loading and unloading capabilities. The D&R Shortline Railroad is a five-mile track which provides rail service to the port and connects to the Union Pacific Railroad mainline that runs through Russellville. 61

The Russellville Municipal Airport includes a 5,100-foot runway that can accommodate most corporate and private aircraft. The airport also has hanger buildings, a maintenance facility, refueling services, a reception area, and conference room. The Little Rock Regional Airport is located approximately 85 miles from Russellville and provides commercial air service for the area. 62

Russellville, which is located in Pope County, has an estimated 2008 population of 26,300. The 2008 median age in Russellville is 32.1 and the 2008 per capita income is $19,950. 63

Full demographic data for Russellville can be found in Appendix E of this report.

Economic Development Structure The primary organization responsible for economic development in Russellville is the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber includes a 33-member board of directors and an internal staff of five. 64

The Chamber’s economic development program is marketed as the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development. The Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development is a public/private organization whose mission is to recruit new industry to the area and is made up of members representing industry, businesses, and government. The communities of Russellville, Pottsville, Atkins and Pope County are all members of the organization. 65

The Chamber’s primary program areas and committees related to economic development include: ATU Connection -- Works to enhance the

relationship between Arkansas Tech University and the business community.

46 October 2009

Business Expo Committee -- Plans and organizes the annual business and industry expo.

Education -- Oversees the Arkansas Scholars

program in the Russellville School District and sponsors the Partners in Education program and other programs to enhance education and skills of students.

Existing Industry -- Plans events and

activities to encourage local established industries to remain and grow their business in Russellville.

Government Issues -- Provides a forum for

the business community to meet and interact with political candidates and to discuss issues of common interests, and reviews proposed legislation at the local, state and national level.

Small Business Committee -- Works to

promote small businesses by offering seminars and networking opportunities.

Transportation -- Works with local, county,

state and national leaders to improve movement of goods and people.

Leadership Russellville is also sponsored by the Chamber and is designed to identify, educate, and motivate potential leaders to become involved in the future of the community by addressing the realities, opportunities, and challenges of the community. The program consists of approximately thirteen sessions that include a two day kick-off retreat and orientation beginning in October with a graduation ceremony held the following June. Included are programs on government, education, quality of life, healthcare, industrial development, non-profit agencies, teambuilding and leadership training. 66

Recent Developments

Russellville has experienced several business expansions and new company locations as well as other community developments. 67

In June 2008, N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of extended service plans and buyer protection programs for consumer products, announced a new customer contact center in Russellville. To date, the company has hired 300 workers, exceeding its original plan to hire 250 workers. The facility handles in-bound consumer calls for customers of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. 68

ConAgra Foods recently approved a $55 million upgrade to their frozen foods manufacturing facility in Russellville. 69

Several new hotels and restaurants are also planned for Russellville. Construction of a new John Q. Hammons Hotel & Convention Center was expected to begin in early 2009. Projects involving the construction of a second hotel and a new seafood restaurant were also expected to begin construction in 2009. Additionally, a new shopping center is being planned for the Russellville area. 70

Business Climate Russellville has a labor force of 13,000 workers, and based on employment, the top five industries in Russellville include Manufacturing (16.24 percent of workforce), Retail (15.05 percent of workforce), Education (13.21 percent of workforce), Healthcare (9.75 percent of workforce), and Food Services (7.49 percent of workforce). 71

Full employment data for Russellville can be found in Appendix E of this report.

47 October 2009

Russellville is home to more than 40 major manufacturing facilities, including divisions of Fortune 500 companies such as Firestone, Tyson Foods, ConAgra Foods, International Paper, and Dow Chemical. Manufacturers in the area produce goods such as aluminum foil, aircraft components, electronics, numerous food products, metal fabrication, automotive parts, paper products, plastics, and nuclear power. Arkansas Nuclear One, located along the banks of the Arkansas River just outside of Russellville, is the only nuclear power plant in Arkansas. 72

The ten largest employers in Russellville include:73

Company Product/Sector ConAgra Foods, Inc. Frozen foods

manufacturing Arkansas Tech University

Education

Russellville School District

Education

Arkansas Nuclear One Utilities/Nuclear power Tyson Foods, Inc. Poultry processing St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center

Healthcare

Wal-Mart Retail Friendship Community Care, Inc.

Special Education Services

Transco Leasing, Inc. Truck Leasing Dana Corporation Heavy Duty Camshaft

Manufacturing Buildings and Sites The East End Industrial Park in Russellville has five sites with a total of 147.5 acres available for development. Sites range in size from 10.7 acres to 60 acres. The industrial park is located approximately 1.5 miles from Interstate 40 and less than one mile from U.S. Highway 64.

Arkansas State Highway 324 also provides access to the park. The Russellville Municipal Airport is less than two miles south of the site, and the port of Dardanelle is located approximately 5.5 miles southwest of the site. 74

Russellville has two commercial and three industrial buildings available ranging in size from 20,000 square feet to 238,500 square feet. All are located near Interstate 40 within the Russellville city limits. 75

Education Approximately 55 percent of residents in Russellville hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes. 76

Detailed educational attainment data for Russellville can be found in Appendix E.

The Russellville School District has a total enrollment of approximately 5,000 students. The district includes six elementary schools, an upper elementary school for fifth graders, a middle school for grades six and seven, a junior high for grades eight and nine, and one high school. The district also includes the Russellville Area Career and Technical Center which offers eleventh and twelfth grade students in-depth training in various vocational and technology-based courses. 77

48 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University in Russellville has a total enrollment of 7,480 students and offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the following seven schools:78

School of Business School of Systems Science School of Physical and Life Sciences School of Liberal and Fine Arts School of Education School of Graduate Studies

School of Community Education and Professional Development

Combined, the seven schools offer more than 100 programs of study, including 25 Master's Degrees. Arkansas Tech also offers several unique programs that are not available at many other colleges in the state. Such programs include Rehabilitation Science, Fisheries and Wildlife Management, Hospitality Administration, and Emergency Administration and Management. 79

49 October 2009

Searcy, Arkansas Overview Searcy is located in the northern part of central Arkansas. The community is approximately 50 miles northeast of Little Rock in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Searcy is also located about 100 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee. 80

Searcy is located just west of U.S. Highway 67/167, and Arkansas State Highways 16 and 36 intersect in the community. Mainline rail service in Searcy is provided by Union Pacific Railroad and shortline rail service is provided by Doniphan, Kensett and Searcy Railway. The Searcy Municipal Airport has a 6,008 foot runway that can accommodate aircraft up to the G5 classification. The airport has 24-hour refueling capabilities and provides hangar space. Nearly 50 planes use the Searcy Airport each day. The closest commercial airport is located in Little Rock. 81

Searcy, which is located in White County, has an estimated 2008 population of 20,435. The 2008

median age in Searcy is 31.0 and the 2008 per capita income is $22,030. 82

Full demographic data for Searcy can be found in Appendix E of this report.

Economic Development Structure The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce is the primary organization responsible for economic development activities in the community. The Chamber has a professional staff of three people and a 25-member board of directors.83

The Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation (SREDC) is the Chamber’s economic development component. SREDC is made up of a group of business and professional people from Searcy and White County

who are committed to economic growth in the area. Each member also invests a minimum of $250 per year in the organization. The goals of the SREDC are to attract new employers and to expand existing industries and business; identify strengths and weaknesses of Searcy and the trade area and then work to build upon strengths and correct the weaknesses; work to improve communication and cooperation between governmental agencies on city, county, state and federal levels, and involve the business community, educational institutions, cultural organizations and the citizens in working toward creation of a better Searcy; seek to expand the base of financial support for economic development, realizing that all citizens benefit from sound, planned economic growth; and

50 October 2009

actively seek both large and small industry for Searcy. 84

The Chamber manages a number of different programs and committees including the following:85

Workforce Development -- Works to develop and retain home-grown talent that aligns with local needs while engaging employers and educators in the process. Also educates local businesses about the Career Readiness Certificate Program.

Transportation -- Monitors, prioritizes and

responds to issues concerning mobility projects in coordination with local and statewide groups. Ensures that Searcy's surface and air transportation facilities are adequate to service the community.

Small Business Council (SBC) –- The mission

of the Small Business Council is to serve, represent and promote small business members and to enhance the economic health of Searcy's small business community. The SBC provides educational and networking opportunities tailored to the needs of small business owners and managers.

Legislative Affairs – Advocates the Chamber’s

positions on state and federal legislative issues of particular importance to Searcy’s business community.

White County is also a member of the Metro Little Rock Alliance (MLRA), a coalition of 11 counties in central Arkansas. MLRA’s mission is to “cultivate regional growth and prosperity throughout the area by marketing the region's strengths and advantages to prospective companies and site location consultants for the purposes of attracting investment and creating jobs.”86

Recent Developments

Several companies have recently located in or expanded in the Searcy area. In March 2009, Schulze and Burch Biscuit Company announced plans to open a toaster pastry manufacturing facility in Searcy. The company is based in Chicago and produces toaster pastries, granola bars and other snacks, both branded and for leading private label accounts. Schulze and Burch will employ 250 at the new facility. 87

In November 2008, Chesapeake Energy opened its new regional headquarters in Searcy. The company chose Searcy as the location for the regional headquarters because of White County’s location in the Fayetteville Shale play. Chesapeake Energy has drilled 146 wells in the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas and 135 of those wells are in White County. The new office will support 35 employees to manage the process of hiring subcontractors to drill more wells. Chesapeake intends to drill a total of 5,000 wells in the Fayetteville Shale play, with two-thirds of them being located in White County. 88

Also in November 2008, BJ Services Company broke ground for a new $82 million regional headquarters in Searcy. The company provides pumping, process and pipeline, chemical, tubular and completion services to oil and natural gas companies worldwide, and the new location will allow BJ Services to provide pressure pumping and other oil field services to the natural gas industry in the counties involved in the Fayetteville Shale play. The new headquarters will be located in a 64,000-square-foot facility on a 40-acre site and will employ 150 people. 89

Construction began on ConvaCare's new skilled nursing facility in October 2008 and it is expected to open in late summer 2009. The new 55,000 square foot facility will be able to accommodate

51 October 2009

138 residents and will offer private rooms. The facility will have a more home-like feel with hallways set up like a neighborhood, dining rooms opening into a patio, a courtyard with walkways and walking paths, and a putting green. The facility will also offer full rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. 90

Business Climate Searcy has a labor force of 10,830 workers, and based on employment, the top five industries in Searcy include: Education (16.00 percent of workforce), Retail (15.26 percent of workforce), Manufacturing (13.47 percent of workforce), Healthcare (11.63 percent of workforce), and Food Services (8.30 percent of workforce). 91

Full employment data for Searcy can be found in Appendix E of this report.

Major employers in Searcy include the following:92

Company Product Wal-Mart Distribution Distribution White County Medical Center Medical

Harding University Education Wal-Mart Super-Center Retail Land O’ Frost Meat Products Searcy Public Schools Education Bryce Corporation Food Packaging Eaton Corporation Hydraulic Components Road Systems Freight Trailers City of Searcy Government First Security Bank Banking White County Government Government

Riverview Public Schools Education Searcy Medical Center Medical ARAMARK Food Services Kohler Company Stainless Steel Sinks Yarnell Ice Cream Ice Cream Matthews International Corp. Bronze Memorials

Buildings and Sites Searcy has a number of available buildings and sites as summarized in the following table: 93

Name Size Use Benton Industrial Site 25 Acres Industrial Brantly Industrial Site 67 Acres Industrial East Line Development 2 to 80 Acres Commercial Harps Neighborhood Market Center 64,000 Square feet Retail/Office HWY 11 Building 6,000 Square Feet Commercial HWY 11 Site 69 Acres Commercial HWY 157 Warehouse 14,500 Square Feet Warehouse HWY 367 Site 20 Acres Commercial HWY 6 Site .96 Acres Commercial ITT Building 128,366 Square Feet Industrial Llama Office Center 2,000 Square Feet Office Safeway Building 47610 Square Feet Industrial

Shoppes at River Chase 43,000 Square Feet Retail/ Commercial

Vine Street Professional Center Multiple Spaces From 250 to 3,700 Square Feet Office

52 October 2009

Education Approximately 50 percent of residents in Searcy hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes. 94

Detailed educational attainment data for Searcy can be found in Appendix E.

The Searcy Public School District has an enrollment of more than 3,800 students and includes three elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high, and one high school. The Riverview School District includes five schools and serves 1,300 students in Searcy as well as in Kensett and Judsonia which are both located in White County. Private schools located in Searcy include Harding Academy, Cornerstone Christian Academy, and Liberty Christian School. 95

Harding University is a four-year liberal arts college located in Searcy. The university has an enrollment of more than 6,500 students and includes the College of Arts and Humanities, College of Bible and Religion, College of Business Administration, College of Communications, College of Education, College of Nursing, and College of Sciences. Harding offers 10 undergraduate degrees in 90 academic majors and graduate and pre-professional programs in business, education, marriage and family therapy, physician assistant studies, pharmacy, and religion. 96

Chesapeake Energy recently presented the university with a $100,000 donation to be used for scholarships for science and engineering majors. Graduates of such programs will be trained for leadership positions in the growing gas industry in Searcy. 97

Arkansas State University-Searcy is a technical campus of Arkansas State University which is located in Beebe. The mission of ASU-Searcy is to provide technical and occupational programs for workforce and economic development. ASU-Searcy offers Certificates of Proficiency and Technical Certificates in a number of areas including auto body repair, automotive technology, computer systems and networking technology, diesel technology, early childhood education, emergency medical technology, health information assistant, HVAC, industrial electronics, computerized machining, office occupations, pharmacy technician, practical nursing, and welding technology. 98

A training facility for vocational workers in the gas industry is being built at ASU-Searcy with support from Chesapeake Energy. The facility will include an on-campus gas well simulator and will provide week-long, 40 hour intensive training sessions. 99

53 October 2009

Siloam Springs, Arkansas Overview

Siloam Springs is a vibrant and growing community located in Benton County in northwest Arkansas. With a population of more than 13,000, Siloam Springs sits on U.S. Highway 412 at the Oklahoma state line, 25 minutes from Interstate Highway 540. Highway 412 at Siloam Springs is the number one non-Interstate entrance into the state of Arkansas with daily averages of 26,000 cars per day, according to the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. Only Interstate 30 at Texarkana and Interstate 40 at Memphis handle more traffic into the state. Full demographic data for Siloam Springs can be found in Appendix E of this report. Siloam Springs covers an area of 11 square miles. At an altitude of 1,183 feet above sea level, the climate consists of an average temperature of 58.4 degrees and an average rainfall of 41.75 inches. 100

The community’s location, government, and workforce create a vibrant business environment. Siloam Springs offers a strong base of industrial businesses and a growing community of small businesses to meet retail, entertainment and service needs of residents and workforce.

101

According to a 2003 study, 44 percent of all employees of major employers in Siloam Springs live in Oklahoma. The population of almost 14,000 doesn’t include these workers. 102 Benton County was the 3rd fastest growing county in the nation while the MSA that includes Siloam Springs was the sixth fastest growing from 1990 to 2000.103

Siloam Springs owns and operates a municipal electric utility that serves more than 6,000 customers. The City's Electric Department was presented a first place 2007 Electric Systems Operations and Reliability Award from Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma (MESO). 104

The city does not presently own any generating assets. The Electric Department operates four substations with a primary delivery point voltage of 69KV. The city's service area is 22.6 square miles. In this service area there are 146.3 miles of electric lines of which 29.9 miles (20 percent) are underground. 105

Economic Development Structure Both the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce and the City of Siloam Springs promote the city as a business location. However, the Chamber of Commerce generally takes the lead in managing any projects in the community.

54 October 2009

Business Climate Home to several major food processors and other manufacturers, Siloam Springs offers a strong and diverse economy. Benton County and northwest Arkansas have experienced incredible growth in the last 20 years, and Siloam Springs has been a part of that growth. Major private sector employers in Siloam Springs include the following:

Company Product/Sector Allen Canning Company Food Processing Cherokee Casino Gaming City of Siloam Springs Government Cobb-Vantress Poultry DaySpring Cards Greeting Cards Franklin Electric Water pumps Gates Corporation Industrial belts and hoses John Brown University Education La-Z-Boy of Arkansas Furniture McKee Foods Snack Foods Ozark Electronics Repair

Returns Management and Logistics

PipeLife Jet Stream Plastic pipe systems Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital

Healthcare

Simmons Foods Poultry Processor Wal-Mart Super Center Retail Webb Wheel Productions

Brake drums, hubs and rotors

Buildings and Sites The Arkansas Economic Development Commission buildings and sites database does not list any available buildings or sites in Siloam Springs. 106

Education Siloam Springs is home to one four-year university – John Brown University, a Christian liberal arts college of 1,200 students. In addition, the University of Arkansas, the state’s flag ship university of 17,000 students, is located in Fayetteville just 45 minutes east of Siloam Springs. Northwest Arkansas Community College, the fastest growing and the second largest in the state with 5,300 students, is located in Rogers just 40 minutes east and north of Siloam Springs. Northwest Technical Institute, a vocational technical school with 1,000 students, is located in Springdale just 30 minutes from Siloam Springs, while Northeast Technology Center, with 550 students, is located in Kansas, Oklahoma, just 20 minutes to the west of Siloam Springs 107

Siloam Springs School District has a total enrollment of 3,640 in five schools. The community is also home to two private schools for K-12 students. 108

55 October 2009

Sewanee/ Winchester, Tennessee

Overview Sewanee/Winchester, Tennessee, is located in Franklin County in south central Tennessee on the Tennessee-Alabama border and are approximately 90 minutes from both Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Nashville, Tennessee, and 50 minutes from Huntsville, Alabama. Franklin County is crossed by U.S. Highways 41A and by State Highways 50, 56, 127, and 130. U.S. Highway64, which runs between Interstates 24 and 65, will become a four lane connector in 2010 connecting Chattanooga to Memphis.109

Interstate 24 runs along the northeastern edge of Franklin County and Interstate 65 is located approximately 50 miles to the west. The county has mainline rail service from CSX Railroad and there is a municipal airport with a 5,000 foot runway in Winchester.

Franklin County, which has five cities and three unincorporated towns, has an estimated 2007 population of more than 41,400. 110 The five cites in Franklin County are Cowan (estimated 2008 population 1,814), Decherd (estimated 2008 population 2,448), Estill Springs (estimated 2008 population 2,491), Huntland (estimated 2008 population 790), and Winchester (estimated 200 population 7,654). 111 The unincorporated towns include Belvidere, Sewanee, and Sherwood. A portion of the city of Tullahoma (estimated 2008 population 18,868) is also located in Franklin

County, but the majority of the city lies in Coffee County. 112

Economic Development Structure The Franklin County Industrial Development

Board (FCIDB) is the primary organization

responsible for economic development activities in

Franklin County. The FCIDB serves as the point

of contact for assistance or information about:

available buildings and sites; existing industry;

state and local business incentives; transportation;

utilities and infrastructure; and workforce and

area demographics. The FCIDB is served by a staff

of two and a nine-member Board of Directors.113

The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and

Tourism program consists of four major projects

and services that include annual fundraisers,

appreciation projects, support projects and

support services. The Chamber is comprised of a

14-member Board of Directors plus a six-member

Executive Committee. 114

56 October 2009

The Joint Economic & Community Development Board (JECDB) of Franklin County is represented by the communities of Franklin County, Tullahoma, and Monteagle, who participate in funding of the organization. The JECDB is focused on industrial, office, retail and business recruiting and is a requirement of Tennessee law.115

Recent Developments The Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association has designated a site in the Franklin County Industrial Park as one of six sites in Middle Tennessee to have met the criteria to be a "Deal Ready Certified Industrial Site." To be certified a site must be free of ownership and environmental issues and it also must meet or exceed the infrastructure requirements of typical industrial projects. 116

Business Climate Franklin County has a total labor force of 20,125 and the county currently has a non-union workforce. 117 Franklin County has a very diverse manufacturing base and is home to four international companies. The largest of these is Nissan’s automotive engine and powertrain facility. The other international companies are Tepro, a Japanese automotive weather stripping manufacturer, Zanini, a Spanish producer of plastic automotive wheel covers, and Hamilton Kent a Canadian company that manufacturers rubber gaskets for the utility and construction industries. 118

Mayor employers in Franklin County with 30 or more employees include: 119

Company Name Product/Sector Arnold Engineering Development Center

U.S. Air Force Test Facility

Aerospace Testing Alliance

Aerospace Testing and Support

Baxter Enterprises Injection Molding (Plastic Products)

Columbian TecTank Fabricated Plate Work (Metal Storage)

Diversatech Plastics Group, LLC

Injection Molding (Plastic Products)

Franklin County School System

Education

Hamilton Kent Rubber Gaskets Hi-Tech Mold & Engineering S.E., Inc.

Injection Molding

Lifeclinic International Medical Equipment Metal Fab Utility Trailers Nissan North American

Automobile Engine & Powertrain Assembly

Shaw Industries Commercial Carpet Southern Tennessee Medical Center

Hospital

Tennessee Apparel Corporation

Military Clothing

TEPRO, Inc. Rubber Weather Stripping (Automotive)

Thompson Hardwoods Hardwood Products Tullahoma Industries Military Apparel Unique Functional Products

Trailer Axles

Universal Technologies

Aerospace Parts

The University of the South

Education

Wal-Mart Supercenter Retail Winchester Hat Corp. Felt Hats Zanini Tennessee, Inc. Plastic Injection Molding

(Auto Wheel Covers)

57 October 2009

Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), located in both Franklin County and Coffee County, is one of the most advanced and largest flight simulation test facilities in the world. AEDC is an Air Force Materiel Command Test Facility and operates 58 test facilities such as aerodynamic propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, space environmental chambers, arc heaters, and ballistic ranges. AEDC’s testing facilities have the capability to simulate flight conditions ranging from sea level to 300 miles and from subsonic velocities to Mach 20. 120 Of the more than 2,700 employees at AEDC, it is estimated that 2.5 percent are active duty military and the remaining employees are civilian and government contractor personnel. 121

The Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) provides operations, maintenance, and support services to AEDC and is the base’s primary contractor. 122 ATA employees at AEDC comprise approximately 90 percent of the base’s work force and provide services including: operational maintenance of aerospace test facilities; information technology and communication services; environmental, safety, industrial and quality assurance; civil engineering; fire protection; security services; food services; custodial services and public affairs. 123

Nissan North America’s one million-square-foot engine and powertrain assembly facility began production on a 968-acre site in Decherd in May 1997. The facility has expanded four times, most recently in September 2006 with a $34.7 million capital investment to add cylinder block casting production. With the cylinder block casting expansion, Nissan has made a capital investment of $682.7 million in Decherd. The facility has also grown from its initial 200 employees to more than

1,300 currently. The plant has the capacity to build 950,000 engines and 1.1 million crankshaft forgings annually and produces all of the engines for Nissan and Infiniti vehicles manufactured in the United States. 124

Franklin County has also had success with new companies locating in the area. Hamilton Kent, which manufacturers rubber gaskets and connectors for concrete, plastic, fiber-glass and metal pipes, announced plans in November 2006 to locate a manufacturing facility in Winchester. The company invested approximately $5 million and currently employs more than 40 people. 125

Dramatic Healthcare Services (DHS), also located in Winchester, began operations in 2007 and provides health care laundry services to medical facilities in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky. The company works with a variety of clients from small, local community hospitals to large metropolitan health care centers and currently employs around 25 people. 126

Incentives Franklin County offers a Payment-In-Lieu-of Tax (PILOT) to both new and existing manufacturing facilities. The terms of this PILOT are determined by the amount of capital investment, the number of jobs created, and the amount of wages and benefits paid by the company. 127

The state of Tennessee also offers several attractive incentives to industries that are relocating or expanding in Tennessee. Tennessee Valley Authority, the area’s electricity provider, offers incentives to new and existing industries through an array of financial assistance programs.

58 October 2009

Available Buildings and Sites Franklin County currently has two buildings and land available at six locations in Winchester, Tullahoma, and Cowan: 128

Type Name and Location Size Zoning Building WRS Building,

Winchester 50,400 sq. ft. Industrial

Building UFP Building, Winchester

21,000 sq. ft. Industrial

Land Franklin County Industrial Park East, Winchester

5 – 135 acres Industrial

Land Franklin County Industrial Park Addition, Winchester

27.85 acres Industrial

Land Amacher Tract, Tullahoma

57.35 acres Industrial

Land Owens Tract, Cowan 771 acres Industrial Land Marcum Commerce

Park, Tullahoma 97 acres Industrial

Land Crownover Industrial Park, Winchester

5 – 20 acres Industrial

Education The Franklin County School system has 12 schools with a total enrollment of more than 5,800. 129 The eight elementary schools include: Broadview (Winchester), Clark Memorial (Winchester), Cowan (Cowan), Decherd (Decherd), Huntland (Huntland, which is a pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade school), North Lake (Tullahoma), Rock Creek (Estill Springs) and Sewanee (Sewanee). The system also has three middle schools: Huntland School in Huntland, North Middle School in Winchester and South Middle Scholl in Cowan. There are also two high schools: Franklin County High School in Winchester, and the Huntland School . 130 St. Andrew’s – Sewanee School (SAS), a private school for grades six through twelve located in Sewanee, has an

enrollment of approximately 275 students.131 The School of the Good Shepherd is also a private school for kindergarten through sixth grade that is located in Decherd. 132

One of the unique assets of Sewanee/Winchester is the presence of The University of the South, also known as “Sewanee.” 133 The University of the South is a four-year private liberal arts university and the 2008 U.S. News and World Report ranked the university as the 40th best liberal arts college in the nation. 134 Sewanee has a total enrollment of 1,500 students, of which 86 students are enrolled in the School of Theology, which offers Master’s and Doctorate degrees in divinity, ministry and theology. 135 Sewanee offers 36 undergraduate majors and programs and the most popular majors include: biology, chemistry,

59 October 2009

economics, English, environmental studies, history, psychology, and political science. 136 Sewanee also offers pre-professional programs in business, education, engineering, law and medicine which prepare students for post-graduate work. 137

The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) is a graduate school and research institution located in Franklin County near the U. S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC). 138 UTSI offers master’s and doctorate degrees in aviation systems, electrical engineering, computer science, industrial and information engineering, engineering management, mathematics, materials science and engineering, physics, and mechanical, aerospace and biomedical engineering (MABE). 139 UTSI also supports AEDC by providing continuing education courses at both the technical and managerial level and collaborating on research and technology development projects with AEDC personnel. 140

Motlow State Community College (MSCC) serves an 11-county area which includes Franklin County. MSCC’s main campus is located in Moore County,

adjacent to Franklin County, and the college also has campuses in Fayetteville, McMinnville, Smyrna and Sparta. 141

transferable to four-year institutions. A two-year Associate of Applied Science degree is available in early childhood education, nursing, and business technology for students who do plan to transfer to a four-year institution. The business technology degree offers concentrations in accounting, business computer applications, business management, computer programming and professional studies.

MSCC offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, which are

142 MSCC also provides customized courses and training designed to meet the specific needs of local industry. 143

The Tennessee Technology Center in Shelbyville is located approximately 20 miles from Franklin County and offers training in automotive collision repair, automotive technology, business systems technology, computer information technology, drafting and CAD technology, HVAC technology, industrial electronics, industrial maintenance, machine tool technology, patient care and practical nursing, and welding. 144

60 October 2009

Insights from Stakeholder Interviews

Boyette Strategic Advisors interviewed a total of 39 stakeholders through one-on-one interviews and small discussion groups. See Appendix A for a list of all interviewees. The full interview summary may be

found in Appendix B. Recurring themes from the interviews are as follows listed by what was heard most frequently to least frequently.

Strengths Weaknesses University of the Ozarks No alcoholic beverages available in restaurants Medical facilities and care Lack of restaurants and retail Geographic location Limited workforce Public schools Downtown area Small town atmosphere Community appearance and pride Stable and diverse economic base Ability to recruit skilled labor Friendly people Quality of life Recreational opportunities City-owned utilities Natural beauty Community sales tax

Challenges Opportunities

Utility rates, particularly for commercial and industrial customers

Recruiting new businesses

Integrating the Hispanic population into the community

Securing land for future economic development

Public schools – growth rates and need for community support

Revitalizing downtown

Support for business retention Supporting and retaining existing businesses Enhancing infrastructure to keep up with growth Leadership for economic development activities Retaining young people and University of the Ozarks graduates

Preserving downtown

Visionary Thoughts to Ensure Success Developing a strategy to retain and expand existing businesses Ensuring that the city-owned utility is an economic development strength Securing appropriate land for future economic development Revitalizing Downtown, possibly for entrepreneurial activities Developing a new group of local leaders Ensuring that the community has a plan in place to manage its growth Exploring opportunities to make alcoholic beverages available in restaurants

61 October 2009

Insights from Community Survey

An online survey was conducted with 265 community representatives. The full survey results may be found in Appendix C. Below are

summarized responses to the survey questions. Note that for the survey, respondents were provided with answer options but also given the opportunity to provide other answers as they desired.

Top Four Greatest Strengths (From List)

Strength Percentage Quality of life (good place to live and raise a family) 61.5% Affordable cost of living 48.8% University of the Ozarks 33.5% Transportation 28.5%

62 October 2009

Top Four Greatest Weaknesses (From List) Weakness Percentage

Lack of amenities (restaurants, retail, etc.) 69.4% Residents’ unwillingness to invest in community 48.4% Lack of white collar jobs 47.3% Lack of positive perception of community by residents 29.1%

63 October 2009

Greatest Opportunities (from list) Adding more amenities (restaurants, retail, hotels, etc.) Locating more business, industry (quality jobs) Revitalizing downtown Clarksville Retaining/growing existing businesses Enhancing/promoting area recreational opportunities NOTE: Of 10 “other” replies, five were about allowing alcohol sales.

64 October 2009

Industry Sectors by Ranking (Best Fit to Least Fit) Distribution Green and Sustainable Building Materials Health and International Foods Information Technology/Telecommunications Data Centers Customer Contact/Call Centers Renewable Energy – Alternative Fuels Retirement Services Renewable Energy – Wind Aerospace/Aviation

Note: Lower number indicates best fit.

65 October 2009

What is the one thing that really needs to happen for Johnson County to be most successful in the 21st Century economy?

Visionary Thoughts to Ensure Success

Create more and better jobs

Develop more restaurants and retail outlets

Allow alcoholic beverages to be sold in restaurants in the county

Create more white-collar jobs

Identify forward-thinking leaders

Improve education

Ensure that infrastructure can keep up with growth

Revitalize downtown Clarksville

Work together as a community

Clean up the community and encourage a sense of pride

Increase economic development efforts

Retain graduates and young people

66 October 2009

Educational Assessment Overview

Clarksville/Johnson County has a variety of educational opportunities for both children and adults. The county is home to three public school districts serving elementary and secondary school students. In addition to the University of the Ozarks, which is located in Clarksville, three other post-secondary institutions are in close proximity to the county. These include Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. This portion of the report will examine these educational institutions in more depth in terms of course offerings, graduates available for work, and overall performance. Elementary and Secondary Schools The Clarksville School District has five school complexes that serve approximately 2,500 students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The Lamar School District encompasses 300 square miles of Eastern Johnson County and a small portion of Western Pope County. The district has an enrollment of 1,147 in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Westside School District is located in an agricultural region of Western Johnson County. It is the smallest of the county’s three school districts, with an enrollment of 633 in 2007-2008. The Clarksville School District’s graduation rate for the 2007-2008 school year was 86.72 percent

which is higher than the graduation rate for the state of Arkansas at 68.20 percent for the 2007-2008 school year. 145 The graduation rate of 83.1 percent for the Lamar School District is also above the state average for the 2007-2008 school year. 146 The Westside School District graduation rate of 93.82 percent is approximately 25 percent higher than the Arkansas state average. 147

As expected, based on graduation rates, all three districts also report dropout rates that are lower than the state as a whole.

Expenditures per pupil are well below the state average in both the Clarksville and Lamar School Districts, but the Westside School District reports expenditures per pupil of almost $200 above the state average. Similarly, millage rates in Clarksville and Lamar are below the state average of 36.27 mills, while Westside is just above that average at 37 mills. However, teacher salary levels do not necessarily correlate with the lower expenditures. The Clarksville School District’s teacher salaries are slightly higher than the state average, while both Lamar and Westside are below the state average. In looking at student achievement, the Clarksville and Lamar School Districts report composite ACT test scores slightly above the state average, while the Westside School District is just below the Arkansas average. All three districts offer Advanced Placement courses, but only a small number of students are enrolled in these courses.

67 October 2009

The following chart outlines a variety of performance measures for the state of Arkansas and each school district in the county, along with the same indicators for Oark High School, which is located in Johnson County but is part of the Jasper School District. (Note that millage rate, expenditure per pupil and average teacher salary data for Oark are based on Jasper School District data.) This data is for the 2007-2008 school year: 148

State of Arkansas

Clarksville Lamar Westside Oark High School

Enrollment 466,391 2,562 1,147 633 76

Attendance Rate 94.3 94.6 94.2 93.4 95.9

Graduation Rate 71 86.72 88.6 92.4 87.7

Dropout Rate 3.2 2.1 2.5 1.2 1.3 % Eligible for Free/Reduced Meals

55.32 60.5 55.7 100 56.6

Average Composite ACT Score 20.99 21.50 21.1 20.9 21.3

Students Taking AP Courses 16,980 35 24 12 10

Number of AP Exams Taken 28,142 48 26 14 13

Total District Millage 36.27 34.5 35.33 37 35.9

Expenditure Per Pupil $8,362 $7,153 $7,780 $8,533 $9,211

Average Teach Salary $44,696 $45,063 $41,943 $42,520 $38,575

Colleges and Universities Recent high school graduates and adults considering returning to college have a variety of options available either in or near Johnson County. University of the Ozarks (UO), located in Clarksville, is a small, private liberal arts university that offers Bachelor’s degrees in almost 30 fields, including several that focus on business subjects such as accounting, chemistry, economics, education, environmental studies, management, marketing, mathematics, political science and Spanish.149 Pre-professional programs are offered in engineering, medical sciences, pharmacy and veterinary science. 150 The university also provides concurrent enrollment opportunities for high school and

home school students. UO has an enrollment of 675, including students from 22 states and 20 countries. 151

Arkansas Tech University provides access to both a traditional four-year institution in Russellville, 27 miles from Clarksville, and at a two-year campus in Ozark, 23 miles from Clarksville. The Russellville campus offers bachelor’s degrees in almost 50 subject areas, including electrical engineering, agribusiness, economics and finance, marketing, and accounting. In addition, master’s degrees are offered in the following areas: college student personnel services, educational leadership, information technology, instructional technology, school counseling & leadership, , and teaching English to speakers of other languages. 152 The Ozark Campus offers Associate of Applied

68 October 2009

Science degrees and Technical Certificate programs. 153

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, located just one hour from Clarksville, has an enrollment of almost 6,500. As a unique institution, UA Fort Smith provides Certificates of Proficiency, Technical Certificates, Associate of Arts degrees, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Applied Science degrees, and Bachelor's degrees as well as work-based learning and community education. All courses and programs are designed to meet specific needs of the community. Certificate programs provide the student a concentration in a specific technical/occupational area. These programs are intended for students who plan to enter the workforce after the completion of the program or who are currently working and want to upgrade their skills. Hours earned in most certificate programs are acceptable toward the Associate of Applied Science degree. 154

The University of Arkansas Community College (UACCM) at Morrilton, which is located 52 miles from Clarksville, offers several different degree options ranging from Certificates of Proficiency,

which allow students to enter the workforce quickly, to Associate degrees, which offer students the education required to continue to a four-year institution. These degree options include a wide variety of plans of study which let students specialize in both technical and liberal arts fields. UACCM also offers cooperative degrees with other colleges such as the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute for those who wish to get more specialized training after UACCM. The college also offers summer courses and dual-enrollment options which offer students the chance to take classes here and transfer the credits to another institution. In addition, UACCM is the only Arkansas institution offering an Associate Degree in petroleum technology and a Surveying Technology program. 155

Each of these post-secondary institutions offer unique options for traditional students, as well as those interested in workforce training and lifelong learning. The following chart provides an overview of enrollment, average ACT scores, degrees and certificates awarded, budget, tuition, and course offerings:

69 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University University of Arkansas at Fort Smith University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton University of the Ozarks

Enrollment 156 6,782 6,427 1,963 675

Average Composite ACT Score 157 22.7 21.8 20.8 23 158

Degrees/Certificates Awarded

159 1,357 1,014 356 97

Operating Budget 160 $104,537,474 $71,619,988 $14,920,430 N/A

Tuition/Fees $167/hour for Arkansas residents $334/hour for non-residents 161

$149/hour for Arkansas residents $329/hour for non-residents 162

$70/hour for Conway County residents

$77/hour for non-Conway County Arkansas residents $112/hour for non-residents $93/hour for online courses 163

$9,150/semester (12-17 hours)

164

Courses (with 10 or more students earning certificates)

Certificate of Proficiency: • Emergency Medical Technician Technical Certificate: • Cosmetology • Collision Repair Technology • Automotive Service Technology • Practical Nursing • Business Technology • Rehabilitation Science • Management & Marketing • Accounting • Hospitality Administration • History & Political Science165

Certificate of Proficiency: • Computer-Aided Drafting & Design • Computer Service Technician • ARC Welding • MIG Welding • TIG Welding • Welding: Layout & Fabrication • Workforce Leadership • Administrative Professional & Office

Technology Technical Certificate: • Computer-Aided Drafting & Design • Practical Nursing166

Certificate of Proficiency: • Petroleum Technology

Technical Certificate: • Petroleum Technology • Surveying • Practical Nursing

70 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University University of Arkansas at Fort Smith University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton University of the Ozarks

Courses (with 10 or more students earning associate degrees)

Associate Degree: • Nuclear Technology • General Studies • General Technology • Allied Health • Business Technology167

Associate Degree: • Computer-Aided Drafting & Design • General Education • General Studies • General Technology • Electronics Technology • Graphic Design • Dental Hygiene • Surgical Technology • Radiography • Nursing Technology168

Associate Degree: • Petroleum Technology • Surveying • General Education • General Studies • Nursing • Business

71 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University University of Arkansas at Fort Smith University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton University of the Ozarks

Courses (with 10 or more students earning bachelor’s degrees)

Bachelor’s Degree: • Agricultural Business • Journalism • Computer Science • Middle Level Education • Early Childhood Education • Music Education • Health & Physical Education • Social Studies • Electrical Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • English • Creative Writing • Speech • Biology • Professional Studies • Recreation & Park Administration • Chemistry • Psychology • Emergency Administration &

Management • Economics & Finance • Sociology • Art • Health Information Management • Nursing • Rehabilitation Science • Management & Marketing • Accounting • Hospitality Administration • History & Political Science169

Bachelor’s Degree: • Information Technology • Middle Childhood Education • Early Childhood Education • English • Rhetoric & Writing • Biology • Bachelor of Applied Science • Psychology • Business Administration • Accounting • Marketing • History 170

Bachelor’s Degree • General Studies • Business Administration &

Management • Marketing & Marketing Management

72 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University University of Arkansas at Fort Smith University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton University of the Ozarks

Courses (with 10 or more students earning master’s degrees)

Master’s Degree: • Information Technology • Educational Leadership • Instructional Technology • School Counseling & Leadership • College Student Personnel Services • Teaching English to Speakers of Other

Languages • English 171

Continuing Ed Opportunities

The College of Professional Studies and Community Outreach offers a broad range of credit, non-credit, special interest, professional development, management, leadership, and leisure-learning courses. The College strives to offer programs and services which support a diverse target audience including business and industry, educational and government agencies, professional groups and associations, and the general community. 172

The Professional Development Institute specializes in delivering "just-in-time" customized training to prepare individuals and organizations to compete in the new economy.

Individualized, hands-on training is available for business and industry employees throughout the Arkansas River Valley. Courses are offered at the Lake Point Conference Center at Arkansas Tech University and the Arkansas Tech

The Center for Lifelong Learning supports the community by providing credit and non-credit learning opportunities for community members of all ages. In accordance with its mission to serve its stakeholders by actively participating in regional economic development, UAFS supports several business and professional development outreach programs. These programs are recognized statewide for their commitment to quality and their focus on customer service. The Center for Business and Professional Development (CBPD) offers customized training, consulting and open enrollment professional development opportunities to companies to increase their effectiveness and productivity by developing the skills and performance of their employees. Training is provided when and where needed for employees at all levels in an organization and is cost-effective, relevant

The Community Education program provides short-term, non-credit courses. Some are designed to improve basic skills, while others are just for fun. Some of the courses can be formulated to suit individual organizations and held at their place of business or on the UACCM Campus. 175

N/A

73 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University University of Arkansas at Fort Smith University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton University of the Ozarks

University campus. 173

and applicable to current work related issues. E-learning allows small business owners to learn how to plan, finance, and grow their businesses. Classes address the fundamentals of supervision and management, customer service, project management, human resources, business analysis, logistics, manufacturing, supply chain management, purchasing, and more. 174

Concurrent Enrollment Students who are still in high school may apply to earn college credit by attending Tech during summer sessions or on a part-time basis during the regular academic year, concurrent with enrollment in high school. 176

Arkansas Tech University's Upward Bound Math and Science Academy is a federally funded college-preparatory program for high school students who have completed 8th grade. It is designed to provide math and science learning opportunities to capable and motivated high school students.177

A student enrolled in a secondary or home school may enroll at UA Fort Smith if he or she has successfully completed the eighth grade and demonstrates an ability to benefit from college-level courses. 178

The UACCM High School and Home School Admission Program is an opportunity for advanced or gifted high school and home school students to enroll in college courses to enhance or compliment their studies. High school students in grades nine through twelve may concurrently enroll for credit courses by meeting certain criteria. 179

The High School Concurrent Enrollment Program allows high school juniors and seniors living in or near Johnson County, Arkansas, to take classes at the University of the Ozarks. This program allows for completion of up to 6 college level courses with an Ozarks Scholarship paying the tuition. 180

Career Services Career Services works to help students find their ideal major or career, based upon their interest, motivational traits, personality, values, abilities, aptitudes, personal work style, and work environment preferences. The center provides Career Development and Career Services to ATU students to help them

Career planning workshops assist students with the first steps in career research and major selection. They learn more about themselves through self-assessment, while learning how to research majors and career opportunities. Academic advisors also assist students

UACCM recognizes that the business community has unique training goals that don’t always fit into the traditional college structure. Through the Workforce Development program, a business can utilize the college’s training expertise in a flexible manner. Training provided through this program is usually non-credit and can

Career Services offers one-one-one assistance to Ozarks students and alumni. In addition, the department works closely with employers and graduate schools to provide students with opportunities for jobs and graduate study. 185

74 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University University of Arkansas at Fort Smith University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton University of the Ozarks

identify viable career options and goals by addressing career-related concerns such as finding employment, choosing a major, and/or using the degree earned. 181

Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus delivers high-quality, up-to-the-minute instruction that reflects industry standards. The Ozark Campus offers training and education in Associate of Applied Science degrees and Technical Certificate programs. 182

with the career planning process.

Career Services professionals and trained student paraprofessionals work to advise students in a variety of areas: • Finding Co-ops, Internships, Volunteer

or Summer Opportunities • Full-time Jobs • Part-time Jobs • Résumé and Cover Letter Writing • Interviewing Skills • Job Search Strategies 183

normally be customized to business’ needs regarding time of day, location, and course content. 184

75 October 2009

TARGETED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Overview The identification and prioritization of targeted business opportunities is important to the creation of an efficient and focused economic development effort. In order to identify such targets for Clarksville/Johnson County, Boyette Strategic Advisors first re-reviewed the targeted industry sectors identified for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), which were launched in a series of roll-out presentations to the different regions of Arkansas in January 2008. The state targeted business opportunities included: 186

Growth Manufacturing Aerospace/Aviation Automotive Assembly and Suppliers Bottled Water Health and International Foods

Clean, Green and Sustainable Alternative Fuels Wind Power Green or Sustainable Building

Products Technology Bioscience Data Centers Information Technology/

Telecommunications

Logistics Services Technology

Non-profit Headquarters and Operations Tourism

Boyette Strategic Advisors also reviewed and considered the perspective of stakeholders interviewed and surveyed as part of this process related to the targeted business opportunities for Clarksville/Johnson County. Boyette Strategic Advisors then performed additional research on each of these sectors as well as other potential targets that it identified based on information gained in the stakeholder interviews, discussion groups and surveys, secondary research, and Boyette Strategic Advisors’ own experience in location analysis and knowledge of current industry trends. Such potential targets were presented and discussed at the mid-point meeting with representatives of the City of Clarksville Community Economic Development Committee on August 10, 2009, and included the following:

Wind Energy Retirement Services

Distribution/Logistics Customer Support Centers

Green or Sustainable Building Materials

Food Processing

76 October 2009

The targeted business opportunities for Clarksville/Johnson County, listed below and described in more detail in the following Sector Summaries, were ultimately selected based on a

comparison of the area’s assets and a review of the current business environment against the needs of the potential targets.

Alternative Energy – Wind

Customer Service Centers

Distribution/Logistics

Niche Food Processing

Retirement Services

Sustainable Products Manufacturing

77 October 2009

Alternative Energy - Wind Overview Definition Wind Energy is defined as the “power generated by harnessing the wind, usually by windmills”. In scientific terms, wind energy is the "force" of winds blowing across the earth’s surface. Wind energy was first harvested centuries ago, when early windmills were used to power millstones, pumps, and forges. Wind energy systems generate electrical energy by harnessing the power in wind using machines called wind turbines. Wind energy can be produced in stand-alone applications or can be produced centrally and distributed to the electric grid. 187

Baseline Employment There are currently 2.3 million people worldwide estimated to be working either directly in renewable energy or indirectly in supplier indus-tries. The wind power industry employs approximately 300,000. The renewable energy sector tends to be more labor-intensive than the fossil fuels sector, which rely heavily on expensive pieces of production equipment. The transition to renewable energy offers promising job gains as a result.188

Growth Opportunities Wind power is one of the fastest growing of the renewable energy technologies and is projected to expand from a $17.9 billion industry in 2006 to $60.8 billion in 2016. Generating less than one percent of the total electric capacity in the U.S. currently, the potential for wind power is much greater. Arkansas’s business and elected leaders are committed to pursuing and supporting alternative energy solutions to the environmental and security challenges presented by fossil fuels.

In the last few years, Arkansas has become a center of wind equipment manufacturing. LM Glasfiber began operations in Little Rock in 2008, projecting employment of more than 1,000 people within five years. Since LM Glasfiber’s location, three additional wind energy companies have selected Arkansas. Nordex USA, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of wind turbines, has broken ground on a facility that will represent an investment of approximately $100 million in Jonesboro that will employ 700. Polymarin Composites, a developer and manufacturer of high performance rotor blades, is locating in Little Rock, with an investment of $16 million and more than 600 employees. Wind Water Technology, which builds nacelles for Polymarin’s blades, will locate in the same facility in Little Rock and employ 200 additional Arkansans. As the wind energy sector grows throughout North America and Arkansas continues to be an attractive place to manufacture turbines and component parts, the prospects for this sector are favorable.

Competitive Strengths of Clarksville/ Johnson County

Proximity to markets Six of the top 20 states for untapped

wind energy are located near Arkansas. These six states are Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Texas, currently considered the largest potential market for wind energy in the U.S., borders Arkansas in the extreme southwest corner of the state.

78 October 2009

Transportation Routes Clarksville/Johnson County is located

on Interstate 40, providing access to major wind energy states.

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs

through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the U.S. and wind production regions.

The Arkansas River and the McClellan-

Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System forms the southern boundary of Johnson County, providing water-borne transportation access via terminal facilities in Dardanelle, which is 31 miles from Clarksville.

Skilled and Available Workforce

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-

county labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Approximately 33 percent of residents in

Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes.

The University of the Ozarks (UO) in

Clarksville is a four-year liberal arts college which has an enrollment of approximately 675 students. UO offers Bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 program areas of study including accounting, business, management, economics, marketing and communications, which may be attractive to wind energy companies.

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) in Russellville is home to one of only two accredited engineering programs in the state. ATU’s Mechanical Engineering Department is housed in the Center for Energy Studies building and has up-to-date lab equipment including a dedicated computer lab and a student study area. 189 In addition, ATU is home to the Arkansas Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, which is an organization dedicated to the advancement of research and education in the areas of energy, natural resources and the environment. 190

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UA Fort Smith) is 58 miles west of Clarksville on I-40. It offers Bachelor’s degrees in both electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. The Baldor Technology Center at UA Fort Smith has state of the art technology in every classroom as well as excellent lab and computing facilities.191

UA Fort Smith’s Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC) is a collaborative effort by UA Fort Smith, the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. WATC provides area high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. The center's curriculum serves as an extension of the high school curriculum offerings by providing students with hands-on training in technical fields. The WATC serves six counties in western Arkansas, including Johnson County.

79 October 2009

UA Fort Smith also operates the Center for Business and Professional Development (CBPD) through the College of Applied Science and Technology. CBPD partners with companies to increase their productivity and competitive stance by developing the skills of their employees. CBPD has a reputation for outstanding quality and proven results in many areas of industrial management, manufacturing, maintenance and quality control.

Competitive State Incentives The state of Arkansas offers a

competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies: 192

InvestArk is a sales and use tax credit available to businesses that invest $5 million or more that have been located in the state for more than two years. It may be used to offset up to 50 percent of the business’ sales and use tax liability on taxable purchases.

Advantage Arkansas offers a state income tax credit for job creation based on the payroll of new, full-time, permanent employees. The income tax credit is earned for a period of five years and ranges from one to four percent of payroll, depending on location within the state.

Tax Back is a sales and use tax refund program available to companies participating in the Advantage Arkansas program. It provides a refund of sales and use taxes for building materials and taxable machinery and equipment associated with the project.

The Create Rebate program provides annual cash payments based on a company’s annual payroll for new, full-time, permanent employees.

The Arkansas Quick Action Closing Fund is a $50 million fund the Governor may use to “seal” economic development deals. 193

Low Cost of Doing Business CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing

Business” report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business. 194

According to the 2007 Milken Institute Cost of Doing Business Index, Arkansas has a score of 75.9 and ranked tenth overall. This means only nine states have a cost of doing business lower than in Arkansas.

80 October 2009

Customer Service Centers Overview Definition A customer service or development center is part of a company’s customer relationship management (CRM) department that interacts with the customer. It includes components such as the call center and technical support or help desk, among others.195

A customer service center is a central point in an enterprise from which all customer contacts are managed. 196 A service center typically receives phone calls from customers on a variety of topics but may include other types of customer contact as well, including responses to Web site inquiries and live online chats. Representatives may perform a number of different functions such as collecting information from customers during over-the-phone purchasing, assisting with travel reservations, providing financial information or assisting with questions related to medical billing or health insurance. 197

A technical support center or help desk is a place that a user of information technology can call to get help with a problem. 198

Many customer service centers also provide clients with technical assistance or other support related to computer hardware or software, electronic equipment, telecommunications devices, mechanical items or other service issues.

Baseline Employment Approximately 2.2 million people are employed in customer service related jobs in the U.S.. Employment of customer service representatives is expected to increase 25 percent from 2006 to 2016. 199

In Arkansas, an estimated 14,300 people are employed in customer service positions and employment was projected to increase by 5.5 percent between 2007 and 2009. 200

Growth Opportunities Revenue generated by the customer care market in the U.S. is expected to reach $29 billion by 2014. 201 Industries which have a high demand for customer service representatives include financial services, information technology, travel services and healthcare. 202

Growth in the customer service industry can be partially attributed to the outsourcing of such jobs by corporations trying to cut wage, health and retirement costs. Growth in the industry can also be attributed to the “on shoring” trend. Many U.S. companies are closing customer service centers located in countries such as India and the Philippines due to customer complaints. Customers have grown frustrated with attempting to communicate with operators in foreign countries, especially when dealing with technical matters. 203 In April 2009, Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. said it stopped routing customer service calls to India and brought them back to the U.S. because customers were unhappy. In February 2009, United Airlines made a similar move and relocated 165 customer service center jobs from India to Chicago. 204

Different types of representatives, which may include telemarketers, help desk agents, customer service agents, and technical support specialists, all have different types of skills that require different pay scales. 205 Average hourly wages can range from $12.00 per hour for an entry-level representative to more than $22.00 per hour for a skilled, technical support representative. 206 Representatives who are

81 October 2009

fluent in more than one language can earn nearly a dollar more per hour.207

Several companies that operate customer development centers have a presence in Arkansas. In June 2008, Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) selected Conway for a new $28 million customer service and technical support center. Representatives at the center will provide sales, service and technical support services for HP’s customers. The facility has the capacity to house 1,200 workers and average starting salaries for customer service representatives are around $40,000. 208

Verizon Wireless operates a customer service center in Little Rock. The customer service center employs 800 workers but Verizon is planning to add 400 jobs at the center for a total employment of 1,200 workers. Verizon also operates a regional headquarters in Little Rock that employs more than 100 workers. 209

AT&T's National Center for Customers with Disabilities (NCCD) is based in Little Rock with specialized customer service representatives who arrange for an alternate billing format such as Braille or large print, as well as questions regarding the VoiceDial Exemption Program and the Code Factory software. 210

Competitive Strengths of Clarksville/ Johnson County Skilled and Available Workforce

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-

county labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Approximately 33 percent of residents in

Johnson County hold an Associate,

Bachelor or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes.

The University of the Ozarks (UO) in

Clarksville is a four-year liberal arts college which has an enrollment of approximately 675 students. UO offers Bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 program areas of study including accounting, business, management, economics, marketing and communications, which may be attractive to customer service centers.

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) in Russellville, 27 miles from Clarksville, offers Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, computer science, information systems and information technology. In addition, an Associate’s degree is available in information technology and a Technical Certificate is offered in business technology at ATU’s Ozark campus, 23 miles from Clarksville. 211

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UA Fort Smith) is 58 miles west of Clarksville on I-40. UA Fort Smith offers Bachelor’s degrees and Associate’s degrees in accounting, business administration, computer maintenance and computer service technician, which would help to provide a trained workforce for customer service centers. 212

UA Fort Smith’s Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC) is a collaborative effort by UA Fort Smith, the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. WATC provides area high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn

82 October 2009

college credit while still in high school. The center's curriculum serves as an extension of the high school curriculum offerings by providing students with hands-on training in technical fields. The WATC serves six counties in western Arkansas, including Johnson County.

UA Fort Smith also operates the Center

for Business and Professional Development (CBPD) through the College of Applied Science and Technology. CBPD partners with companies to increase their productivity and competitive stance by developing the skills of their employees. CBPD has a reputation for outstanding quality and proven results in many areas.

The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton provides opportunities for an associate degree in business office technology, a technical certificate in business and both a certificate and an associate degree in computer information technology. 213

Competitive state incentives The state of Arkansas offers a

competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies: 214

InvestArk is a sales and use tax credit available to businesses that invest $5 million or more that have been located in the state for more than two years. It may be used to offset up to 50 percent of the

business’ sales and use tax liability on taxable purchases.

Advantage Arkansas offers a state income tax credit for job creation based on the payroll of new, full-time, permanent employees. The income tax credit is earned for a period of five years and ranges from one to four percent of payroll, depending on location within the state.

Tax Back is a sales and use tax refund program available to companies participating in the Advantage Arkansas program. It provides a refund of sales and use taxes for building materials and taxable machinery and equipment associated with the project.

The Create Rebate program provides annual cash payments based on a company’s annual payroll for new, full-time, permanent employees.

The Arkansas Quick Action Closing Fund is a $50 million fund the Governor may use to “seal” economic development deals. 215

Low Cost of Doing Business CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing

Business” report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business. 216

According to the 2007 Milken Institute Cost of Doing Business Index, Arkansas has a score of 75.9 and ranked tenth overall. This means only nine states have a cost of doing business lower than in Arkansas.

83 October 2009

Distribution/Logistics Overview Definition A distribution center is a post-production warehouse for finished goods. 217 Distribution centers receive large quantities of goods and take responsibility for storing the goods and keeping them secure. Such centers may also provide a range of services, which can include labeling, breaking bulk shipments into smaller quantities, inventory control and management, light assembly, order entry and fulfillment, packaging, pick and pack, price marking and ticketing, and transportation arrangement. 218 Distribution centers serve a broad range of manufacturing industries, moving products as diverse as books, appliances, food, clothing, hardware, and consumer electronics. 219

Logistics may be defined as the part of the supply chain process that plans, implements and controls the efficient flow and storage of physical goods, services and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption, in order to meet the customers’ requirements. 220

Distribution centers are the heart of logistics, and provide control, efficiency and velocity for goods moving through the system.

Baseline Employment The distribution, logistics, warehousing and transportation industry employs approximately 2.1 million workers and the sector is projected to grow by 15 percent between 2006 and 2016. 221

Nearly 63,000 people are employed in distribution, logistics, warehousing and transportation jobs in the state of Arkansas. 222 Arkansas is home to more than 80 distribution facilities and 20 major trucking firms including

major companies such as Family Dollar Stores, FedEx Freight, J.B. Hunt Transport, and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 223

Growth Opportunities The distribution/logistics industry in the U.S. today consists of approximately 300,000 companies. 224 The need for distribution centers grew with the U.S. population until the recent recession slowed that growth. However, in addition to the improving economic outlook, the warehousing/distribution sector may experience growth through a focus on more green practices. Increasing the number a warehouses can lead to a decreased carbon footprint by reducing emissions as a result of travelling fewer miles. 225

During economic downturns, the truck transportation and warehousing industry is one of the first to slow down as orders for goods and shipments decline; however, distribution/logistics is expected to grow faster than the rest of the industry. 226

This may indicate that as the economy improves and consumer demand returns, Clarksville/Johnson County needs to be prepared to capitalize on its strengths for this industry.

Customers continually require faster service, and in order to meet this need, companies are exploring more cost-effective methods of shipping and distributing goods. By opening regional and local distribution centers along regular supply chain routes, a manufacturer can ship products in bulk to locations where the large shipments can be broken into smaller increments. This “decentralized model” allows larger truckloads of goods to be shipped shorter distances to the final destination which both reduces costs and the time needed for delivery to the customer. 227

84 October 2009

Competitive Strengths of Clarksville/ Johnson County Transportation Routes

Clarksville/Johnson County is within a

day’s drive of major population centers along the East coast and in the Midwest, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Houston.

Clarksville/Johnson County is located

on Interstate 40, close to the center-point of Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City and Dallas.

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs

through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the United States.

The Arkansas River and the McClellan-

Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System forms the southern boundary of Johnson County, providing water-borne transportation access via terminal facilities in Dardanelle, which is 31 miles from Clarksville.

Skilled and Available Workforce

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-

county labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Approximately 33 percent of residents in

Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes.

Since 1992 Wal-Mart has operated a

major distribution center in

Clarksville/Johnson County. With over 900 employees and approximately 900,000 square feet under roof228

, the facility is one of Clarksville’s largest employers. The presence of the Wal-Mart distribution center has contributed to the development of a workforce familiar with the needs of the industry.

The University of the Ozarks (UO) in Clarksville is a four-year liberal arts college, which has an enrollment of approximately 675 students. UO offers Bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 program areas of study including accounting, business, management, economics, marketing and communications, all of which may be attractive to distribution/logistics companies.

The University of Arkansas at Fort

Smith (UA Fort Smith), 58 miles west of Clarksville, offers courses in distribution and logistics management through its Center for Lifelong Learning.

The Western Arkansas Technical Center

(WATC) is a collaborative effort by UA Fort Smith, the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. WATC provides area high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. The center's curriculum serves as an extension of the high school curriculum offerings by providing students with hands-on training in technical fields. The WATC serves six counties in western Arkansas, including Johnson County.

85 October 2009

UA Fort Smith also operates the Center for Business and Professional Development (CBPD) through the College of Applied Science and Technology. CBPD partners with companies to increase their productivity and competitive stance by developing the skills of their employees. CBPD has a reputation for outstanding quality and proven results in many areas of industrial management, manufacturing, maintenance and quality control.

The University of Arkansas in

Fayetteville, 90 miles from Clarksville, offers a Bachelor’s degree in Transportation and Logistics, an MBA in Supply Chain management and also has a nationally recognized Supply Chain Management Research Center. 229

Competitive State Incentives The state of Arkansas offers a

competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies: 230

InvestArk is a sales and use tax credit available to businesses that invest $5 million or more that have been located in the state for more than two years. It may be used to offset up to 50 percent of the business’ sales and use tax liability on taxable purchases.

Advantage Arkansas offers a state income tax credit for job creation based on the payroll of new, full-time, permanent employees. The

income tax credit is earned for a period of five years and ranges from one to four percent of payroll, depending on location within the state.

Tax Back is a sales and use tax refund program available to companies participating in the Advantage Arkansas program. It provides a refund of sales and use taxes for building materials and taxable machinery and equipment associated with the project.

The Create Rebate program provides annual cash payments based on a company’s annual payroll for new, full-time, permanent employees.

The Arkansas Quick Action Closing Fund is a $50 million fund the Governor may use to “seal” economic development deals. 231

Low Cost of Doing Business CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing

Business” report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business. 232

According to the 2007 Milken Institute Cost of Doing Business Index, Arkansas has a score of 75.9 and ranked tenth overall. This means only nine states have a cost of doing business lower than in Arkansas.

86 October 2009

Niche Food Processing Overview The U.S. food and beverage industry includes establishments that manufacture or process foods and beverages for human consumption. 233

With growing worldwide competition, the food industry is looking at new ways to remain viable and productive, including an increasing focus on niche marketing.

Food processing has long been important to Clarksville, Johnson County, the region and the state of Arkansas. It is, however, a very broad category. In order to focus on the growth segments of the market, Clarksville/Johnson County should look at products that are part of the emerging trends in the industry. FoodProcessing.com ranks six trends in the industry that it expects will experience continued growth. 234

These industry subsectors are:

1. Organic. Organic is the biggest and most significant trend for food processors as it enters its second generation of double-digit growth.

2. Health & Wellness. Health & Wellness has larger base than and is the second and most broad of the trends. It encompasses such huge components as diabetes and obesity, kids’ health, food safety, women’s health, allergies and immunity as well as the fringe issues of “well-being” and “energy.”

3. Age Awareness. Although this overlaps with Health & Wellness, especially as the latter concerns the aging population, there are numerous non-health aspects for processors to consider as they develop strategies around the 77 million baby boomers.

4. Portion Control. This too, is an element of “health”, but is given its own category because it constitutes a merging of health with the trend for more convenience. Many processors are adding smaller portion offerings of their existing product lines.

5. Globalization. Asian, Hispanic, African American and other ethnic minorities will make up more than 35 percent of the U.S. population in about five years, according to estimates derived from U.S. Census Bureau data. About half that figure will be Hispanics. But globalization and ethnic influences are more than population figures. Today’s businesses are international more often than not. The cultural traffic and instant global information (via mass media and the Internet) mean rapid diffusion of once regional preferences

6. Kosher and Halal Certification. This trend could be subsumed under Globalization, but because of its unique processing requirements is treated as its own trend. Kosher processing continues to progress at double-digit rates and halal processing is experiencing a sudden and major growth spurt.

Definition

1. Organic. Organic U.S. organic food sales totaled nearly $14 billion in 2005, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA). 235

. According to OTA, sales of organic foods are expected to reach nearly $16 billion by the end of 2006. Organics can encompass meat, produce, condiments, dairy products and pet food.

2. Health & Wellness. Obesity and diabetes dominate the health and wellness category as almost one-third of consumers make food choices based on health for some

87 October 2009

reason. The trend encompasses antioxidants, botanical extracts and the whole foods (grains, berries, teas, soy) that contain them because of the promise such items hold to improve how you feel and perform

3. Age Awareness. The aging trend

involves more than ingredients and formulations. The doubling of the over-65 population by 2030 means increased need for easier-to-open containers. The logistics involved can include everything from packaging machinery redesigns to food safety concerns based on conflicting needs to creating tamper-resistant and sanitary packaging that doesn’t require sophisticated kitchen tools. Labeling is also an element of this market segment as larger print on labels affects how the label as a whole is designed.236

4. Portion Control. Essentially, this trend involves producing existing products in smaller packaging. Although the product may not be “healthy” the portion size is “healthy.” An example is when Kraft Foods Inc.’s Nabisco brand launched 100-Calorie Packs of some of its most popular cookies and crackers.237

5. Globalization. This category not only includes ethnic foods for residences of North America, but also contemplates U.S. production of foods intended for export to growing markets in China, India and elsewhere.

6. Kosher and Halal Certification.

Kosher-Halal – Kosher is any food which is permitted to be eaten by Jewish people according to Biblical law. There are numerous criteria that govern the food

processing from the farm to the table. 238

Halal certification is the Muslim equivalent of kosher.

Baseline Employment The U.S. food and beverage industry employs an estimated 1.7 million workers. 239

With growing worldwide competition, the food industry is looking at new ways to remain viable and productive, including an increasing focus on niche marketing. The trend for healthy diet and lifestyle continues to grow, with antioxidants, omega-3, fatty acids and the concept of satiety for weight management still hitting the news.

According to Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) research, the U.S. food and beverage industry is expected to continue experiencing sales increases, with natural and organic foods expected to be among the fastest growing items. 240 Arkansas’ food and beverage manufacturers collectively employed approximately 51,000 workers during 2006, with poultry processing accounting for the majority of employment. While food processing ranked first in the state in total employment among 21 manufacturing sectors, employment in the sector has declined to 48,775 in 2008. 241

Major national leaders in the food processing industry have facilities in Arkansas. Tyson Foods is headquartered in Springdale and has more than 20 processing facilities in the state employing 20,000 plus Arkansans. 242 ConAgra, OK Foods, Cargill, Simmons Industries, George’s, Pilgrim’s Pride, Peterson Farms, Petit Jean Poultry, Twin River Foods, Townsend’s, Wayne Farms and Land O’ Frost also process poultry products in the state. 243

Other major names in food processing in Arkansas include Riceland Foods, McKee Foods,

88 October 2009

Allen Canning, Frito-Lay, Nestle, Gerber, Kraft and Pilgrim’s Pride. 244 Nestle, which produces Stouffer’s and Lean Cuisine frozen meals in Jonesboro, has recently expanded its facility, which brought total employment to 600. 245

Clarksville/Johnson County currently has two major employers – Tyson Foods and Bright Harvest Foods – that could fall into this niche food processing category. Growth Opportunities Part of Arkansas’ success in the food processing industry can be attributed to the availability of commodity products in the state. Arkansas farmers grow more than 1.3 million acres of rice, which ranks the state first in the U.S. in rice production. 246 Soybean production has traditionally been one of the largest agricultural enterprises in Arkansas. The state currently harvests 3.0 million acres annually. Arkansas ranks eighth nationally in soybean production.247 Arkansas is also a national leader in poultry production, ranking second in broilers and fourth in turkeys. The state’s farmers raise 6.2 million pounds of broilers and 600,000 pounds of turkeys each year, for a total value of $2.9 billion.248

In addition, Arkansas farmers are beginning to grow larger quantities of sweet potatoes, which are processed by Bright Harvest in Clarksville. All of these products are potentially important raw materials to both the international and the health food industries.

Competitive Strengths of Clarksville/ Johnson County Availability of raw materials Arkansas has a major agricultural

component to its economy, which

produces significant raw materials for the food processing industry.

The following are Arkansas’ national

rankings in various agricultural production categories important to health and international food processing: 249

• No. 1 in Rice

• No. 2 in Broilers • No. 3 in Catfish • No. 4 in Turkeys • No. 8 in Eggs • No. 10 in Soybeans • No. 13 in Beef Cows • No. 15 in Tomatoes

The Cole Westbrook Fruit Research

Station in Johnson County is part of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. The station provides a site for research on a number of fruit crops due to its location within a unique microclimate. Research covers peaches, apples, nectarines, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and pecans. The station's facilities include a new office/laboratory building for seed and pollen extraction, fruit sample measurements and data recording. The station maintains two greenhouses for seedling growth and production and a shadehouse for plant growth and propagation. 250

Transportation Routes Clarksville/Johnson County is within a

day’s drive of major population centers along the East coast and in the Midwest, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas,

89 October 2009

Kansas City, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Houston.

Clarksville/Johnson County is located

on Interstate 40, close to the center-point of Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City and Dallas.

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs

through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the U.S..

The Arkansas River and the McClellan-

Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System forms the southern boundary of Johnson County, providing water-borne transportation access via terminal facilities in Dardanelle, which is 31 miles from Clarksville.

Skilled and Available Workforce

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-

county labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Approximately 33 percent of residents in

Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes.

The University of Arkansas in

Fayetteville, 90 miles from Clarksville, is the home of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural Food & Life Science.

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) in

Russellville, located 27 miles from Clarksville, offers a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business.

UA Fort Smith’s Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC) is a collaborative effort by UA Fort Smith, the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. WATC provides area high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. The center's curriculum serves as an extension of the high school curriculum offerings by providing students with hands-on training in technical fields. The WATC serves six counties in western Arkansas, including Johnson County.

UA Fort Smith also operates the Center

for Business and Professional Development (CBPD) through the College of Applied Science and Technology. CBPD partners with companies to increase their productivity and competitive stance by developing the skills of their employees. CBPD has a reputation for outstanding quality and proven results in many areas of industrial management, manufacturing, maintenance and quality control.

Competitive State Incentives The state of Arkansas offers a

competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies: 251

InvestArk is a sales and use tax credit available to businesses that invest $5 million or more that have been located in the state for more

90 October 2009

than two years. It may be used to offset up to 50 percent of the business’ sales and use tax liability on taxable purchases.

Advantage Arkansas offers a state income tax credit for job creation based on the payroll of new, full-time, permanent employees. The income tax credit is earned for a period of five years and ranges from one to four percent of payroll, depending on location within the state.

Tax Back is a sales and use tax refund program available to companies participating in the Advantage Arkansas program. It provides a refund of sales and use taxes for building materials and taxable machinery and equipment associated with the project.

The Create Rebate program provides annual cash payments based on a company’s annual payroll for new, full-time, permanent employees.

The Arkansas Quick Action Closing Fund is a $50 million fund the Governor may use to “seal” economic development deals. 252

Low Cost of Doing Business CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing

Business” report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business. 253

According to the 2007 Milken Institute Cost of Doing Business Index, Arkansas has a score of 75.9 and ranked tenth overall. This means only nine states have a cost of doing business lower than in Arkansas.

91 October 2009

Retirement Services Overview Definition Retirement services refers to developing the types of facilities, amenities, and resources which may make a community attractive to those persons who are retired or who are nearing retirement age. Retirement services includes housing options such as traditional nursing homes, planned retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and home health care services. Planned retirement communities may offer independent living options for retirees in apartments or town homes with the opportunity to participate in planned activities or meals if so desired. Assisted living facilities often provide support with daily living activities such as housekeeping, meals, general supervision, and nursing care. 254

Baseline Employment In the U.S., more than 3.7 million people are employed by nursing and residential care facilities and by home health care related jobs. The demand for jobs in the health services sector, which includes private hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and individual home care services, is projected to grow by 21.7 percent by 2016. Jobs in the home health care services category, such as nurses' assistants and personal home care aides, are projected to have the highest level of growth at 55.4 percent. 255

In Arkansas, jobs in the healthcare and social assistance sector employ more than 159,000 people. 256

Growth Opportunities It is anticipated that the next generation of retirees will be the healthiest, best educated, most affluent, and have the greatest longevity in our nation’s history. As the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age, the number of Americans age 55 and older is projected to almost double by 2030 increasing from 60 million to 107.6 million people, or 31 percent of the total population.257 Also by 2030, the number of Americans over age 65 will more than double, growing from 34.8 million to 70.3 million, representing 20 percent of the total population. 258

More than 25 percent of Arkansas residents are age 55 or older, which is higher than the overall average in the U.S. which is at 24.1 percent. An estimated 27.8 percent of residents in Johnson County are also age 55 or older. 259

While traditional economic development focuses on attracting manufacturing or commercial businesses to locate in an area, communities are now beginning to incorporate the recruitment of retirees and retirement services as part of their economic development strategies. 260 Including retiree recruitment and retirement services recruitment as part of an economic development strategy often makes sense for communities because the services and amenities retirees require will provide jobs for younger residents of the community, therefore preventing them from seeking jobs elsewhere. Attracting retirees and recruiting retirement services firms impacts not only the healthcare and housing industries, but also the financial, entertainment, hospitality, retail, and tourism sectors. 261

92 October 2009

Retirees often have a larger disposable income to spend on goods and services which leads to an increase in tax revenues for a community. It is estimated that a typical retired couple has the same economic impact to a town as the attraction of three to four manufacturing jobs. More affluent seniors tend to buy higher-priced property and more expensive consumer goods, leading to higher property and sales tax payments to local and state governments. 262

Many highly skilled retirees may also want to work part-time, which increases the skill set of a community’s workforce. 263 In a recent survey conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), 45 percent of the respondents indicated that they expected to continue working into their 70s because of the desire to stay mentally and physically active, to remain productive, and to be a useful member of society.264

Although most seniors would prefer to stay in their own homes, the aging and longevity of Americans means that increasing numbers likely will require some form of long-term care. 265 Retirees often look for areas which offer housing alternatives to traditional nursing homes such as planned retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and home health care services. One trend in the retirement services industry is the growing popularity of upscale independent living communities. Such communities often offer options for both independent living and assisted living plus a full range of healthcare services such as memory care programs, rehabilitation and in-home health care coordination. Unique amenities may include concierge services to assist residents with requests such as dining and entertainment reservations, transportation arrangements, appointment reminders, dog walking, personal errands, full-service spas/salons, theaters for movies or theatrical

performances, art studios, business centers, multiple dining options including catering services, and state-of-the-art fitness centers with personal trainers. 266

Another trend is the popularity of “green” or eco-friendly retirement communities which are built with recycled building materials and include energy and water efficient products and systems. One such new retirement community in Arizona will include 124 attached homes and two apartment buildings that will provide independent living, assisted living, memory care, and health care services. The residences are being designed with greywater recycling systems and solar panels to generate energy. 267 Another community in New Jersey is turning food waste from meals into compost for a new organic garden. The facility has been able to save money by cutting back on trash collection and purchasing fresh produce. This retirement community has also replaced all light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs which has resulted in a 25 percent savings on its electric bill.268

An increasing number of people are also choosing to retire in college towns. The atmosphere provided by college towns is attractive to retirees because it typically provides for a wide range of cultural activities, athletic events, and continuing educational opportunities. In recent years, colleges and universities have become involved in the development of retirement communities on or near their campuses, and existing retirement communities have developed relationships with institutions of higher learning that allow residents to take advantage cultural, educational, entertainment and sporting activities occurring on campus. 269 A national survey recently conducted found there are an estimated 50 such college and university linked retirement communities in existence with another 45 to 50 in the planning or early commitment phase. 270

93 October 2009

Competitive Strengths of Clarksville/ Johnson County Many communities in the South have experienced a large growth of retirees and related retirement services primarily due to their small town feel, warm climates, scenic landscapes, lower costs of living, safe environments and amenities such as cultural, educational and recreational activities.271

The scenic beauty, favorable climate, recreational amenities and low cost of living available in Clarksville/Johnson County are likely to attract retirees to the area in the future. An increasing number of people are also choosing to retire in college towns and the University of the Ozarks provides an asset that few towns of Clarksville’s size can claim.

Criteria seniors may consider when selecting where to live during retirement includes healthcare resources; a favorable climate; low cost of living; cultural, educational, and recreational amenities; and available housing. 272

Available healthcare Clarksville’s Johnson Regional Medical

Center (JRMC) provides comprehensive, high quality medical care through its network of physicians, specialists, therapists, and nurses. JRMC has a long history of quality healthcare and has experienced growth in many areas over the years, matching its expertise with the needs of the region.

The following facilities are currently available to assist senior citizens with their health needs:

Name Location Clarksville Health and Rehab Clarksville

Countryside Manor Lamar

Clarksville Convalescent Home Clarksville

Heritage Inn Clarksville

Johnson Regional Homecare Clarksville

Clarksville Retirement Center Clarksville

Johnson County Health Unit Clarksville

Visiting Nurses of Western Arkansas

Clarksville

Of these facilities, Clarksville Health &

Rehab, Clarksville Retirement Center, Countryside Manor and Heritage Inn provide nursing home and/or assisted living services. Combined, they offer a total of more than 300 beds, and all are currently at full capacity. 273

Adequate pool of healthcare professionals and strong educational programs to provide trained healthcare workers.

Arkansas Tech University in Russellville,

27 miles from Clarksville, offers a variety of programs in the medical field. Bachelor’s degrees are available in emergency administration and maintenance, health information management, medical technology, nursing, and rehabilitation science. An Associate’s degree is offered in allied health, and Technical Certificates can be earned in practical nursing. 274

94 October 2009

The College of Health Sciences programs at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, about an hour from Clarksville, prepare students for careers in registered and practical nursing, surgical technology, dental hygiene, and radiologic technology. Through the College of Health Sciences, students can complete a Baccalaureate degree in nursing or imaging sciences with a track in ultrasound and/or management. Associate of Applied Science degree programs are available in dental hygiene, nursing, radiography, respiratory care, and surgical technology. A Certificate Program is available in practical nursing. 275

Favorable Climate Many retirees are attracted to mild

climates that still offer four distinct seasons. Clarksville/Johnson County meets these criteria. The average highs and lows in Clarksville/Johnson county are: 276

Month Avg. High Avg. Low

January 48 25

April 72 45

July 92 68

October 74 46

Low Cost Of Living Compared to the rest of the country,

Clarksville's cost of living is 29.68 percent lower than the U.S. average.277

Cultural and Recreational Amenities Clarksville/Johnson County is located in

the Arkansas River Valley between the rivers and lakes of the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains, providing residents with opportunities for fishing, boating, canoeing, swimming, camping, hiking and picnicking.

The University of the Ozarks presence in

Clarksville provides lecture and cultural programs that are attractive to active retirees.

Clarksville’s system of parks, hiking and

jogging trails is also an attraction for retirees.

Concentration of retirees and other potential

customers who will need services. Arkansas’s population is aging and more

than 25 percent of Arkansas residents are age 55 or older.

95 October 2009

Sustainable Products Manufacturing Overview Definition Sustainable products are composed of renewable resources as opposed to nonrenewable resources. The use of sustainable building products promotes the conservation of diminishing nonrenewable resources and offers several advantages to the building’s owner and its occupants such as: 278

Reduced maintenance/replacement costs over the life of the building;

Energy conservation; Improved occupant health and productivity; Lower costs associated with changing space

configurations; Greater design flexibility. Building materials may be considered green and sustainable if they conserve energy and water, improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), or are resource efficient. Resource efficiency refers to utilizing materials that are made from recycled, salvaged, refurbished or remanufactured content; are natural and renewable; can be found locally or regionally to reduce transportation pollution and costs; and can easily be recycled at the end of their useful life. 279

Following are some examples of green building products: Forest Products -- There are many variants

that contribute to forest products being classified as green. The highest standard is certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as a FSC Certified product. This certification indicates that the lumber used to make the product originated from a

sustainably managed forest. 280 Other products frequently qualify as “green” based on their recycled content, use of renewable agricultural material or the type of bonding materials used for engineered wood products.281

Mechanical Systems/HVAC – These products are judged by how they manage energy consumption and emissions. Products cover a wide range including air conditioning equipment, heat pumps, ducts, boilers and water heaters. The use of recycled materials such as steel will further increase green ratings.

Appliances – Dishwashers, laundry equipment and refrigerators are the main products, and energy conservation and load management are the primary factors in determining environmental friendliness of these products. Use of recycled materials such as steel will further increase green ratings.

Lighting -- LED, Electronic Ballasts, Exterior

Lighting (solar powered) and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) are the primary products in this category.

Steel Products -- Steel is North America's

number one recycled material, as scrap steel is turned into new steel products. 282 More steel is recycled than aluminum, plastic and paper combined. 283

Other examples of sustainable building products include rapidly renewable plant materials such as bamboo and straw, stone and any other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable or recyclable. 284

96 October 2009

Baseline Employment Arkansas is a major forest products producer and is also a leader in recycled steel production. Other products produced in the state are considered “green” because of their recycled content, use of renewable agricultural material or the type of bonding materials used if an engineered wood product. Although not all of the companies listed below are currently producing “green” products, it shows the underlying strength of Arkansas’s building products industry: 285

Name Product Baldor Electric Motors, Generators Armstrong Wood Products

Hardwood Flooring

Georgia Pacific Wood Products International Paper

Sub Flooring, Lumber, Landscape Timbers

Weyerhauser Lumber, Flooring, Plywood, Door Jambs

Lennox Air Conditioning Rheem Air Conditioning Alcoa Windows, Structural

Components, Mirrored Doors Kohler Plumbing Fixtures, Sinks Whirlpool Refrigerators, Icemakers,

Trash Compactors Emerson Electric Dryer Components,

Appliance Motors and Burners, Air Cleaners, Transformers

Molex Electrical Connectors Nucor Steel Beams

Baldor Electric, referenced above, is headquartered in Fort Smith and has an operation located in Clarksville/Johnson County. Other companies located in Clarksville/Johnson County that could fall within this category include:

Name Product Automated Solutions, Inc

Conveyor & Robotics

Baldor Electric

Electric Motors Materials Greenville Tube Corporation

Stainless Steel Tube

King & Company

Ceiling Tile

Growth Opportunities The sustainable building products industry is growing rapidly, and the combined commercial and residential green building market is expected to more than double from 2009 through 2013 to a value estimated between $96 billion to $140 billion. By 2010, approximately 10 percent of all new commercial construction is expected to be classified as green. 286

Such rapid growth is expected to continue as more building owners and investors accept the green building movement. Current factors contributing to the growth of the industry include an increased consumer demand for green construction; an unprecedented level of available government incentives; and improvements in sustainable building products. 287

Nonresidential sectors which are expected to experience the greatest growth in sustainable building include education, government, industrial, office, healthcare, hospitality, and retail. Of those, office, education and healthcare are predicted to account for more than 80 percent of green construction. 288

The industry is also growing due to requirements made by cities that new government buildings and public spaces be designed and built with an aim toward green certification.

97 October 2009

Additionally, the sustainable building products market is likely to grow based on components of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Act allocates millions of dollars in tax incentives and credits for green construction and efficiency upgrades in residential homes, government buildings, and public housing projects. In addition, there are a number of public and private research programs in Arkansas focused on sustainability including the University of Arkansas Applied Sustainability Center, which is focused on facilitating ongoing research throughout the university with the objective of “building a sustainable university and society.” The University of Arkansas Community Design Center, which was created in 1995, is focused on working on new design concepts that will enhance the environment and quality of life. The Arkansas Forest Research Center at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is focused on research and distribution of best practices related to sustainable forest-based natural resources. 289

Competitive Strengths of Clarksville/ Johnson County Local Assets

Baldor Electric is a global leader in

manufacturing energy efficient electric motors that become component parts for many products that would be considered “green.” 290

Automated Solutions, Inc. automation design products and services enable its clients to achieve greater efficiencies in their production thereby reducing per unit energy consumption. 291

Transportation Clarksville/Johnson County is located

on Interstate 40, providing access to major markets for sustainable products .

The Union-Pacific Railroad, which runs through Johnson County, provides main line rail service to ports and markets throughout the U.S.

The Arkansas River and the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System forms the southern boundary of Johnson County, providing water-borne transportation access via terminal facilities in Dardanelle, which is 31 miles from Clarksville.

Skilled and Available Workforce

The Clarksville/Johnson County six-

county labor shed has a total population of more than 150,000 people.

Approximately 33 percent of residents in

Johnson County hold an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate degree or have attended some college classes.

98 October 2009

Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, 27 miles from Clarksville, is home to the Arkansas Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, which is an organization dedicated to the advancement of research and education in the areas of energy, natural resources and the environment. 292

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UA Fort Smith) is 58 miles west of Clarksville on I-40. It offers Bachelor’s degrees in both electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. The Baldor Technology Center at UA Fort Smith has state of the art technology in every classroom as well as excellent lab and computing facilities.293

UA Fort Smith’s Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC) is a collaborative effort by UA Fort Smith, the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. WATC provides area high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. The center's curriculum serves as an extension of the high school curriculum offerings by providing students with hands-on training in technical fields. The WATC serves six counties in western Arkansas, including Johnson County.

UA Fort Smith also operates the Center

for Business and Professional Development (CBPD) through the College of Applied Science and Technology. CBPD partners with companies to increase their productivity and competitive stance by developing

the skills of their employees. CBPD has a reputation for outstanding quality and proven results in many areas of industrial management, manufacturing, maintenance and quality control.

The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton offers both an Associate’s degree and a Technical Certificate in air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology. 294

Competitive State Incentives The state of Arkansas offers a

competitive array of incentives that include income tax credits, sales and use tax credits and refunds, payroll rebates and cash grants for new and expanding companies. including: 295

InvestArk is a sales and use tax credit available to businesses that invest $5 million or more that have been located in the state for more than two years. It may be used to offset up to 50 percent of the business’ sales and use tax liability on taxable purchases.

Advantage Arkansas offers a state income tax credit for job creation based on the payroll of new, full-time, permanent employees. The income tax credit is earned for a period of five years and ranges from one to four percent of payroll, depending on location within the state.

Tax Back is a sales and use tax refund program available to companies participating in the Advantage Arkansas program. It provides a refund of sales and use taxes for building materials and

99 October 2009

taxable machinery and equipment associated with the project.

The Create Rebate program provides annual cash payments based on a company’s annual payroll for new, full-time, permanent employees.

The Arkansas Quick Action Closing Fund is a $50 million fund the Governor may use to “seal” economic development deals. 296

Low Cost of Doing Business

CNBC’s 2008 “Top States for Doing Business” report ranked Arkansas as the state with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business. Only Iowa and South Dakota have a lower cost of doing business. 297

According to the 2007 Milken Institute Cost of Doing Business Index, Arkansas has a score of 75.9 and ranked tenth overall. This means only nine states have a cost of doing business lower than those in Arkansas. 298

100 October 2009

STRATEGIC

RECOMMENDATIONS

Overview Based on the primary and secondary research completed for Clarksville/Johnson County, Boyette Strategic Advisors was able to determine there are five main areas that need to be the focus of economic development efforts. The program areas include: Organizational Structure Business Development Marketing and Communications Real Estate/Site Development Community Development

Strategies have been developed in each of these program areas, which are defined below, and performance measures were created to ensure the strategies are effective moving forward. Organizational Structure Once a community has a plan, they should do everything possible to provide a structure through which the plan can be implemented with the highest possible likelihood of success. Boyette Strategic Advisors is recommending a revised economic development model for Clarksville/Johnson County addressing the following components: Structure Name Governance Staffing

Business Development Business Development is at the heart of economic development, which involves the creation of wealth in a community. For purposes of this Blueprint, Business Development includes strategies related to: Innovation and entrepreneurship Education and workforce development Existing industry and retention Incentives policy Utility issues

Marketing and Communications In today’s environment, communications and marketing are critical to successful economic development activities. Communication and marketing efforts should focus on the area’s competitive strengths which result from comparing the critical needs of targeted projects with the area’s advantages. The competitive position should then be used to develop key messages that serve as the basis for all marketing and communications activities. For purposes of this Blueprint, Communications and Marketing includes strategies related to: Branding Recruitment materials/infrastructure Website development Prospect visits Partner relationships UO alumni outreach Social media Public awareness Investor communications

101 October 2009

Real Estate/Site Development

The availability of real estate or “product” is a critical step in preparing a community for economic development. For purposes of this Blueprint, Real Estate/Site Development includes strategies related to: Acquiring property Identifying entrepreneurial space Marketing property and buildings

Community Development Community Development is another important component of economic development. For purposes of this Blueprint, Community Development includes strategies related to: Downtown development Cultural diversity training Retail development Alcoholic beverage sales in restaurants Sustainable community

102 October 2009

Organizational Structure

Situation Analysis From 1984 through 1999, Clarksville and Johnson County achieved a great deal of success with its economic development efforts. This success was due to many factors, some tangible, some intangible, some due to macro-economic forces, some due to local economic development and leadership. As the local economy evolved and personalities changed, Clarksville/Johnson County modified its economic development model and discontinued the Johnson County Economic Development Corporation. At that time, the community responsibility of economic development was assigned to the Clarksville – Johnson County Chamber of Commerce (Chamber). Since 1999 the Executive Director of the Chamber has been the responsible professional for all Chamber activities, including economic development, tourism development, special events and day-to-day Chamber business. Economic development in the 21st Century is more competitive than ever. Communities must prepare themselves for competition with other similar regions, maintain a close watch on the health of their existing industry, work with local officials to remove barriers to competitiveness, operate as the head marketing entity to generate interest in the community and most importantly, function as the primary salesperson to translate prospective companies into new corporate citizens. In 2009, the Clarksville City Council appointed the Community Economic Development Committee to initiate a review of

Clarksville/Johnson County’s economic development efforts and formulate a new strategy for the area. Objectives Any new strategy should include an assessment of whether or not the organizational structure and funding is in place to give the strategy a strong likelihood to succeed. The intent of this recommended structure is to provide the best possible framework of success for Clarksville/Johnson County. The structure should recognize the importance of a public-private partnership.

Recommended Structure The Clarksville – Johnson County Regional Chamber of Commerce should continue to lead the community’s economic development effort. The Chamber should, however, set up a mechanism and structure that provides for a separate entity that is under the Chamber umbrella, but with segregated funding and governance. This new entity would be responsible for:

1. Site and building development 2. Infrastructure development 3. Marketing the community for job creation

projects 4. Point-of-contact for economic

development projects 5. Management of economic development

projects 6. Existing business retention and expansion

The economic development entity would be housed with the Chamber, which would allow the two groups to share resources and expenses. It is important to have this cooperative structure

103 October 2009

because economic development is ultimately the engine that drives the successful activities of a Chamber of Commerce. Names The Chamber should be renamed the “Clarksville/Johnson County Regional Chamber of Commerce” to reflect the fact that Clarksville is the jobs center for communities beyond the county line of Johnson County. A separate not-for-profit named “Clarksville/ Johnson County Economic Development Commission” (the CEDC) should be established under the Chamber umbrella.

Funding Funding of the Chamber should continue with its current model of membership dues. The Clarksville/Johnson County Economic Development Commission should be funded through three primary sources: 1. Private sector “investments” in economic

development by individuals and companies committed to the future economic growth of Clarksville/Johnson County. It is important to take into consideration that many of these people are likely already paying Chamber dues. One possible approach would be to allow them to pay two times the amount of their Chamber dues, with the additional money being devoted to economic development. These contributors might become members of the “Chairman’s or President’s Council.”

2. Cities and county funding based on the understanding that the CJCEDC will be essentially performing development responsibilities for the cities and county

through an outsource agreement. This funding might be based on a formula related to the population of each benefitting community. Forming an interlocal governmental organization would provide a mechanism for government representatives to play a role in the overall group beyond simply providing funding. The organization, which would be similar to the Northeast Arkansas Industrial Development Council that Jonesboro has, might meet quarterly to discuss economic development issues in the region and provide funding to the CJCEDC.

3. The new organization should also receive funding through the dedicated community development sales tax that is already in place in the city of Clarksville. Currently, the Chamber of Commerce receives $60,000 in city funding, with $45,000 coming from the community development tax and the remainder being funded by City Light and Water. It is recommended that this funding level be amended to become a percentage of tax revenues collected, rather than a set dollar amount.

Governance The Chamber Board of Directors would continue with the following modification: • Form an overall Executive Committee that

would include two representatives from the Chamber Board, two representatives from the CJCEDC Board and one public sector representative.

The CJCEDC would form an initial Board of Directors selected from among its financial supporters to be appointed by the public sector funding entity. The board should not be too large, ideally from five to seven members, and be active in the organization’s development efforts.

104 October 2009

Subsequent board members would be appointed by a nominating committee of the board, with approval by the Joint Executive Committee.

Staffing and Operations A new position would be created for a Chief Executive Officer/Chief Economic Development Officer who would head all Chamber and CJCEDC efforts. An Economic Development/Chamber Assistant position would provide research and sales

support and assist the President and CEO with various other activities. The position of Executive Director of the Chamber would remain and continue to fulfill most of its current responsibilities, with the exception of the above mentioned economic development tasks. Below is a recommended organizational chart for the organization. An overview of the job descriptions of the CEO/Chief Economic Development Officer, as well as the Executive Director, are included at the end of the Organizational Structure section.

Clarksville/Johnson County Economic Development

Organizational Structure

105 October 2009

Examples of Success with Recommended Structure Although there are many variations and hybrids of economic development models, most can be reduced to one of three primary structures. These are: 1) departments of city, county or state governments; 2) stand-alone non-profit organizations, typically funded by both the public and private sectors; and 3) department, quasi-autonomous entities or legally separate entities managed by Chambers of Commerce. The third model is the one being recommended for Clarksville/Johnson County. Although one can find successful communities using any of the three variants, the third is the model used by communities that Clarksville should aspire to emulate. As these examples demonstrate, there are numerous variations of what is essentially a hybrid model itself. Examples of successful communities using this structure include:

1. Conway, Arkansas – Conway Development Corporation is an independently incorporated not-for-profit with its own Board of Directors, governance and budget. It is managed, however, by the President and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, whose time is allocated between the Chamber and Conway Development Corporation. The CEO’s day-to-day responsibilities focus on economic development while the Chamber responsibilities are mostly management oriented. From both an internal and external perspective, these two entities (Chamber and Development Corporation) are separate.

2. Jonesboro, Arkansas – In appearance and practice, Jonesboro is a model closer to the recommendation for

Clarksville/Johnson County. Although there is a separate entity, Jonesboro Economic Development Corporation (JEDC), which has a separate Board of Directors, accompanied by a separate fund raising group (Jonesboro Unlimited), the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce is the “face” of the community’s economic development efforts. Like Conway, however, the President & CEO of the Chamber is focused on economic development and provides management support for “chamber” activities.

Jonesboro Staffing: The Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce bylaws state that the President and CEO should spend 95 percent of his/her time devoted to economic development activities, but he/she is also responsible for managing the overall Chamber function. In addition to the President and CEO, Jonesboro also has another full-time person working on economic development issues. However, in a community the size of Clarksville, two full-time staff people would not be required to manage the economic development function. On the Chamber side, Jonesboro has five full-time employees, which include:

• Executive Vice President, who heads the Chamber operation

• Membership Director, who serves as “sales person” for the Chamber

• Special Events Manager, who manages event logistics and the Business Network Committee and helps with economic development events

• Business Development Coordinator

• Receptionist

106 October 2009

Jonesboro Boards of Directors: The Jonesboro Chamber Board of Directors has 30 members, with a six-member executive committee. This committee includes four chamber officers, president of the JEDC board, and chairman of the Jonesboro Unlimited board. The JEDC Board also includes 30 members and has a six-member executive committee. There is no required cross-membership provision of the Chamber of JEDC boards, but many of the same companies are represented on both. The JEDC typically includes higher ranking company officials and community leaders, making the JEDC board somewhat more prestigious. The President and CEO of the Chamber serves as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Chamber Executive Committee. Jonesboro Funding: The Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce has approximately 1,800 members, with a sliding scale dues structure based on size of the company. The JEDC “membership fee” is only $25.00, but it is by invitation only. Jonesboro Unlimited members is $1,000 and is open to anyone. Approximately 95 percent of its members are also Chamber members. The Jonesboro Unlimited funds are used to pay for non-budgeted economic development expenses. City and county governments formed the Northeast Arkansas Industrial Development Council and contribute funds to the Chamber based on invoiced expenses. While these funds do not go directly to JEDC, they often pay economic development expenses, such as the salary

of the second economic development staff member. Overall income generally breaks down as follows:

• 2/3 of revenue from the Chamber, with ½ of this amount coming from membership dues and ½ coming from non-dues income such as events

• 1/3 from Jonesboro Unlimited and the local government group, with ½ of this amount coming from each.

Rationale

1. Structure - Although every community

needs a focused economic development effort, it must work in unison with and leverage the assets and activities of both the Chamber and the public sector. When the economic development organization is totally separate, it tends to operate in its own space, independent of the other entities it should be operating closely with.

2. Names – Clarksville is in fact the economic, job and health center for its trade region. This proposed name change acknowledges this fact and helps indicate to potential prospects as well as Chamber members that the interest and benefits of the Chamber extend beyond Johnson County.

3. Funding – Funding of economic

development is difficult using a “membership model.” Therefore, it is best to establish a focused effort that will attract funds from the private and public sectors that are considered more

107 October 2009

“investments” in economic development, rather than “memberships.”

4. Governance – These “investments” come

with expectations and accountability for the organization receiving them. Therefore, the organization being funded should be managed by a group of individuals who are financially supporting the effort.

5. Staffing – In order to be effective,

Clarksville should recruit a competent economic development professional that cannot only help develop the assets of the community, but be the chief salesperson for the community once a prospect is identified. Using the CEO/Chief Economic Development Officer position for this purpose provides the following: i. It creates a substantial enough job

description to justify the level of salary that will attract qualified applicants.

ii. It ensures that the programs, services and efforts of the Chamber and the CJCEDC are properly aligned.

iii. It acknowledges the importance of economic development to the community.

Conclusion Clarksville is an outstanding community, with great people and wonderful assets. Regrettably, there are many other towns with similar attributes and just having these things is no longer enough to ensure economic success in the 21st Century. Communities must be proactive in developing themselves in a way that will be attractive to residents, existing companies and companies looking for a new location to invest and grow. Although it does not guarantee success, the most likely path toward success is to establish a focal point in the community and provide it with the funding and skills required. This does not mean a reduced role for the volunteer leadership. On the contrary, it elevates their role from being tacticians to one of true vision and leadership.

108 October 2009

Recommended Job Description Chief Executive Officer/Chief Economic Development Officer The Chief Executive Officer/Chief Economic Development Officer will be hired by a committee comprised of members of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Clarksville-Johnson County Economic Development Commission. Their responsibilities will be:

• Management and oversight of all Chamber and CJCEDC day-to-day functions

• Ex Officio, non-voting member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Executive Committee

• Liaison for City of Clarksville and Johnson County

• Economic Development (anticipated to be 80 percent of job)

o Community development initiatives designed to enhance posture as location for existing and new businesses

o Site and building development

o Infrastructure development

o Marketing community for job creating projects

o Lead generation for job creating projects

o Primary point-of-contact for economic development projects

o Management of economic development projects

• Management of Clarksville-Johnson County promotion web site that encompasses Chamber, Downtown Development, Tourism and Economic Development

• Oversight of business retention and workforce development efforts (each is a potential Chamber Committee that could be staffed by CEO/Chief Economic Development Officer or another Chamber employee. Regardless of committee staff assignment, CEO/Chief Economic Development Officer will be involved and direct agenda of committees based on economic development needs.)

• Primary spokesperson for Chamber

• Execution of Strategic Blueprint recommendations

109 October 2009

Recommended Job Description Executive Director The Executive Director is the #2 position at the Chamber, reports to the President & CEO and is primarily responsible for the following functions:

• Office administration

• Events management

o Chamber events (business networking, luncheons, etc.)

o Community events (parades, festivals, etc.)

• Committee management

• Membership retention and recruitment

• Communications Management

o Chamber & tourism portion of website

o Chamber newsletter

o Chamber member communications

• Tourism Development

110 October 2009

Business Development Innovation and Entrepreneurship Overview One key to economic development success in the 21st Century is supporting entrepreneurial activities which will offer the opportunity for new wealth creation. The ability to generate new ideas and turn those ideas into reality is a critical factor in creating a competitive advantage and wealth for both companies and communities. Entrepreneurs have been defined as “individuals who lead small businesses that are based on knowledge, innovation, new technology, and are designed to grow quickly.” Entrepreneurs create new wealth for themselves and their communities by taking innovations to market and commercializing new ideas to meet consumer needs. Communities that build strong entrepreneurial programs and energize local entrepreneurs are more attractive to outside entrepreneurs looking for a good place to grow their ideas into a successful enterprise. The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) is part of a national network of more than 1,000 small business development center offices that provide training, research, and consulting services to existing and potential business owners. Clarksville/Johnson County is served by the ASBTDC at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. There is also an ASBTDC location at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. 299

Recommendations To create a superior support system for entrepreneurial development, Clarksville/Johnson County should consider developing an Entrepreneurship Program as part of the existing Business Enterprise major at the University of the Ozarks (UO). This program might eventually lead to both a support program for entrepreneurs as well as a

Bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in innovation and entrepreneurship. Community representatives should meet with representatives at UO to determine the best way to work together to support entrepreneurship in the area. As part of the Entrepreneurship program, Clarksville/Johnson County may also want to consider implementing the following additional ideas: Hold quarterly meetings for general

networking and education of entrepreneurs located in the county. One idea for such meetings would be to organize a panel of experts to address obstacles that entrepreneurs are facing in the area. A list of local entrepreneurs would need to be compiled and an email sent out informing them of the scheduled panel as well as asking them for their top three obstacles to growth in advance. The experts to serve on the panels would be selected based on the obstacles that need to be addressed.

Explore the creation of a business incubator to support local entrepreneurs, potentially in revitalized downtown office space. This incubator might provide reduced start-up costs and overhead expenses for entrepreneurs starting new business ventures.

Education/Workforce Development Overview Workforce development includes various educational components, from elementary and secondary education to colleges, universities and workforce training providers. While this Blueprint does provide a baseline assessment of educational opportunities in Clarksville/Johnson County, the issue of workforce training and development is evaluated more thoroughly in the accompanying labor analysis. However, there are specific recommendations related to the targeted sectors outlined in the Blueprint that will be addressed here.

111 October 2009

Recommendations Explore the specific needs of the Clarksville

School District and determine if an increased millage rate is appropriate. The district’s current millage rate is below both the state average and the other districts in Johnson County. In addition, expenditures per pupil in the Clarksville School District are also lower than the state and the other two districts. If it is determined that an increased millage rate is needed, the community’s economic development leadership should assist district officials in promoting successes and future needs for continued educational improvement in Clarksville.

Work with one of the universities in the area to develop a logistics curriculum that would provide the trained workforce needed to attract distribution/logistics companies to Johnson County. Because the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville has a well-respected logistics degree program, it is not necessary to develop a comprehensive program that leads to a degree in logistics. Instead, it should be offered as elective courses as part of a business degree or as an associate degree program.

Explore developing a program focused on

wind energy as part of the Arkansas Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies at Arkansas Tech University. This program might be part of the Bachelor’s degree offerings in engineering and could also have a research component.

Existing Business Retention and Expansion Overview A successful business retention and expansion program should facilitate job growth and result in saved jobs due to possible downsizing or relocation. It is typically less costly and time intensive to retain an existing business than it is to recruit a new one. As such, retention and expansion efforts provide significant benefits when compared to strategies

based on attracting new business development. In addition, the success of existing businesses helps demonstrate the overall economic viability of Clarksville/Johnson County. Current Existing Industry Efforts The Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce currently manages all existing industry efforts for the community. The Executive Director of the Chamber regularly visits with existing businesses to determine their needs and how the community might better support them. This information is then shared with community leaders who might assist businesses in meeting those needs.

One of the focuses of the new economic development organization to be created should include development of a business retention program. This program would create a consistent and timely program in which every company in the county is touched on a regular basis. Once the program is fully established and consistent, an annual meeting of key participants involved in the program should be held to discuss potential program improvements, as well as any major existing business issues in the county. Below are some suggested business retention strategies to initiate the program.

Recommendations

Establish an Existing Business Retention

and Expansion Team. This team should be comprised of key Clarksville/Johnson County business and government representatives who can assist businesses in meeting their strategic goals and succeeding in the community. It should include, but not be limited to, the President/CEO of the Chamber, the Mayor, the County Judge, representatives from various utilities, a representative of the city planning department, a representative of the city and/or county road department, etc.

One or more members of the Existing Business Retention and Expansion Team should visit with identified key businesses on at least an annual basis to learn more about the company, their

112 October 2009

growth plans, and any issues they have in the area.

The Existing Business Retention and Expansion

Team should meet quarterly for a presentation and discussion of topics or relevant issues to the businesses of the county, as well as plan for the annual business visits.

Identify key existing companies in the

county that should be a focus of the retention and expansion effort. While it is important to offer retention assistance to all companies in the county, there may be certain ones that are critical to the economic success of the area.

Develop a database program to track existing

industry visits. Create a standard procedure for annual visits to existing business across the county, which in addition to the use of the database program should include a formal procedure for reporting the outcome of the visit and for addressing any issues that arise.

Establish a Corporate Headquarters

Visitation Program to make regular contact with parent company officials of businesses located in Johnson County. This will demonstrate the commitment of the area to the success of companies located there and will also serve as a chance to identify any challenges or opportunities that might arise with existing businesses. In addition, when local companies are acquired by a new parent company, those headquarters locations should immediately be added to the visit list to begin developing a relationship to work to secure existing jobs and investment in the region.

Incentives Policy An incentive may be defined as something that incites, or encourages one to action or effort. Incentives are an important factor in offsetting project cost for companies that are expanding or locating new operations. Incentives can make a difference in the

site selection process, particularly when the choice is between two or three final locations. Many states and localities offer tax and non-tax incentives to attract businesses that create jobs, make capital investments or both. Clarksville/Johnson County should consider development of an incentives policy that would allow the community to meet the needs of new and existing industry. The policy should outline the basis of any incentive offers. For example, once the needs of a prospect have been identified, Clarksville/Johnson County might have a policy that bases incentives commitments on jobs created, wages and/or capital investment. Examples of local incentives include: Build to lease options Cash grants Competitive utility rates Environmental studies/soil borings Expedited permitting Free or reduced land cost Local road work Property tax abatement Relocation cost offsets Site preparation costs Subsidized rent Temporary office space Utility infrastructure Waiver of local permit and connection fees Other

Incentives are generally used as a tool to encourage quality jobs and significant investment in the community. At the same time, a community has to act responsibly in awarding incentives to new or expanding business. For these reasons, an incentives policy should require that projects meet certain parameters related to job creation, average wage and investment before incentives are offered. The incentives policy should also include performance requirements related to cash incentive payments and clawback provisions for other types of incentives that require repayment of some or all of such incentives if job, wage, and/or investment requirements are not met. The policy might also include incentives for

113 October 2009

retention when a company is considering closing, downsizing, or relocating operations to another state or country. Utility Issues Historically, utility companies, particularly electric and gas utilities, have been important partners in community level economic development success. While this includes investor-owned and privately held utilities, it is particularly true of city-owned utility providers. There are some clear success stories in Arkansas communities that have municipal power providers, including Conway, Paragould and Jonesboro. Generally, this success is based on two primary factors: the ability to offer more affordable rates to business/industrial customers and the willingness to fund economic development activities in the community.

In talking with existing businesses in Clarksville/Johnson County for this report, many of them expressed concern that Clarksville Light and Water was not “business friendly.” Some said that they believed commercial rates were set unreasonably high to allow the utility to reduce residential rates, in effect using businesses to subsidize residential customers. In addition, these business representatives said they had voiced their concerns to the utility manager, who had not made any progress in addressing the situation. Because a municipal utility can and should be a true economic development asset for Clarksville/Johnson County, Boyette Strategic Advisors included some communities with municipal power providers in its benchmarking research. In addition, information about the rates of the city-owned utilities in Conway, West Memphis and Jonesboro were also researched. Following is an overview of how these utilities, as well as other utilities that serve Johnson County, compare to Clarksville Light and Water:

Utility Residential Rev/kWh

Commercial Rev/kWh

Industrial Rev/kWh

Total Rev/kWh

Clarksville Light & Water Co. 8.0 9.1 7.5 7.8 City of Siloam Springs 8.6 8.5 6.9 7.5 City of West Memphis 8.3 7.6 5.1 6.9 Conway Corp. 7.1 7.7 5.0 6.3 Jonesboro City Light & Water 5.4 5.5 4.0 4.9 Paragould City Light, Water & Cable 6.8 6.1 5.3 5.9 Entergy Arkansas Inc. 8.9 6.9 5.5 7.1 Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. 7.3 6.1 4.9 5.9 Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Corp. 8.5 7.4 5.1 7.6

114 October 2009

Marketing and Communications Overview The marketing component of the Blueprint for Clarksville/Johnson County is focused on developing activities to promote the area both to internal and external audiences by employing several strategies including marketing infrastructure, website development, prospect development, partner relationships, social media and investor communications. The overarching goal for this marketing effort is:

Marketing Infrastructure Before an effective economic development marketing program can be launched, a variety of tools and materials must be developed. The first step in creating a marketing infrastructure is to adopt a memorable and consistent brand for Clarksville/Johnson County. Once the brand has been established, it is important to incorporate it into all communications activities to begin developing equity in that brand. This will lead to increased awareness of all that the area has to offer businesses and residents. In addition to a dynamic graphic brand or a tagline, this branding effort should also include key messages and a “boilerplate” description of the area for use in all communications materials. Develop a consistent branding strategy for

Clarksville/Johnson County and encourage all entities that seek to promote the community to utilize the same brand and design. Developing a brand and increasing awareness of a brand can be a very costly proposition. For that reason, it is strongly recommended that communities with limited resources for promoting a community and building brand

equity utilize a consistent brand identity and message. The brand should be one that is flexible to allow it to be used by various entities within the community and it should project the community’s image as growing and progressive. A core group of concise, clearly defined key messages should also be developed to guide all communications initiatives in order to communicate effectively with the identified target audiences. These messages will serve as framework to convey the benefits of the Clarksville/Johnson County area as a business location in all facets of marketing and communications. The messages need to focus on factors that differentiate this community from others – underscoring the fact that Clarksville is located on Interstate 40, is home to a four-year university and offers outstanding resources for living. In addition, the key messages should position the community as a prime and unique location for businesses to locate, relocate, or grow. Following are recommended messages to promote Clarksville from an economic development perspective:

To position Clarksville/Johnson County as a small, but progressive community that offers outstanding amenities for businesses and residents.

Clarksville/Johnson County offers businesses a diverse labor force with an outstanding work ethic to ensure success.

Located on America’s Main Street – Interstate 40 – Clarksville/Johnson County provides access to an outstanding transportation infrastructure including interstate, rail and river access.

With a strong public education system, a local liberal arts university and three other colleges and universities within a hour’s drive, Clarksville has a variety of education and training options for enhancing workforce skills.

Clarksville offers residents a small-town environment, low cost of living, and outstanding recreational opportunities, all of which create a comfortable family community.

115 October 2009

In addition to key messages, Clarksville/Johnson County should also strengthen its branding by using a “boilerplate” description of the area in most print materials. This description should capture the critical points of the key messages.

Create materials that are needed to begin

aggressively marketing Clarksville/Johnson County to potential new businesses. It is essential that the community be prepared to respond quickly to requests for information from business prospects. Following is an overview of materials that should be developed and maintained to help meet this need:

Community Profile A comprehensive community profile of Clarksville/Johnson County should be developed. This profile will contain basic demographic data, as well as an overview of other issues of importance to economic development prospects. Topics to be addressed include: Climate Communications Education Government Healthcare Population and Labor Force Statistics Top Employers Transportation Recreation Utilities

The profile should be designed to have a cohesive look with the new brand and all other marketing materials to be used in communicating with prospects. It will likely be 8 ½” x 11”, printed on two sides of a single sheet of paper. In addition to the statistical information, it is essential that the Community Profile contain contact information for the Clarksville economic development organization.

Website An effective website presence is critical to economic development marketing. As use of the Internet has evolved in recent years, it is increasingly important to provide thorough and accurate information to site location consultants and corporate real estate executives as they begin to research potential new locations. Clarksville currently has economic development information on the Chamber of Commerce website. However, it is not complete or up-to-date and it is a bit difficult to navigate. Following are specific recommendations for enhancing the community’s web presence:

Develop a user-friendly site architecture.

Utilize the new Clarksville brand and logo on

the site.

Explore purchasing a new web domain –clarksvillear.com – for use as the business and economic development hub for the community. While this domain is not readily available, it is not in active use and could possibly be purchased from the owner.

Ensure that site is developed to allow staff to quickly and easily make site revisions.

Include Community Profile and targeted industry marketing profiles as PDF documents.

Create lists of available buildings and sites that link to a page specific to each building or site. The individual pages would include detailed information on the location, as well as appropriate maps and photos.

Include contact information on every page of the site.

116 October 2009

Develop home page copy to include key words that will drive traffic to the site through Google searches. Introductory copy will highlight Clarksville’s key location factors – location/transportation network, available sites, low cost of doing business, resources for living and Arkansas incentives. Each of these points should also include a direct link to additional information on the site.

Include rollover menus for each of the primary navigation buttons.

Information Packets Information packets are used to respond to requests for information, as well as for prospect visits. These packets must have a professional appearance and contain all the necessary information about doing business in Clarksville. Packets should be designed so that they can be tailored to the specific needs of a prospect. This can be easily accomplished by designing a two-pocket folder that includes the new Clarksville brand and logo and has an overall look that is compatible with the website design. One pocket in the folder should include a business card die cut for including the business card of the community’s primary economic development contact. The primary information tool for the packet will be the Community Profile described earlier. This profile should be designed using the same logo and colors as the pocket folder and website. It can then be printed for use in information packets, in addition to being published to the website as a PDF file. Industry specific marketing profiles should be developed for each of Clarksville’s targeted industry sectors to provide prospects with an overview of the industry’s presence in Clarksville and the strengths the community offers each industry category. Such Targeted Marketing

Profiles can be easily developed from the information provided in the sector summaries in this Blueprint. Like the Community Profile, these industry profiles would be available in both print form and on the website. Other materials, such as building and site profiles, maps, labor force data, and educational information should be prepared in a format that is compatible with the profiles. This material would be tailored to the needs of each prospect.

Promote Clarksville/Johnson County to site

location consultants and business location decision makers. Increasing awareness of Clarksville and its amenities for new and expanding businesses is critical to economic development success. Below are several tactics to be utilized in this promotional effort:

Site Consultants Site location consultants are a potential key source of project leads. Clarksville should develop and maintain a comprehensive mailing list of site consultants. This list will serve as the basis for developing relationships with key site consultants. The first step in using the site consultant list would be development of a direct marketing campaign to the consultants. This could be approached through either electronic tools or more traditional direct mail. The mail pieces should not be costly to produce. A simple postcard series can be very effective if the information on the card is something of relevance to the consultants. For example, a postcard might be developed and mailed to announce expansion of an existing business in Clarksville. Another topic might be development of local incentives. These same ideas could also be executed through an e-mail campaign.

117 October 2009

Prospect Visits A prospect visit is clearly a very important step in luring new businesses to Clarksville. These visits must be designed to put the best face on the community, while ensuring that the prospect has access to all the information critical to his location decision. When the leaders of an expanding or relocating industry visit a community, they have some degree of seriousness to their intentions. By this point, both the prospect and the community have invested significant human and financial resources into the effort. Determining where to place a new facility is complex and may take from six to 36 months. Proximity to suppliers and customers, labor availability, and transportation networks are often among the criteria for selecting potential new locations. After a thorough study has been conducted, a company often narrows the alternatives to a handful of communities. At this time, a company plans a visit. Prospects visit a community to answer specific questions about their relocation or expansion plans. These questions usually relate to specific sites and buildings, the local labor situation, and the attitude of the community toward new businesses. The visit also gives the company an opportunity to "get a feel" for the locale and visualize their facility in the area. The key to a successful site visit is a comprehensive, planned approach by key community members. Hurriedly assembling a site team is doomed to fail. A company is unlikely to invest millions of dollars in a community where the appropriate team members cannot be assembled for a visit. A site visit team must be selected and educated well before a site visit is scheduled. The purpose of a site visit is to answer a prospect's questions. In assembling the site visit

team, the following broad areas should be covered: Education Financing Labor Local government Quality of life Sites and buildings Taxation Training Utilities

Representatives from these areas would include local business leaders (bankers, merchants, realtors, etc.), economic development executives, educational leaders, local elected officials, local appointed officials (fire and police chief, planning director, water and wastewater operators), and local utility managers. Keep the number of people involved in the site visit to a minimum. Have experts on hand to answer pertinent questions, but don't "gang up" on the prospect. The best method is to customize your team members to meet the needs of each individual prospect. Team members should be on call as needed. The personalities involved on your team are important as well. All of your team members must have a sincere interest in the economic growth of your community. Confidentiality is essential. Each team member must understand that communities lose prospects because of breaches of confidentiality. Team members should also be free to leave their normal occupations on reasonably short notice for the visit. Your site team must be positive. The site visit is not a forum for airing negative aspects of the community. The purpose of a site visit is to demonstrate how your community can best meet the needs of the prospective customer. While there may be many positive aspects to your area, companies have

118 October 2009

specific requirements regarding location and relocation sites. A failure to demonstrate the ability of your area to meet the company’s needs will probably result in a failed visit. The real objective of the visit is to inform the prospect about your community, demonstrate your willingness to work with the prospect, and make the most efficient use of the allotted time. Several areas must be addressed: A written schedule should be prepared prior to the visit. This schedule or agenda serves both to organize the visit and to fine tune the visit to meet the prospect's needs. Include your plans for meals and social visits in the schedule. If possible, include a brief biography of all the team members that will escort the prospect during the day. This helps raise the comfort level of the prospect. The community contact will arrange to transport the tour group throughout the visit. Transportation might be provided in a van or sport utility vehicle on loan from a local car dealer. This type of vehicle allows for more passengers and also provides adequate window access for the prospect to see the community. Following the tour, a dinner might also be planned. This could be held in the home of a local community leader who has participated in the visit. Any potential sites to be visited should be in optimum viewing condition, mowed, debris removed, and the roads in usable condition. If the site is in the industrial park or an industrial area, be prepared to talk about the company’s potential neighbors. Assemble a custom information packet to be used throughout the visit. The packet should include an itinerary for the day, a community profile, maps pertinent to the visit, and any other information the prospect has requested, along with a business card and contact information for

the local economic development staff. Remember that the prospect may also be interested in information about the state business climate and programs, tax structures, and labor information. Also include information about sites, including utility data and maps. A successful site visit is the beginning of the next phase of the recruitment process. A few days after the visit, call to ask if the prospect needs additional information and to determine the next steps. Handle all requests for additional information quickly and responsively. Everyone who was involved locally should also be thanked, both personally and in writing, for their efforts. Networking Events Clarksville representatives might consider attending key marketing and networking events in each of the targeted industry sectors. However, it is not recommended that the community develop a traditional trade show booth and participate in events as an exhibitor. Instead, it tends to be much more effective to simply attend the events, walk the trade shows and try to schedule opportunities to visit with key site location consultants and other decision makers. In addition, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission regularly hosts geographic marketing events in cities such as Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago. These events give communities the opportunity to meet and interact with site location consultants and corporate real estate executives. Clarksville should explore participating in one or more of these events in 2010.

Develop and enhance relationships with key

economic development partners. Several partner organizations offer Clarksville officials good opportunities for expanding their marketing reach. Strong relationships should be developed and maintained with the Arkansas

119 October 2009

Economic Development Commission and utility partners that service the area. These relationships may lead to a variety of partnership opportunities. For example, links between the websites of many of these groups and the Clarksville website would provide greater access to online information. In addition, as prospects contact any of these partners and they determine that Clarksville might be a better fit for a project, they are more likely to hand off the prospect if a strong relationship already exists. There might also be opportunities for joint marketing trips or participation in key industry events. One idea for strengthening relations with AEDC would include inviting the agency Executive Director, Maria Haley, to speak at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet. The AEDC Commission might also be invited to hold their monthly meeting in Clarksville in 2010. Another opportunity to strengthen relationships with AEDC would be to host tours for two to three project managers on a regular basis. Once a quarter, Clarksville officials might invite a small group of project managers for a tour of the community, followed by dinner. This would provide an opportunity for the project managers to learn more about what Clarksville has to offer potential prospects, while also developing stronger relationships with them. The University of the Ozarks (UO) should also be viewed as an economic development partner. The university is making additions to its facilities and offerings, including conference space and housing, that will serve as marketing opportunities for the community. UO alumni may be excellent ambassadors for Clarksville in their own communities and businesses. Alumni receptions in key cities would provide an opportunity to enhance relationships and keep the alums aware of developments in Clarksville. Working with the university alumni association,

targeted cities with a concentration of alumni could be identified, some of which the university may already be conducting events. These cities might include Dallas, Memphis, Houston or Atlanta, for example. Local economic development leaders and university officials would make up the Clarksville delegation for these events.

Explore opportunities to utilize social media

to promote Clarksville as a business location. The Internet - and more specifically, social media - is transforming the way that businesses communicate and exchange information with each other. Through power tools such as blogs, social networks and video sites, businesses and industry are able to obtain and share information in real time and in a convenient fashion. These networks, established in places such as Facebook and Twitter, can serve as engines for economic viability if approached and harnessed in the right manner. Clarksville should explore these social media outlets and consider the use of them to communicate with site location consultants/real estate brokers and others to share real time news of project announcements and other important information.

Economic Development Organization Marketing This Blueprint for Clarksville/Johnson County has been developed based on thorough research and recommendations designed to take the community to the next level in its economic development efforts. In order for the planning effort to succeed and move toward implementation, it is critical that investors and stakeholders throughout the area receive consistent and timely information about the program. Communication with current and prospective investors will help ensure that the fundraising effort generates the resources necessary to fund implementation of this Blueprint.

120 October 2009

Communicating with this critical audience should include tactics with a general target, such as publicity in the local media, in addition to more targeted tactics designed to reach specific audiences. Announce the community’s renewed

commitment to economic development and plans for a new organization. As the fundraising effort begins to support this Blueprint, it is important to energize community leaders and potential investors and let them know that the community is prepared to make bold steps moving forward. The fundraising effort should be launched with announcement of the new organization and its planned direction for the future. To add additional excitement to the announcement, the new community brand might also be unveiled at this time.

Create key messages to communicate with investors and other stakeholders.

As with the general marketing tactics recommended in this plan, the investor communications effort should be driven by key messages. The following are proposed messages that might be included in all investor communications materials:

Clarksville/Johnson County has many of the

amenities needed by businesses seeking to grow and expand. The economic development Blueprint for the area is the catalyst to transition the community to a 21st Century economy with recommendations that ensure the right type of growth for the community.

With a diverse economic base and success in different industry sectors, this Blueprint will allow Clarksville to focus its efforts on wealth creation in a way that embraces development that area residents desire while working to increase the per capita income for its citizens.

A successful 21st Century economy must have a global awareness, a competitive workforce and a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. This foundational plan will allow Clarksville/Johnson County to develop its workforce and entrepreneurial environment as it pursues global opportunities.

Community support and enthusiasm is a

critical component of any effort to sell and improve our community. This Blueprint is designed to help foster community support as we focus our efforts in taking our community to the next level.

Utilize a variety of tools to communicate with

stakeholders throughout the fundraising process and as the recommendations of the Blueprint are implemented.

The communications effort with stakeholders must begin immediately and continue throughout the five-year implementation of the Blueprint recommendations. This will not only ensure success for this fundraising effort, but will also lay the groundwork for the next round of planning and fundraising in five years. Share Blueprint Recommendations.

Hold a meeting with community leaders and potential investors to unveil the Blueprint and generate support for the recommendations. The event should have a celebratory tone that begins the effort to energize investors, while allowing them to hear details of the community’s plans for the next five years.

Seek Feature Story Placement. Pursue a

feature story in the Johnson County Graphic about development of the economic development Blueprint and why it is important to the area. The feature story should focus on how the Blueprint prepares Clarksville to compete for jobs that will be created in the 21st Century economy.

121 October 2009

Provide Elected Official Briefing. In an

effort to keep key elected officials informed of the fundraising effort and the Blueprint implementation, an overview of the Blueprint should be provided at regularly scheduled meetings of the Clarksville City

Council and the Johnson County Quorum Court or in one-on-one or small group meetings with key elected stakeholders.

122 October 2009

Real Estate/Site Development Overview One key to economic development success is to have developed commercial/industrial property that can be available to prospects in a timely fashion. At the present time, Clarksville/Johnson County does not have any available sites listed with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC). As part of this Blueprint, Boyette Strategic Advisors reviewed a number of potential industrial sites in the county. In addition to touring the sites, Boyette Strategic Advisors also interviewed the building and sites manager for AEDC to gain a deeper understanding of current site development trends and needs in Arkansas. This document will outline potential strategies for acquiring or controlling possible industrial sites, as well as considerations for securing existing buildings that might assist in marketing the community to various types of business prospects. Property Reviewed The following property was reviewed in considering potential sites for this blueprint: Nite Lite Site – 130 acres Lamar Site – 130 acres Knoxville Site Wal-Mart-Tyson Site Wal-Mart Distribution Center #1 – 38 acres Wal-Mart Distribution Center #2 – 100+

acres Wal-Mart Distribution Center #3 – 57 acres Highway 64 near Acme Brick facility

Recommendations Clarksville must be prepared for several types of prospects and have property that is available and under control, at least to the extent of being optioned. Following are recommendations in order of priority: Acquire or option the Nite Lite Site. It is

preferable to acquire this site rather than simply

option, but that decision will depend on the community’s ability to purchase on a speculative basis and the owner’s willingness to work toward one of the two alternatives. The issues impacting this site are: 1. Reconfigure the intersection at Massengale

Road and Highway 64/West Main Street in order to provide better access from the I-40 interchange to Massengale Road.

2. Undertake study to determine feasibility and

costs of connecting Massengale Road to Exit 57. Having only one ingress and egress from the site could preclude some projects.

3. Ensure a “green” buffer of trees behind the

residential area off S. Skaggs Road and the site.

4. Determine usable acres while platting the

site to provide one parcel of 50 to 75 acres and several smaller ones to accommodate projects of different criteria.

5. Name the site Clarksville Commerce Park, which sends the message that the property is suitable for various types of development.

6. Plat “Clarksville Commerce Park” to take full

advantage of Interstate frontage visibility for premium site.

7. Install the road cut and road to entry of the

property and construct monument signage that would be appealing to prospects. Also utilize landscaping around the entrance and signage to give the site more “curb appeal.”

Rationale for selection: Many corporations appreciate sites that give their facilities visibility from the Interstate system. There are currently approximately 12 to 15 known 50+ acre sites in Arkansas that are under the control of an economic development organization and are both visible from the

123 October 2009

Interstate and on a “frontage road.” Should Clarksville secure this site and have the initial engineering in place to move quickly, it would significantly magnify the chances of competing for more projects.

If possible it would be optimal for Clarksville to

secure some rights to the Wal-Mart Distribution #2 site in order to have an alternative for companies that may not be impressed with having interstate visibility. In this event, it is recommended that the minimal level of engineering and planning take place prior to exercising an option to purchase. It would be necessary, however, to have the site platted, know the exact locations of utilities and the cost of bringing them to the site’s boundary.

Two types of real estate needs that could be satisfied through redevelopment of one or more downtown buildings. They are:

3. Customer Service Center - As mentioned in

other sections of this report, it is recommended that Clarksville target customer service centers as one of its focus industries. One of the empty downtown buildings has potential to meet the needs of this type of company. In addition to providing space for a small- to medium-sized customer service center employing 50 to 150, such a project would add to the vitality of downtown, support downtown restaurants and provide part-time employment opportunities to University of the Ozark students without automobiles.

4. Entrepreneurial Space – Once they outgrow

their kitchen tables, entrepreneurs need space along with the assistance services typically provided in a Small Business

Development Center and/or Incubator. These entrepreneurs have difficulty leasing real estate on the open market and seldom have the assets to invest in the needed infrastructure to run a modern business. It is recommended that the city invest in redeveloping one of the vacant downtown buildings into several modest offices, with common space for meeting rooms and support functions. The space could also include a small area for storage of inventory and or light machinery. As the economy continues to evolve into more and more of a service economy, providing space for these service-oriented entrepreneurs will ensure that these businesses grow in Clarksville and not in the surrounding larger cities. As with the customer service center space, this space will also contribute to downtown’s redevelopment and provide employment opportunities for University of the Ozarks students.

Although not specifically a recommendation on

property development, the organization responsible for economic development in Clarksville/Johnson County should develop and maintain an accurate database of all property and buildings that are available in the county and suitable for commercial and industrial use. Such information should be available on the economic development website and updated on a monthly basis. In July of 2009, Entergy Arkansas Inc., in cooperation with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, announced the Arkansas Site Selection Center, a free Web-based research center for economic development and site selection efforts that includes information on buildings and sites in each county in the state of Arkansas, as well as other detailed information. The recommended database should be linked to this new Entergy Arkansas site for maximum exposure.

124 October 2009

Community Development

Overview As Clarksville/Johnson County continues to grow and develop, it must work to make itself appealing to current and future generations of professionals and entrepreneurs. The human capital that will drive Clarksville/Johnson County in the 21st Century will have the education and skills to live in whichever community meets their lifestyle requirements. In order to be a viable choice for the current and future professional, skilled workers, the community should focus some energy on projects related to creating a higher quality of living environment for this talent base become a priority. Development of such amenities will not only help retain and attract talent, it will enhance the county’s chances to recruit the type of companies that rely on this skilled type of workforce. In preparing the community for growth in the 21st Century, three issues are of particular importance: Enhancing development of Clarksville’s

downtown; Understanding and embracing cultural

diversity; Increasing entertainment and retail

opportunities; Exploring the impact alcoholic beverage

sales in restaurants would have on the community; and

Positioning Clarksville/Johnson County as a sustainable community.

Downtown Development A majority of those interviewed during this project stressed the need to revitalize downtown Clarksville. Although it is unlikely that it will ever return to being the retail hub of yesterday, it does still possess the infrastructure and architectural assets to stem the tide of decline and become a positive focal point in Clarksville’s future development.

Several of the recommendations mentioned elsewhere have the added benefit of synergizing with a downtown development policy. Those are: Sustainable Community Development

• Redeveloping a select building with sustainable technology and materials

Retirement Services Development • Space for new companies within this

sector • Restaurants for retirees • Shopping for retirees

Entrepreneurship Development • Incubator space for entrepreneurs • Lease space for graduates of the

incubator Customer Service Centers

• Lease space for small- to medium sized facilities

Cultural Diversity • Space for Hispanic businesses • Space for services to Hispanic

population In addition, although it not a recommended targeted sector, the observations on enhancing the retail economy also directly relates to a downtown development strategy. Specifically, Clarksville should consider several policy tools and projects that would act as catalyst for downtown development. Most of the development will serve the regional economy and is unlikely to pull traffic off of I-40, at least until it develops the critical mass and draw of a destination unto itself (which should be the long-term goal). Future development on I-40 should remain a critical element in Clarksville’s future and ideally, the two should develop a balanced symbiotic relationship. Examples of elements of this strategy could include: Rent subsidies for downtown businesses Liquor-by-the-drink zone for downtown

125 October 2009

Payment-in-lieu-of taxes for qualified new downtown business (PILOT)

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for improvements and incentives

The downtown is the heart of every community and few communities thrive and prosper without a healthy downtown. It not only speaks to the vibrancy of the community, but provides a central “sense of place” that is becoming ever more important economic development site location decisions. Cultural Diversity Cities and towns throughout the south have experienced large immigrations of Hispanics over the past 20 years. Although these population numbers will ebb and flow based on economic conditions and job opportunities, the days of homogenous Anglo-centric population profiles in many of these communities will not return. Rather than lament the changes that globalization has brought to these communities, it is recommended that Clarksville assume a more proactive role in recognizing the opportunities of revitalization and growth that can be a consequence of its changing demographics. The positives associated with this influx of Hispanics are many. Examples are:

Provided needed workers for jobs that had they not been available would have resulted in closures or reductions to companies that are an important part of communities payroll and tax base.

Added residents to communities that would otherwise have lost populations.

Occupied housing stock that could otherwise have gone vacant.

Created new businesses that are focused on serving the new residents.

Added to the diversity of the community, making it better equipped to address the outside world where increased diversity is prevalent.

It is not a simple exercise to self-proclaim that the community embraces the diversity and opportunities associated with it, but rather is a long-term process that must be based on a strategic plan to build communication, linkages and mutual-trust across the cultural divides that are a natural result of the diversity. As such, it is recommended that Clarksville increase its efforts to include the emerging Hispanic population into the fabric of the community as part of its overall economic development strategy. Although a specific strategy would need to be developed, there are resources and examples of success that can be drawn upon for a quick and positive start. Examples of the type of initiatives that could become part of this effort are: Identify the number, nationality and

locations of the current Hispanic population. Develop an outreach and communication

plan in Spanish using the Hispanic’s communication network to begin the connections.

Benchmark programs at the K-12 schools to determine if additional programs and/or funding is available to support additional programs catering to the Hispanic population.

Support existing or create new festivals/celebrations of Hispanic culture.

Partner to create an alliance of Hispanic businesses and provide organizational assistance through the Chamber.

Provide cultural education programs for community leaders.

Identity information and service needs of the Hispanic community and provide information on how to access services programs in Spanish

This effort might be effectively coordinated with the UO, which has a large international program, including students representing 20 to 22 countries in any given year. A significant percentage of these students come from Central America and Mexico, due

126 October 2009

in large part to the Walton International Scholars Program. A heavy emphasis on community service by students at Ozarks has already resulted in a tremendous amount of outreach by these students to help members of Johnson County’s large Hispanic population assimilate to life in the community, and to help area business, industry, and community services communicate more effectively with this segment of the workforce. This is a resource for business and industry that many communities lack. A community initiative such as this will not remove all of the underlying stress and tension associated with the diversification of the population in Johnson County. It should, however, improve the cross-cultural environment, promote the development of more Hispanic-owned businesses and ensure that this trend is a net-positive for the county. Retail Development Retail development in Clarksville is not on par with other communities of a similar size. A specific strategy for attracting more retail outlets and restaurants should be developed. The first step in developing this strategy will

involve conducting research to better quantify the size of the market and the buying power of local consumers. This should include the research about shoppers that travel past Clarksville along Interstate 40. In addition, the research should support the need and buying power of the community for new retail development including, but not limited to:

Demographic information (population,

employment, education, age, ethnicity and income)

Statistics on projected population growth (if favorable)

Statistics on average household incomes (if favorable)

A Retail Gap Analysis which shows the demand and gaps for retail in the community (Gain access to Claritas Data)

Information on labor availability (presence of UO)

Information on the low costs of doing business

A list of potential sites for retail developments (that are available and affordable)

Highway infrastructure Interstate traffic counts Information on potential incentives that may

be available It will then be important to identify retail outlets that have a pattern of locating in communities with a demographic makeup similar to Clarksville, as well as developers who are known to work with these businesses and who construct developments in communities similar to Clarksville. Those retailers and developers could then be targeted with information provided about how Clarksville would be a good fit for their businesses. Alcoholic Beverage Sales in Restaurants History of Prohibition The national prohibition of alcohol ended in 1933 with the repeal of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by the 21st Amendment. 300

Yet, there are still hundreds of dry counties across the U.S. today. Approximately 18 million people live in the 10 percent of the area of the U.S. that is dry, most of which are rural areas of the country. A dry county may be defined as one in which alcohol sales are prohibited by law.

The national prohibition of alcohol, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, was undertaken to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons, and improve health and hygiene in the U.S. Although consumption of alcohol fell at the beginning of prohibition, it subsequently increased. Alcohol became more dangerous to consume; crime increased; the court and prison systems were stretched to the breaking point; and corruption of public officials was rampant. No measurable gains were made in productivity or

127 October 2009

reduced absenteeism. Prohibition removed a significant source of tax revenue and greatly increased government spending. 301

The results of prohibition clearly indicate it was a failure. The lessons of prohibition remain today and apply to the debate over reducing access to alcohol by indicating that if people want to drink, they will drink, whether living in a dry county or not. Economic Impact of Alcoholic Beverage Sales The alcoholic beverage industry contributes billions of dollars in economic activity and state and local taxes and millions of direct jobs to the U.S. economy each year. Alcoholic beverages supplement the hospitality industry, generating both increased sales revenue and jobs. Evidence from areas across the U.S. which have extended alcoholic beverage sales indicates that additional sales revenue is the usual result. 302

A recent study in Texas showed that the economic impact of allowing alcohol sales in a small community of 25,000 population with a per capita income 10 percent below the state average was $19 million in annual spending and 185 jobs in the local economy, just related to just the sale of alcoholic beverages. The sale of distilled spirits resulted in an additional $5.8 million in annual spending and 55 jobs in the local economy. 303

Alcohol Sales in Arkansas and Johnson County In Arkansas, of 75 total counties, an estimated 42 counties, including Johnson County, are still dry. 304

In a wet county, the retail sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages is legal. An Arkansas law was passed in 2003 to allow restaurants in dry counties to apply for licenses to sell alcohol. The basis of the passage of the law was to promote tourism and attract more business. Since the law was passed, numerous restaurants in Batesville, Benton, Conway, Malvern and Jonesboro, all cities in dry counties, have obtained private club permits to serve alcoholic beverages. 305

Local option elections may be held during November General Elections pursuant to petition.306

It is important to note that most of the wet counties in Arkansas have dry areas within their borders such as townships or cities.307

Other Background The prevailing reason that communities choose to preclude alcohol sales is typically based on social concerns. Clearly, there are significant issues related to alcohol abuse, including alcoholism, crime and drunk driving. However, being a dry county and not permitting the sale of alcohol, does not necessarily impact the consumption of alcohol. Residents of dry areas that want to have a drink will drive to a neighboring wet area to buy alcohol. As such, the main result of being a dry county is the loss of sales tax and business activity for the area. In addition, a recent study and statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation indicates that the number of fatalities associated with alcohol related crashes in the state of Texas has actually decreased even as alcohol has become more available throughout the state. 308 Another recent study of about 39,000 alcohol-related traffic accidents in wet compared to dry counties in Kentucky found that a higher proportion of dry counties' residents are involved in such crashes. The analysis suggests that residents of dry counties have to drive farther from their homes to consume alcohol, thus increasing impaired driving exposure. A study in Arkansas found that wet and dry counties are often adjacent and that alcohol beverage sales outlets are often located immediately across county or even state lines. This would be true with Johnson County which is located adjacent to Franklin County, a wet county. 309

Another similar study in Arkansas found that from 2000 to 2004, 4.2 people per 10,000 population were killed in accidents involving a drunk driver in the state’s 32 wet counties. In the state’s 43 dry counties, the rate was 4.6 deaths per 10,000 population and the

128 October 2009

rate increased to 4.9 percent per 10,000 population in the 11 counties where no alcohol is legally sold. 310

Insights from Stakeholder Interviews and Surveys As previously indicated, Boyette Strategic Advisors interviewed an estimated 40 people and surveyed 265 people in Johnson County related to the development of this Blueprint. In both the interviews and surveys, many respondents believed that being a dry county limits growth related to restaurants and retail stores and also thought it was one of the county’s greatest opportunities. In addition, several survey respondents felt that allowing alcoholic beverage sales in restaurants in the county was the one thing that really needs to happen for Johnson County to be successful in the 21st Century economy. Although there are some chain restaurants that may be deterred by the fact Johnson County is a dry county, there are examples of chain restaurants that have located in other dry counties. In some cases, such chain restaurants are able to obtain a restaurant license to sell alcohol, as allowed in the state of Arkansas, but in others, that is not the case. Recommendation Boyette Strategic Advisors understands the sensitivities of the wet/dry issue in Johnson County. However, with the overwhelming response from the participants in this process that being a dry county was a weakness that limits growth in the county, the issue may need to be addressed in the near future.

Sustainable Community Regardless of one’s political leanings or opinions on global warming, it is incontrovertible that energy conservation and the related sustainable development trend will be a driving force in the future. As Clarksville/Johnson County faces its future and contemplates the development path it will follow, Boyette Strategic Advisors believes it should seriously consider fully embracing the sustainability movement and set itself apart from many of its competitors in the process. There are many alternative paths a community can follow to live up to its self-proclaimed

status and these should all be part of further investigation and review. At first glance, however, many of the options Clarksville/Johnson County could pursue are consistent with other recommendations in this report. Examples of possible elements of this community strategy are: Wind Energy Recruitment – Since wind energy

turbine and parts manufacturers are a targeted business sector opportunity, Clarksville/Johnson County would enhance its visibility with these prospects by incorporating some alternative and sustainable energy generation into its municipally owned utility mix. For example, although one or more large-scale wind turbines may not be completely justified from an energy production cost stand point, if built adjacent to I-40, they would serve as a beacon and billboard for Clarksville and its commitment to sustainability.

Downtown Development – Should Clarksville embark on redeveloping any of the vacant buildings downtown for reuse as either restaurant or office space, they could do so using the most energy efficient and non-carbon energy producing technologies. Whether solar or wind, such a redevelopment strategy would not only enhance the marketing potential of the “new” downtown, it would likely open up new streams of potential grant funding to cover the incremental increased costs.

Retirement Services – As the baby boomers

research where and when to retire, they are considering factors their predecessors never contemplated. These retirees are active and environmentally conscious. Combined with the natural setting, outdoor activities, affordable lifestyle and other attributes of the region embracing a sustainable development path would position the region to become home to many of these future retirees.

Public Policy – Should Clarksville seriously

consider this option, it should use the

129 October 2009

sustainability standards that are available from the many non-profits set up to assist communities as a litmus test while formulating new public policy. There are numerous ways that individual decisions on sustainability can be influenced through city and county policy and the ordinances they pass in pursuit of sustainability.

The benefits of pursuing a green and sustainable strategy are both tangible and intangible.

Beyond the reduction in utility costs for publically owned buildings and outdoor lighting, there is the added marketing and branding benefit that other communities have achieved through dedicating themselves to sustainable practices. Size is not a determinative of a community’s efforts or success. Communities as large as Seattle, WA 311 or as small as Greensburg, KA 312

are recognized for their efforts.

130 October 2009

APPENDICES

131 October 2009

APPENDIX A

Stakeholders Interviewed Individually or in Group Discussions March 2009 – May 2009

Chris Allen Retired, Manufacturing

Doris Bird Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn

Clint Blunier Greenville Tube

Dan Chapman University of Arkansas Fruit Substation

Tom Cogan City of Clarksville

Ron Collins Regions Bank, Hospital Board

A.O. Curran Abstract and Title Company Owner

Julie Kersey Julie’s Perks

Steve Edmisten University of the Ozarks

Craig Frost ASI

Maria Haley Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Vicki Hall Westside School District

Hugh Harrison City Light and Water

Billy Helms Mayor, City of Clarksville

Van Hill Realtor

Herman Houston Grocery Store Owner

Bob Hurley Land Owner

Mike Jacobs Johnson County Judge

Roy Johnson Mid-South Roller

Don Johnston Clarksville School District

Steve Jones Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Rex King Bright Harvest

Keith Lewis Clarksville Insurance Agency

Vicki Lyons Clarksville/Johnson County Chamber of Commerce

Dennis Meins Lamar School District

Steve Morgan Farmer

Larry Morse Johnson Regional Medical Center

Josh Nelson Tyson Foods

Dr. Rick Niece University of the Ozarks

Jim Reasoner Community Volunteer/Retiree

Steve Reynolds Baldor Electric

Danna Schneider Master Printing

Roylene Slaughter Mid-South Roller

Cathy Stalcup Hanesbrands

Harve Taylor Taylor and Associates

Becky Thompson Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Turner Whitson Whitson-Morgan Motor Company

Freeman Wish Clarksville School District

Matt Wylie First Security Bank

Ron Wylie Johnson County Graphic

132 October 2009

APPENDIX B

Stakeholder Interview Summary Spring 2009

(The following is a compilation of the thoughts and opinions offered by stakeholders who were either interviewed individually or as part of group discussions.) Strengths of Clarksville/Johnson County Nearly all of the stakeholders interviewed for this project indicated one of the greatest strengths of Clarksville/Johnson County is the presence of University of the Ozarks in the community. Some said the university creates a different level of jobs than would otherwise be available, while others cited the student population, the cultural offerings and having access to higher education opportunities. Public schools (K-12) were also mentioned by stakeholders as being an important strength in the community. Several stakeholders also said the medical facilities and level of healthcare available in Clarksville exceeds what is found in many communities of similar size. Clarksville’s small town atmosphere, friendly people and recreational opportunities led many of those interviewed to say that quality of life was another strength of the area. One person said, “It’s a good place to live, and the leadership in the community is strong.” Many people pointed out that the area has excellent transportation resources including Interstate 40, rail access, and the Arkansas River. The community’s location on Interstate 40 positions it to compete for industries that require a central location and interstate access. Some also said proximity to Little Rock and Fort Smith was also an advantage. The community’s stable and diverse economic base was viewed as a strength by several stakeholders, with some pointing out that Johnson County’s unemployment rate has remained relatively low, even in the current economic environment. Having a city-owned electric utility was thought to be an advantage, particularly in terms of recruiting new businesses to the community. The fact that the community passed a special sales tax devoted to community development is viewed by several stakeholders as important for economic development activities. Other strengths mentioned by stakeholders included:

Community Pride Cooperative Spirit Water Supply Climate Work Ethic Low Cost of Living Safety

Weaknesses of Clarksville/Johnson County Two weaknesses which may be related were mentioned by a significant number of stakeholders – a limited number of restaurant options and no alcohol sales in the county. Some said they believed that not having restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages is a hindrance to economic development. Others said they thought many chain restaurants

133 October 2009

overlook Clarksville because they can’t serve drinks. One stakeholder said, “The tax base you lose is huge. When you bring people in to town, you have to take them to Altus to eat.” Several stakeholders also discussed a lack of retail opportunities as a weakness. However, some said that with Clarksville’s proximity to Fort Smith and Little Rock, this is not a major issue. One stakeholder said, “This not an economically well-to-do area. All the basic goods and services are here locally, but I don’t know if there’s enough volume here to drive other retail.” The limited available workforce and the ability to recruit workers from outside the community were cited as an issue by several of those interviewed. Some said there needs to be more of an effort to develop a trained workforce, while others said leading employers have to compete against one another to find skilled workers. “Companies are virtually stealing employees from each other. Some started policies to prevent rehiring workers who left for more money somewhere else,” one stakeholder said. Other people suggested that the lack of white collar jobs and a professional workforce is a weakness in the community. Some believe this is simply because high-level professionals don’t want to live in a community the size of Clarksville. However, others are concerned that there are no opportunities available for students who graduate from University of the Ozarks and would like to stay in the Clarksville area. Some stakeholders suggested that Clarksville residents don’t have a sense of pride in their community and that often leads to not taking care of their property and assets. A few stakeholders said the city should consider some ordinances to require owners to clean up their property. Others specifically mentioned the condition of the downtown area as a weakness. One said downtown is “dying from within,” while another said they saw opportunities to revitalize the area. Other weaknesses identified by stakeholders include:

Lack of Cultural Amenities Medical Services Lack of Property for Economic Development Business Retention

Challenges and Opportunities Facing Clarksville/Johnson County One of the most commonly mentioned challenges facing Clarksville/Johnson County mentioned by stakeholders was utility rates, particularly for commercial and industrial customers. Some said rates had increased recently and suggested that commercial and industrial customers may be “underwriting” the rates of residential customers. One person stated, “We used to have some of the lowest rates in the state, but not anymore. Our rates are not competitive at all.” One commercial customer said utility costs in Clarksville are 20 to 30 percent higher than in other parts of the state where his company has facilities. “Residential rates are very attractive, but they make it up on the commercial and industrial side,” he said. The recent growth of the Hispanic population in the county had led to challenges of how to best integrate this population into the community, according to several stakeholders. Some said the Hispanic population could be a valuable untapped resource for the community, but they have not been brought into community organizations. Others said the growth in the Hispanic population is also impacting the school system, both from a space perspective

134 October 2009

and because the schools have to adjust curriculum to accommodate children when English is not their primary language. Related to the fact the some stakeholders viewed the downtown area as a weakness, many said revitalizing downtown will be a challenge the community must face in the coming years. Some said downtown is beginning to see improvements, but that more effort is needed in this area. Several stakeholders said it is important for the community to focus on supporting and retaining existing businesses, with the understanding that it is much easier to “take care of what we have” than to attract new businesses to Clarksville/Johnson County. One person said, “You don’t go after new business development without taking care of what you already have. You have to do right by them so that they can continue to prosper. I think we do that well.” Stakeholders also expressed a desire for the community to acquire property for economic development purposes. They believe that having available land will help attract new businesses to the area. Other challenges and opportunities mentioned include:

Retaining Young People in the Community Being Inclusive of All Segments of the Community Parks Development Growth of University of the Ozarks

Visionary Thoughts for Ensuring Success in the Crossroads Region Stakeholders who participated the interviews and group discussions said the community needs to ensure that it is developing its young leaders to ensure that the community is prepared for success in the coming years. Several people said that earlier leaders had strong political connections that helped the community’s growth, and that the next generation needs to be developed with those goals in mind. One person said, “We need leaders who are willing to jump in with their time and their money.” Many stakeholders felt that developing a strategy to retain and expand existing businesses will be key to ensuring the community’s future success. They believe the existing businesses face challenges related to hiring and retaining a stable workforce, as well as concerns about the cost of electricity. Similarly, stakeholders said it is important to position the city-owned utility to become a strength in economic development efforts. As mentioned earlier, some of those interviewed believe Clarksville/Johnson County should secure land appropriate for economic development efforts. Some suggested specific property that might be beneficial, while others just felt that the community should identify land that meets the needs of business prospects. In discussing opportunities to revitalize Clarksville’s downtown area, some stakeholders suggested that it might be a good location to begin development of entrepreneurial activities in the community. They said this would provide a way to improve the appearance of downtown, while also encouraging creation of higher-level jobs in Clarksville. One additional issue mentioned by many stakeholders as an opportunity for future success involves exploring changes to the county’s liquor laws. Several of those interviewed said they believe allowing alcohol to be served in restaurants would provide better amenities for residents, while also expanding the city’s tax base. One person said, “The wet/dry

135 October 2009

vote is the most important issue. When you get one national chain here, they will attract others. If we get those outside dollars rolling in, then we all make money.” General Assessment of Labor Force Overall, stakeholders interviewed believe that the Johnson County region’s labor force is strong but generally in short supply. Several stakeholders said that while they are generally pleased with the quality of the workforce, they sometimes have difficulty recruiting new workers and are concerned that new businesses in the area would create even more pressure on a limited pool of employees. However, many said that with recent increases in the unemployment rate in the area, that situation has changed a bit. One respondent said, “My HR manager says we can always get people if we need them. But we steal them from other companies. We always have a shortage. If someone big came in, I’m not sure we could support another major employer.” However, another interviewee said that the situation has changed in the last six months. With the economic downturn, the pool of workers has grown. “When we decided to add 30 to 60 jobs, I was concerned where we would find the people, but they lined up out the door.” Most stakeholders agreed that the labor market in the region is very competitive for skilled workers. They indicate that they receive many applicants, but find themselves competing with other employers for workers that have a stable work history with skills that are in demand. One stakeholder said, “The machinists are difficult to hire because we look for people who can run engine laves, bridge ports, and do equipment set-up. We look for a depth of knowledge that is hard to find.” Other assets of the workforce identified by stakeholders include low turnover and absenteeism rates. I think that the labor force is good here. I’ve been in other plants where absenteeism and turnover were much higher,” one respondent said. However, some of those interviewed expressed concerns about the work ethic of younger workers, saying that they don’t always appreciate the opportunities they are given. “I think our young folks that come out of high school and don’t go to college don’t understand what a job is and that you need to be there every day, work hard and be proud of that.” Training Needs and Opportunities Several of those interviewed said their companies primarily rely on in-house training to prepare their workforce for the skills needed. Most companies said they expect workers to come in with basic educational skill sets, then train them for the specific industry. Others said they have used the local Workforce Consortium to provide training. The Consortium works with other providers, such as Arkansas Tech University at Ozark to develop the type of training needed by local businesses. One respondent said his company uses outside providers for more technical positions, but not on the production side, where training is provided in-house. In terms of basic skills, one company representative said that up until a year ago, they did not require a high school education for production workers. However, they now will hire only high school graduates because of the need for stronger basic skills in reading, math and comprehension. Other training issues mentioned include: A need for more technical skills – welders, machinists, electronics, etc.; Better coordination with area technical schools to provide training in needed skill areas; Training in safety, ergonomics, jobs skills and general policies/procedures;

136 October 2009

Increased assessment of basic skills in reading, writing and math; and Formalized consortium between businesses and high schools/junior highs.

Recruiting Issues Many of those interviewed said they do have difficulty recruiting workers to the area when the needed skills are not available locally. As a result, several companies indicate that they generally “grow their own” or promote from within whenever possible. One respondent said, “People come up through the ranks if we have qualified people. We have a tuition reimbursement policy and have a number of people that have received college degrees paid for by the company.” However, another stakeholder said he also manages a business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where he finds it harder to hire new people. “You have to pay them more and there are more distractions. You have more turnover because if they lose their job, they can find another one tomorrow.” When looking for professionals and other skilled positions, some employers indicated that they have had success hiring from area colleges and universities, including Arkansas Tech, UA at Fort Smith and UA at Fayetteville. Again, companies also mentioned a willingness to cover tuition for current employees to return to school and upgrade their skills to help further address the difficulty in recruiting from outside the area. Some of the stakeholders said that sometimes spouses will have issues with relocating to Clarksville. This may be that the spouse can’t find suitable employment in the area or be based more on subjective issues such as the limited retail offerings. However, one employer said, “When you find someone who wants this small town environment, they love it here. I could have returned to a larger city, but I didn’t want to leave. However, I don’t know how you recruit a company that has a multitude of people who need to move here.” In terms of drawing employees from the wider labor area, many of those interviewed said they have workers who drive 45 minutes to an hour to work. The most commonly mentioned counties were Franklin, Logan, Pope, and Yell.

137 October 2009

APPENDIX C

SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS

Based on the options below, what do you see as the top three greatest strengths of Johnson County?

Answer Options Response Percent

Quality of life - good place to live and raise a family 61.5% Affordable cost of living 48.8% University of the Ozarks 33.5% Transportation - Access to I-40 and Arkansas River 28.5% Location 26.9% Public school system 22.3% Access to good health care 15.0% Available and affordable housing 15.0% Educational opportunities 13.8% Infrastructure - water, gas and sewer 11.9% Recreational activities 11.2% Climate 10.4% Affordable and trainable workforce 4.6% Workforce 1.2%

Number Other (please specify)

1 None of the above, but we need more things to do in Clarksville 2 Our police and fire departments 3 Strong church families 4 Think we need a new pool, but don't think we need a water park 5 Local Law Enforcement and Prosecuting Attorney 6 Hometown --- all our family is here 7 Community involvement 8 Attitude of the people-friendliness, social

138 October 2009

Based on the options below, what do you see as the top three greatest weaknesses of Johnson County?

Answer Options Response Percent

Lack of amenities in some areas (hotels, restaurants, etc.) 69.4% Residents' unwillingness to invest in community improvements 48.4% Lack of white collar jobs 47.3% Lack of positive perception of community by residents 29.1% Community upkeep/cleanliness 25.2% Lack of skilled workers in some areas 17.8% Workforce 17.1% Educational attainment 11.2% Public school system 10.5%

Number Other (please specify)

1 Dry county. 2 Lack of good healthcare 3 They are always searching for new taxes. 4 Opportunities for Youth and Children 5 Restaurants that are above mediocre. 6 Lack of downtown commerce and a better town square in Clarksville

7 The fact that Johnson County is a 'Dry' County keeps good restaurants from being established.

8 Location - stuck between central & northwestern AR 9 Infrastructure, i.e., storm drainage in some residential areas

10 I just moved here 3 months ago, so I don't really know. 11 Dry county 12 Lack of communication between industry/schools/public 13 Availability of young child care facilities 14 Lack of interest in building needed school space 15 Restaurants that serve alcohol 16 Lack of governmental leadership and direction from the Chamber of Commerce 17 The aversion of residents to "outsiders" 18 Public transportation at least in city limits 19 High Disability Rate 20 Dry county 21 City does not enforce clean up in city limits 22 Lack of Grocery stores 23 LAY OFFS ---- way too many and too often 24 No alcoholic beverages 25 Specifically, the offensive smell at the Tyson plant next to Wal-Mart. 26 Better access to public transportation 27 Influx of Hispanics 28 Lack of positive perception of community by outsiders 29 Dry county - lack of good restaurants 30 Local law enforcement 31 Good healthcare availability

139 October 2009

32 Loss of revenue going to neighboring counties. 33 When entertaining out of town visitors--lack of quality dining 34 Recreational activities 35 High commercial/industrial electric utility rates 36 Children's activities (indoor) 37 Should have curb side recyclable pick up including glass 38 Too many regulations in town 39 Too many illegal immigrants 40 Large non-English speaking population 41 Lack of nice restaurants/ too many fast food 42 Illegal immigration 43 No Applebee’s, Buffalo Wildwings, Chili's, etc. 44 Lack of enforcement/punishment on small crimes like littering or vandalism.

140 October 2009

Based on the options below, what do you see as the top three greatest opportunities for Johnson County?

Answer Options Response Percent

Adding more amenities (restaurants, retail and entertainment) 66.2% Locating more business/industry (quality jobs) 64.2% Revitalizing downtown Clarksville 43.1% Retaining/growing existing businesses 32.7% Enhancing/promoting area recreational opportunities 23.8% Better preparing high school graduates to enter the workforce 20.4% Improving the knowledge level and skills of the workforce 20.0% Obtaining or developing new industrial sites 17.7% Seeking more cooperation between city/county leaders and local businesses 15.0%

Number Other (please specify)

1 To be recognized as one of the overall greatest places to raise a family, get an education and retire.

2 Revitalizing downtown Clarksville!!!!!!

3

Making Johnson County a 'Wet' County and allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages bring more tax revenue to the county and more business opportunities. Time to move out of the dark ages. People are driving to Altus for dinner and drinks - why not have them stay in Clarksville and even drive here from other places to spend their money.

4

Changing the dry county policy. People still drive out of the county to purchase these items. Why not put that money in Johnson County? This would bring in more business, especially restaurants!!!

5 Revitalizing the entire County 6 Get rid of the dry county status--this severely negatively impacts the area 7 Liquor sales in restaurants 8 Improving energy rates for commercial/industrial customers 9 Stay small.

10 Make this a wet county! We have to drive to Fayetteville to find a fun place to eat and drink

141 October 2009

Please rank the following industry sectors based on which you believe are the best fit for Johnson County, with one being the best fit and ten being the least likely fit. (Lower Rating Average is Higher)

Answer Options 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rating Average

Distribution 69 36 20 17 14 14 11 12 10 8 3.63 Green or Sustainable Building Materials

25 22 26 23 26 19 30 20 13 5 4.88

Health and International Food (Food Processing)

22 26 26 28 25 21 21 22 9 11 4.88

Information Technology/Telecommunications

13 24 22 34 33 27 25 12 10 12 5.05

Data Centers 7 21 35 24 27 27 20 25 13 5 5.17 Customer Contact/Call Centers

9 21 22 28 27 21 18 14 25 13 5.47

Renewable Energy - Alternative Fuels 16 27 17 22 17 29 27 37 19 8 5.50

Retirement Services 21 17 26 19 30 26 17 20 27 18 5.51 Renewable Energy - Wind 17 18 22 14 14 15 26 30 38 23 6.12

Aerospace/Aviation 15 5 5 11 12 6 13 13 31 99 7.83

Number Other (please specify)

1 Good restaurants-#1 best fit opportunity 2 Need all of the above

3 Any consulting/specifying businesses related to "green"; energy, efficiency, conservation, etc.

4

The basis for ranking Sustainable Building Material, Distribution and Food processing 2nd, 3rd and 4th is due to the present workforce having the education capabilities to perform these jobs.

142 October 2009

What is the one thing that really needs to happen for Johnson County to be most successful in the 21st Century economy?

Number Response Text

1 Working together for realistic common goals that will bring outside dollars into our county.

2 Allowing the community to have a greater say in what is done within the city. 3 Help local businesses stay in business. Provide free or reduced cost training for local

people. 4 Put more emphasis on its youth for they are the future. 5 we need more jobs 6 the community uniting 7 Get to be a wet county, business people enjoy meetings over cocktails. I learned this the

first day of college!!! 8 Bigger and better nursing homes

elder care

9 We need more restaurants, shops, etc. to draw more people to Johnson Co. We also need to improve our current tourist draws, such as the peach festival. Our area businesses need to work together to get involved and be more visible to the community to raise community morale. High community pride and morale translates into more people wanting to move into our area.

10 Recruitment of more white-collar jobs 11 NEEDS MORE THINGS TO DO IN CLARKSVILLE BECAUSE EVERY OTHER CITIES IN

ARKANSAS HAS THINGS TO DO SO WHY CAN NOT US, LETS THINK ABOUT THIS LONG AND HARD .

12 More employment opportunities 13 Renovation of the downtown area 14 More opportunities for the youth. The movie theater and the bowling alley is not

enough. 15 Quit looking for ways to increase taxes. Spend the money they have more wisely. 16 There is not just one thing! More forward thinking community leadership, restaurants

that can serve alcoholic beverages, more educated workforce, more white collar jobs to keep the quality young individuals from moving away.

17 Infrastructure needs to happen - street improvements in/out at area Wal-Mart and other exits so they can grow.

18 More jobs and more restaurants around our interstate exits to make us more attractive 19 More things for the youth to do 20 Improve Recreational opportunities for youth, Improve downtown Clarksville Area, bring

in more business and provide more opportunity for jobs. 21 More jobs for the college educated people so they do not have to leave to get a good

paying job. Also more quality restaurants. 22 To maintain and bring diverse job markets so that Johnson County remains a great place

to provide or family and retirement. 23 Overhaul of downtown Clarksville. See El Dorado for ideas. 24 Become a 'Wet' County and allow the sale of alcohol in restaurants and stores. It seems

so silly to me that we can buy porn in this town, but not have a glass of wine with dinner. Time to move forward and make Johnson County a better, more competitive place for the people of this community.

25 Growth and development of the shopping/recreation in the area. 26 The Golden Rule - treat others as you would want to be treated

143 October 2009

27 Clean up the junky areas. Make the community appear attractive. Enforce zoning. Make people clean up their yards and businesses.

28 Decide what we want in our community and keep the focus in that direction. As council and committees change, it seems we start all over again. Even many of the topics that are being discussed now have already been discussed in the past. Make a decision about a plan and commit to it on a long term basis - a plan that exists even if city council and committees change.

29 More job opportunities. 30 More job opportunities for skilled, educated workers. 31 Clean it up & make it more noticeable in the state & region 32 We need to build a Johnson County Museum. There is so much local culture that needs

to be preserved and shared as we enter a new century. Promoting the knowledge of our area's past will secure a better future for our communities.

33 Change the "Dry County" policy, keeping strict regulations such as this limits potential growth in restaurants in particular. I am a mid 30's professional educated woman who has lived in many towns even smaller than this, and there is very limited things for people to do and congregate to meet others. Downtown is dying and once 5:00 hits the town dies....

34 Improve county & private roads outside city limits 35 More recreational activities for young adults and single adults (even more library

involvement) - there is not a lot going on. 36 Get with the times! Not trying to be rude, but I feel that Clarksville needs to open its

doors to new opportunities. Are these opportunities going to make it an enormous city like Northwest Arkansas...no. Clarksville/Johnson County needs to allow alcohol within the area because this is what brings in revenue. I feel that there are old perspectives avoiding the growth of Clarksville. Business will not come over night and it is important to research long-term avenues. Not just areas that bring immediate help! I feel that with Tyson and Wal-Mart, the area is targeting only one segment of individuals. It is very hard to find a career in this area, especially if a person has a bachelors or masters degree. A lot of great innovators and educated individuals (who can transform this area) are leaving, due to lack of jobs. These are just my opinions, but I feel that Clarksville will continue to have its family like atmosphere and protecting it from outside influences will only hurt its growth in regard to the long-term.

37 Global economy depends on research and development of alternative fuels and sustainable materials; Johnson county may be well suited for those initiatives. Need to be more forward thinking in regards to information technology as the gateway to the future and as it relates to attracting a new genre of business which could provide higher quality jobs in Johnson County.

38 More confidence in the people of the County -- they can do anything put before them given the opportunity to be educated/trained for the job. Those who have a desire to work will and will do whatever it takes to obtain and maintain a good job. We must also remember that good employment opportunities keep the next generation local rather than moving away to pursue a career.

39 Johnson County has a large number of poor people who are an invisible underclass. Community leadership will not be found among this rather substantial group. That means leadership in Johnson County must come from the business and educational element. If these people cannot come together to become leaders in their communities and start working for the community good, then the only hope is that oil is found on the lower 40 acres. Too many people are satisfied with the status quo. Too many others fight amongst themselves to prevent progress. The key to success in Johnson County rests with its people. If the people don't care, progress, if any, will be very slow.

40 We need more volunteers.

144 October 2009

41 More industrial jobs 42 Provide economically relevant ("green") job opportunities for the workforce. 43 Get rid of the good old boy system 44 New generation of open minded forward thinking leaders 45 Better wages 46 More jobs in the technology area 47 I don't know 48 Economy must improve. Industry needs to move here. Amenities must be here as well. 49 Create more and better paying blue collar jobs within the community, to help the lower

income families. 50 More quality jobs, more quality businesses, a revamp of downtown Clarksville. We need

to try and make our Downtown a historic "visitor's haven" 51 Alcohol in restaurants 52 Jobs 53 We need to bring in businesses that can be located on the West end of the town toward

Exit 55 so the community can continue to grow and expand. 54 Hotels and restaurants at each of the three exits with the ability to serve alcohol. 55 More jobs at higher pay. 56 More businesses/industries 57 Become a wet county 58 Jobs 59 United community 60 More jobs available at a decent salary

Decent rental property

61 I'm not sure what it would take. 62 The community being willing to work for progress 63 I believe we must prepare our students to be prepared to live and work in our community

and be prepared for the newest updates and technology upon graduation. I just do not see this happening and I feel that fewer and fewer graduates are being given the necessary tools in our public school systems to compete in our future.

64 Find a niche that is compatible with the natural beauty of the area. 65 Opportunities for young families to make a living. 66 I think the easiest thing Johnson County can do to be more successful is to allow more

businesses into the interstate development. Traffic flow around this particular area is very congested but attractive to interstate drivers.

67 Leadership looking for and pushing for new industry in our community. 68 We must get more industry jobs. 69 The residents of Johnson County need to have a long-term commitment to creating,

maintaining, and enhancing a safe, environmentally sustainable, culturally rich way of life that preserves the best of our past and the beauty of our natural surroundings while remaining receptive to diversity and alert for opportunities to explore healthy innovation.

70 Education and retention of local people for workforce 71 For students to become educated and have jobs to come back home to or to recruit

educated students after graduation. 72 Bring in restaurants and allow alcohol to be served with food. This is a must to help with

the new water park! 73 School upgrades 74 White collar jobs. One of the main reasons why I work in Russellville, and when I

graduate college in 2 years, I will move probably to Conway. 75 Stop living in the past and step into the future.

145 October 2009

76 Clean EVERYTHING up and tear down old, dilapidated, empty, or abandoned buildings. 77 Attitude change, too much "country boy" or good ole boy activities between ...... 78 Build a new pool, but not a water park. Just what we need. Need to make Johnson

County or Clarksville a wet county or city. The private clubs are doing well. But, we still have the same thing that caused the lottery vote in the state. We lose all the revenue to other counties.

79 Attract more industry 80 Working together instead of bickering; roll with the changes 81 Restaurants and private liquor license. 82 Better educated workforce. High School graduates are graduating without the proper

business skills. Clarksville does not have enough white collar jobs to recruit any college business graduates.

83 Continue to grow local business and welcome the changes in technology. Encourage business owners and residents to put back into the community to ensure there is opportunity for growth.

84 Bringing all facets of community and local government together to work for a common goal of improvement of economic development and quality of life issues

85 We need to revitalize downtown and add more Nationally known restaurants. 86 More businesses that pay good salaries. 87 Better pay jobs! 88 Solve the traffic problem into & out of Wal-Mart so that Clarksville does not come off as a

bottle-neck town. 89 Strengthen and emphasize the quality of the community's environment and promote it 90 Have an aggressive/excited (movers and shakers) group of knowledgeable citizens to

unify county and promote a well thought out short term and long term plan of action. 91 Infrastructure updated for population growth.

Better jobs and more educational opportunities for the growing Hispanic population.

92 They need to realize we are already in the 21st century and start looking for new restaurants, business, etc.

93 More technology 94 We need more jobs in the fields that our University Students are getting degrees in, most

of them want to stay in the area, but, are unable to, because the job opportunities just aren't available. More white collar jobs would help make Johnson County more successful.

95 I think we need a family attraction, like the Alma water park, or Chuck E Cheese in Fort Smith-that families will stay and spend their money in Johnson County, rather than have to go out of town to spend money. Around Christmas Time have horse and buggie rides to go view the lights-it would be great to have more in downtown Clarksville(like historic downtown Van Buren)little trendy boutiques, we should try and make it more unique that would draw people to Johnson County-have enough opportunities for families to travel to Johnson County and make a day of it. Have a County Wide Talent Show/Fundraiser-featuring all the school cheerleaders/area dance schools(ballet or gymnastics)/Inferno Martial Arts/church or school drama clubs/ from the county-this would bring everyone together as a county. These are some suggestions that I think would make our County more successful in the 21st century!!! Thank You for asking us!

96 Gain more community involvement 97 Clean and shine up the city - tear down, mow, paint, remove junk from each street of the

city. 98 Chamber and economic development need new leadership to move into the future.

146 October 2009

99 21st century jobs that will not be outsourced 100 More retail/food/recreation choices 101 Teaching our children good work ethics. 102 BRING NEW INDUSTRIES TO THE COMMUNITY 103 To provide competitive energy to existing industry and promote programs that support

work, not support programs of entitlement. 104 INDUSTRY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE HIGHER PAYING JOBS. 105 More focus on skill-specific jobs and less on manual labor. 106 Restoration of what we currently have and are not using. Such as buildings we leave

sitting empty. Downtown atmosphere 107 A safe and fun place for teens to meet and hang out. There is a place in Gulf Shores

Alabama that gives families a fun and recreational place for parents, children’s, and teens to hang out and bands playing.

108 Advertise the current businesses and manufacturing. I don't believe most people know what opportunities are in Johnson County.

109 We need to encourage new businesses to come here and work to keep the ones here that we already have. if there are no good jobs here, soon there will be no people her either and all businesses will fail

110 RECRUIT GOOD INDUSTRY TO PROVIDE GOOD JOBS SO THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY THE EXTRA TAXES FOR SCHOOLS, ROADS, PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA AND ANY PEOPLE COMING TO THE AREA FOR WORK OR PLAY.

111 Improve education. PLAN--do not just assume that development is good. Think about eco-friendly, community preserving incentives

112 Education 113 We need to bring in more businesses, provide a better school system so we can bring in

the clientele to work the new jobs. Also, we need to clean up Clarksville. We need to work on better roads in town for we are congested and traffic does move smoothly. Especially around the Wal-Mart, McDonalds and school locations. If we had a disaster and had to do an emergency evacuation it would be interesting to see how that would take place.

114 The community needs to come together and enthusiastically build and promote Clarksville as the most POSITIVE place in the River Valley!

115 Pass town millage 116 More advertising about what we have available here. 117 Give more help and advantages to the elderly whether they have a decent place to live

and be happy. 118 Give more help and advantages to the elderly whether they have a decent place to live

and be happy. 119 Better restaurant to help keep money inside our community. Job opportunities for

population to grow. 120 In order for Johnson County to move forward in 21th century it needs a greater number

of white-collar and blue collar careers. Along with this I think that we need more restaurants, meeting places, hotels that would attract businesses.

121 It needs to grow its industry and amenities. That would bring more jobs with more people. Russellville is the closest place to go to a specialist and find most things that Johnson CO. does not have. That’s sad

147 October 2009

122 Improved hospital. Living in this area is nice but I do not like the fact that the local hospital is not able to handle extreme emergencies. A few years ago I was bad and could not breathe and to be put on a ventilator if I had been here then I would have died. I luckily, was living in Jonesboro and went to St. Bernard’s Hospital and had the best pulmonary doctor. He saved my life. I am wanting to move back because I do not feel safe having to use this hospital.

123 Pay higher for jobs, the rates suck 124 Improved Hospital/Health facilities 125 MORE JOBS with HIGHER PAY....current employment at certain places are no longer

giving cost of living raises. They are needed. 126 Creating jobs that pay well enough to sustain families in these difficult economic times. 127 With three I-40 exits and lot of land to development, Clarksville is half way between Little

Rock and Fayetteville, if alcoholic beverages were sold maybe more QUALITY restaurants could be built

128 Improving all the roads and bridges in the county. 129 Attract and retain manufacturing business. 130 New companies moving in, industries and a bigger school. I love Clarksville, but there

aren't that many job opportunities. There are two major plants -Hanes (rumored to be shut down by 2012, and Tyson). There are a few smaller ones. I want more opportunities for my children who are about to graduate. Not working on the line at Tyson. All that's left if basically minimum wage jobs and fast food. Hard to raise a family working minimum wage at a fast food restaurant. MORE INDUSTRIES

131 Improve K-12 education and offer more entertainment for families 132 The citizens need to understand by passing a school tax, the entire community benefits.

Some families like me a hesitant to have their kids to go to school in Clarksville because of the lack of commitment by the citizens to improve facilities. Also, the police need to enforce those living in the city to clean up their yards.

133 Pride of ownership--our town and county need to demonstrate more pride in our area by maintaining properties, keeping residences clean and neat, as well as roadways.

134 Be competitive with Central and Northwest Arkansas in the area of jobs. 135 Increase population or increase circulation of people (tourism) 136 Provide more industry 137 Create more well paying jobs. 138 Nice restaurants clean up the ones we have. 139 To bring in more family oriented restaurants that could make more profit and bring more

people from surrounding areas to our town. 140 Improved national and world wide economy. 141 deal with our growing community positively. Industrial growth is essential, keep

unemployment down and to keep our community safe from gang related crime 142 Providing more jobs in the area for college graduates. 143 Get rid of the outdated liquor laws! Just think of the tax revenue a good restaurant

would bring. We drive to Fort Smith and Little Rock just to have a glass of wine with dinner. Ridiculous!

148 October 2009

144 White collar jobs. We don't need any more blue collar industry. Our positive is being ruined by this class. our community is starting to show signs of this in our housing (very few nice housing additions) our children are suffering the effects at our school due to many reasons caused by the quality of the people we are drawing to work here. if you have only lower class jobs you tend to attract more than your share of lower class citizens. Our town will see more crime, drugs and problems soon if we don't change. Our community will see a lot of our quality citizens moving to other parts of the state if things don't change. I understand that big companies pay big taxes but you can't put all of your eggs in one basket or you'll have our problem. A community is only as good as it's people.

145 Business growth 146 Improve public school facilities 147 Growth 148 An attitude adjustment. A softening of the "good-ole-boy" mentality. It's a dry county! In

America! In the 21st century. What business is going to be attracted to a backwoods, self-righteous, bible-thumping' and possibly still racist community? NONE.

149 More industry/ better jobs with higher pay...everything else will follow, as long as the area leaders become more open minded and allow it to happen

150 We need more jobs brought to the area. Other areas of the community are set and ready for growth: Housing, Construction, Utilities, and etc.

151 To get the hourly wage to a higher standard after all the more you make the more you spend. And having more places and things to spend it on just the basics means you've got to spend somewhere else which is bad for Johnson County plain and simple.

152 The factories/businesses in the community need to be supported with workers from the community. We need to keep the factories and work places that are currently in place.

153 Johnson County citizens need to have a more positive outlook on the place in which they live.

154 The powers that be need to change their way of thinking. 155 Recently had an out of town visitor (lady) on a Monday and didn't feel I had a good place

to take her to lunch that would give a good reflection of the community--a few good restaurants would be very beneficial.

156 Give residents reason to want to stay and spend their money in Clarksville instead of going to Russellville, Ft. Smith, Conway to eat, shop, entertainment (there is very little of any of these here in town)

157 Large Industrial Business 158 Technological job market. 159 More jobs for young people out of high school or college. 160 More than one thing: a) Think "green". b) Develop relationships with other successful

cities to learn how success is attained (choose a mentor), develop relationships with successful entrepreneurs/business leaders that can influence business location plans, and secure relationships with state political leaders that can influence business location plans.

161 To be more the restroom stop for travelers on the Little Rock to Fayetteville trek. 162 The community and local government needs to be more willing for outside companies to

move in so as to expand our economy. Also, it should be realized that some old laws that are in place cause substantial amounts of revenue loss that could greatly benefit Johnson county (dry county).

163 Be a GREEN city 164 Change of attitude 165 I hate to say this but to attract better quality jobs and more professional people the

149 October 2009

county has to go WET. 166 There needs to be more good paying jobs available. 167 MORE JOBS! 168 Increased effort to attract new businesses and industries to the area. 169 Create more jobs. Good Restaurants. Banks who are willing to work with small

businesses. 170 More young people to stay and have good jobs 171 More draw for higher levels of business. 172 Less racism in the school district. More affordable housing. Cleaner community. 173 Less regulations for business owners. 174 E-verify 175 Maintaining the history of Clarksville by encouraging the renovation of down town

Clarksville instead of as much new construction. There are lots of great spaces available on Main Street that are not put to good use.

176 Increase of industrial employment and an increase of higher paying skilled jobs, white collar jobs. Education is promoted, but the job market isn't retaining graduates here in Johnson County. It's difficult to get hired as top mgmt for Wal-Mart D.C and Tyson. We need more businesses and factories.

177 Become a wet county so we can attract quality restaurants which attracts more retail which attracts more people who need more housing and services

178 Stay small. Don't outgrow existing infrastructure. Keep cost of living down. No new taxes/fees.

179 Develop higher paying jobs to attract more people to our community. 180 More cooperation between city, county and business leaders. 181 Since Johnson county has communities growing in any areas, I would say a great

opportunity to increase business in those areas is to include more recreational activities that bring revenue and increase blue collar jobs like food processing. This should lead the way for more improvement in white collar jobs.

182 To be willing to work with companies & business' that are willing to locate in the county without getting involved with too much red tape and how it might affect other business' in the area. By creating a type of monopoly because we are afraid to hurt "so & so's" business so we don't want to let a "competitor" into the county.

183 United prayer and helping one another 184 Restaurants need the ability to serve alcohol to compete for better restaurants in the

county. Better quality multifamily housing units that are not tied directly to LMI. 185 Improve education and citizen involvement 186 To have proactive leadership in the county and city. 187 Drawing industrial companies and manufacturing. Having a railroad system to support

manufacturing companies. 188 Improve the knowledge level and skills of the local workforce 189 New business other than the poultry industry 190 For more residents to trade with local merchants whenever possible. The customers need

to think of it as helping themselves and our home. 191 Make it easier to get around the city, less traffic tie ups 192 We need to "grow up" as a community and find some successful small town progressive

model cities that are doing well and follow their pattern 193 A clear vision of where it wants to go. 194 Open minds 195 Addition of higher paying jobs and new businesses where that money can be spent.

150 October 2009

196 To be most successful in the 21st century economy Johnson County's residents NEED to increase their education to become competitive to others in the nation and the world. Too many residents rely on disability, social security, and jobs which are routine-like requiring little education. However, most of these jobs are being outsourced and our unemployment rates have sky rocketed, as our industries dwindled. It is imperative that education (skill levels) become top priority in order to maintain existing businesses/industries, attract businesses/industries (including amenities and recreational areas) and increase our economic power. With that in mind whatever business/industry or development performed must prioritize Johnson County's basis for success - its natural resources. Planning infrastructure wisely according to the areas geographical and topographical resources is imperative to prevent man-caused natural disasters such as droughts, floods, erosion, mud slides, and pollution resulting mainly from rapid development.

197 Keep wages and benefits up by not allowing the undermining of the workforce due to hiring of illegal workers.

198 While maintaining our historic areas, move forward to attract young families and provide infrastructure to keep those young families in our area.

199 Go Green!

151 October 2009

APPENDIX D

DEMOGRAPHIC AND EMPLOYMENT DATA – JOHNSON COUNTY

State of Arkansas

Johnson County Clarksville Coal

Hill Hartman Knoxville Lamar

Population

2008 Population 2.86M 24,999 8,640 1,090 657 578 1,559

Projected Population 2013 2.97M 26,365 9,274 1,139 692 617 1,639

Age

Age 0 - 4 7.0% 6.3% 7.2% 8.1% 8.2% 7.0% 7.7%

Age 5 - 14 13.5% 14.1% 12.3% 14.0% 13.5% 15.7% 15.1%

Age 15 - 19 6.8% 7.4% 6.7% 7.6% 6.5% 7.7% 6.6%

Age 20 - 24 6.8% 7.6% 8.2% 5.7% 4.7% 5.3% 6.6%

Age 25 - 34 13.1% 14.3% 14.9% 15.5% 15.5% 13.9% 13.8%

Age 35 - 44 13.1% 12.5% 12.1% 12.8% 12.6% 14.1% 13.7%

Age 45 - 54 13.8% 10.4% 12.3% 11.7% 12.9% 11.5% 14.4%

Age 55 - 64 11.6% 10.0% 9.7% 11.6% 11.3% 11.2% 9.2%

Age 65 - 74 7.5% 9.2% 7.7% 7.2% 8.5% 8.2% 6.6%

Age 75 - 84 4.8% 6.1% 5.5% 4.5% 4.8% 4.2% 4.8%

Age 85 + 2.0% 2.0% 3.4% 1.3% 1.5% 1.1% 1.6%

2008 Median Age 37.3 36.5 35.5 34.4 36.3 35.2 35.3

Projected Median Age 2013 37.7 37.2 36.2 35.3 37.2 36.0 36.0

Race and Ethnicity

White 78.1% 93.0% 87.3% 95.7% 96.9% 96.3% 95.0%

Black 15.5% 1.5% 3.4% 0.1% 0.4% 0.0% 0.7%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9% 0.7% 0.5% 0.9% 1.0% 1.5% 1.2%

Asian or Pacific Islander N/A 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2%

Some Other Race 2.3% 2.9% 6.3% 1.5% 1.1% 1.0% 1.1%

Multi-Race 2.1% 1.5% 1.9% 1.9% 0.6% 1.1% 1.9%

Hispanic Ethnicity 5.6% 10.6% 21.2% 4.6% 4.2% 4.3% 7.0%

Not of Hispanic Ethnicity 94.4% 89.4% 78.8% 95.4% 95.8% 95.7% 93.0%

Educational Attainment:

Total Population Age 25+ 1.88M 16,573 5,664 704 441 372 999

Grade K - 8 6.8% 11.7% 12.3% 13.3% 15.0% 8.6% 13.6%

Grade 9 - 12 11.2% 14.9% 14.6% 14.7% 19.7% 14.3% 15.2%

High School Graduate 37.0% 40.1% 36.0% 45.3% 36.4% 36.6% 42.3%

152 October 2009

State of Arkansas

Johnson County Clarksville Coal

Hill Hartman Knoxville Lamar

Some College, No Degree 6.4% 16.5% 17.8% 17.1% 14.1% 21.9% 15.0%

Associate’s Degree 20.4% 2.6% 1.6% 3.5% 2.8% 7.2% 3.7%

Bachelor’s Degree 5.9% 9.4% 11.2% 4.2% 7.0% 9.6% 8.0%

Graduate Degree 12.3% 4.8% 6.6% 2.0% 5.0% 1.8% 2.3%

Household Income:

Income $ 0 - $9,999 N/A 12.0% 13.4% 15.2% 15.4% 8.5% 13.2%

Income $ 10,000 - $14,999 N/A 6.9% 7.4% 8.1% 5.8% 6.4% 7.0%

Income $ 15,000 - $24,999 13.8% 17.8% 19.3% 18.1% 20.9% 15.1% 17.1%

Income $ 25,000 - $34,999 13.2% 15.0% 13.5% 16.3% 16.1% 13.2% 18.5%

Income $ 35,000 - $49,999 17.0% 16.9% 17.5% 13.1% 12.0% 20.5% 16.3%

Income $ 50,000 - $74,999 18.8% 18.1% 17.7% 17.1% 19.9% 19.1% 13.9%

Income $ 75,000 - $99,999 9.3% 6.8% 5.7% 6.6% 3.5% 8.3% 6.9%

Income $100,000 - $124,999 N/A 2.8% 2.1% 2.9% 2.6% 4.6% 3.2%

Income $125,000 - $149,999 N/A 1.5% 1.4% 1.1% 0.8% 2.0% 2.5%

Income $150,000 + 4.1% 2.1% 1.8% 1.5% 3.0% 2.4% 1.4%

2008 Average Household Income $51,809 $45,977 $44,277 $40,992 $50,195 $47,504 $44,647

2008 Median Household Income $40,474 $33,852 $31,699 $29,325 $30,753 $40,187 $34,137

2008 Per Capita Income $20,970 $17,248 $17,399 $14,975 $18,312 $16,250 $19,290

Projected Average Household Income 2013 $57,966 $51,468 $48,768 $46,753 $55,426 $54,996 $46,885

Projected Median Household Income 2013 $45,009 $37,389 $34,779 $32,646 $33,668 $44,780 $35,598

Projected Per Capita Income 2013 $23,571 $18,792 $18,689 $16,619 $19,639 $18,309 $16,797

Labor Force 2008

Civilian Employed 1.27M 10,467 3,455 404 269 267 655

Civilian Unemployed 95,086 968 601 33 15 16 45

In Armed Forces 7,380 30 8 0 0 0 2

In Labor Force 1.37M 11,465 4,064 437 283 283 702 Employment by Industry 2000

% Accommodation and food services 5.29% 6.42% 7.06% 3.90% 4.23% 6.21% 5.88%

% Administrative and support and waste management services

2.46% 1.08% 0.64% 1.44% 1.15% 0.55% 2.19%

153 October 2009

State of Arkansas

Johnson County Clarksville Coal

Hill Hartman Knoxville Lamar

% Agriculture forestry fishing and hunting 3.46% 5.31% 3.03% 7.17% 6.66% 1.86% 3.89%

% Arts entertainment and recreation 1.03% 0.34% 0.29% 0.04% 0.26% 1.09% 0.26%

% Construction 7.05% 5.01% 2.67% 6.71% 9.60% 7.29% 7.79% % Educational services 8.24% 8.44% 9.40% 7.45% 10.88% 8.93% 7.13% % Finance and insurance 3.46% 2.78% 2.89% 1.27% 2.43% 0.40% 2.54% % Health care and social assistance 11.38% 7.51% 7.13% 6.41% 6.40% 7.30% 6.45%

% Information 2.27% 1.16% 1.71% 0.80% 1.66% 0.00% 2.07% % Management of companies and enterprises 0.07% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

% Manufacturing 19.37% 31.61% 36.28% 25.60% 25.35% 27.42% 30.39% % Mining 0.27% 0.55% 0.18% 1.37% 0.64% 1.09% 0.87% % Other services (except public administration) 5.0% 4.32% 4.14% 6.22% 5.12% 4.92% 4.55%

% Professional scientific and technical services 2.84% 1.72% 2.80% 0.42% 0.38% 2.91% 2.29%

% Public administration 4.33% 2.24% 3.41% 4.89% 1.15% 0.55% 1.34% % Real estate and rental and leasing 1.35% 1.28% 1.30% 1.27% 0.00% 1.46% 1.45%

% Retail trade 13.0% 12.39% 11.33% 14.98% 18.69% 17.10% 11.55% % Transportation and warehousing 4.83% 3.38% 2.93% 3.61% 2.30% 6.72% 4.14%

% Utilities 1.11% 2.33% 0.96% 3.56% 0.77% 2.92% 3.57% % Wholesale trade 3.27% 2.12% 1.86% 2.89% 2.30% 1.29% 1.65%

154 October 2009

APPENDIX E

DEMOGRAPHIC AND EMPLOYMENT DATA – COMPARABLE CITIES/COUNTIES

Clarksville, AR

Arkadelphia, AR

Paragould, AR

Russellville, AR

Searcy, AR

Siloam Springs,

AR

Sewanee/ Winchester,

TN

Johnson County, AR (Clarksville)

Clark County AR

(Arkadelphia)

Greene County, AR (Paragould)

Pope County AR

(Russellville)

White County

AR (Searcy)

Benton County

AR (Siloam Springs)

Franklin County, TN (Sewanee/

Winchester)

Population:

2008 Population 8,640 10,196 23,693 26,293 20,435 13,548 10,048 24,999 22,714 40,935 58,710 74,115 209,903 41,946

Projected Population 2013 9,274 9,802 24,679 27,893 21,400 15,277 10,281

26,365 22,225 43,045 61,307 78,252 244,177 43,566

Age:

Age 0 - 4 7.2% 6.9% 7.2% 7.2% 6.7% 7.7% 5.8% 7.2% 7.1% 7.1% 6.9% 7.4% 7.5% 6.3%

Age 5 - 14 12.3% 10.7% 12.8% 11.7% 10.8% 14.7% 10.0% 13.5% 11.6% 13.3% 12.8% 12.7% 15.3% 11.6%

Age 15 - 19 6.7% 9.3% 6.4% 8.7% 9.0% 8.4% 8.6% 6.6% 7.7% 6.5% 7.7% 7.3% 6.4% 6.8%

Age 20 - 24 8.2% 18.7% 6.6% 11.5% 15.3% 11.4% 12.6% 6.4% 11.6% 6.2% 8.2% 8.7% 6.4% 7.5%

Age 25 - 34 14.9% 13.3% 14.0% 14.1% 12.2% 14.5% 10.9% 14.4% 14.3% 14.2% 13.6% 13.3% 14.5% 13.3%

Age 35 - 44 12.1% 9.0% 12.9% 10.9% 10.3% 12.4% 10.2% 12.9% 10.7% 13.5% 12.6% 12.4% 13.9% 12.2%

Age 45 - 54 12.3% 9.4% 13.1% 11.9% 10.5% 12.2% 12.0% 13.3% 11.7% 13.6% 13.4% 12.8% 13.3% 14.2%

Age 55 - 64 9.7% 8.0% 10.6% 9.1% 8.9% 7.5% 11.7% 11.2% 10.5% 11.4% 11.0% 10.6% 9.8% 12.3%

Age 65 - 74 7.7% 6.5% 8.3% 6.8% 7.2% 5.0% 8.8% 7.7% 7.4% 7.6% 7.1% 7.6% 6.9% 8.5%

Age 75 - 84 5.5% 5.4% 5.7% 5.4% 6.5% 4.3% 6.3% 4.7% 5.0% 4.8% 4.7% 5.3% 4.5% 5.3%

Age 85 + 3.4% 3.0% 2.5% 2.7% 2.7% 2.0% 3.3% 2.2% 2.4% 1.9% 1.9% 1.9% 1.5% 2.0% 2008 Median Age 35.5 27.2 37.5 32.1 31.0 30.3 37.3 36.5 32.9 37.1 35.7 35.6 35.0 38.9

Projected Median Age 2013

36.2 29.8 38.3 32.7 32.6% 31.2 38.2

37.2 32.9 37.9 35.8 35.4 36.1 38.7

Race and Ethnicity

155 October 2009

Clarksville, AR

Arkadelphia, AR

Paragould, AR

Russellville, AR

Searcy, AR

Siloam Springs,

AR

Sewanee/ Winchester,

TN

Johnson County, AR (Clarksville)

Clark County AR

(Arkadelphia)

Greene County, AR (Paragould)

Pope County AR

(Russellville)

White County

AR (Searcy)

Benton County

AR (Siloam Springs)

Franklin County, TN (Sewanee/

Winchester)

American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut

0.5% 0.6% 0.5% 0.8% 0.8% 3.9% 0.1%

0.7% 0.5% 0.5% 0.8% 1.1% 1.6% 0.2%

Asian 0.5% 1.3% 0.2% 1.2% 0.3% 1.5% 0.8% 0.3% 0.7% 0.2% 0.7% 0.2% 2.2% 0.4%

Black 3.4% 26.7% 0.3% 5.3% 8.2% 1.1% 10.1% 1.5% 22.3% 0.3% 2.8% 4.8% 1.3% 5.5%

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.0% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.8%

0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.1%

White 87.3% 68.4% 97.3% 89.3% 88.1% 78.9% 87.4% 93.0% 73.6% 97.0% 93.2% 91.5% 84.4% 92.0%

Other 6.3% 1.4% 0.6% 1.8% 1.1% 8.9% 0.7% 2.9% 1.5% 0.5% 1.0% 0.9% 6.8% 0.7%

Multi-Race 1.9% 1.4% 1.0% 1.6% 1.4% 5.6% 1.0% 1.5% 1.3% 1.5% 1.5% 1.5% 3.7% 1.2% Hispanic Ethnicity 21.2% 5.2% 2.0% 7.3% 3.2% 22.1% 3.1% 10.6% 4.8% 1.7% 4.9% 3.0% 14.9% 2.2%

Not of Hispanic Ethnicity 78.8% 94.9% 98.0% 92.7% 96.8% 77.9% 96.9%

89.4% 95.2% 98.3% 95.1% 97.0% 85.1% 97.8%

Educational Attainment:

Total Population Age 25+ 5,664 5,557 15,876 16,028 11,917 7,837 6,336

16,573 14,104 27,412 37,795 47,437 135,260 28,433

Grade K - 8 12.3% 6.3% 8.6% 5.2% 6.4% 6.3% 9.0% 11.7% 6.5% 9.0% 6.8% 8.4% 4.5% 10.0%

Grade 9 - 12 14.6% 10.6% 13.4% 9.9% 6.5% 11.1% 13.6% 14.9% 13.6% 13.9% 11.5% 8.6% 9.3% 12.6%

High School Graduate 36.0% 26.0% 41.5% 30.0% 37.1% 37.9% 33.0%

40.1% 34.9% 43.9% 35.9% 43.4% 34.5% 37.8%

Associates Degree 1.6% 4.7% 3.7% 4.4% 4.6% 3.8% 4.4% 2.6% 4.0% 3.6% 4.3% 4.8% 6.4% 5.5%

Bachelor's Degree 11.2% 16.6% 9.7% 17.6% 12.4% 14.9% 11.0% 9.4% 12.0% 8.0% 13.5% 8.2% 16.8% 8.5%

Graduate Degree 6.6% 15.1% 4.5% 8.9% 14.1% 6.1% 12.0% 4.8% 8.8% 3.6% 6.4% 7.7% 5.6% 7.6%

Some College, No Degree 17.8% 20.8% 18.6% 24.2% 18.9% 20.0% 17.0%

16.5% 20.1% 18.0% 21.6% 19.0% 23.0% 18.1%

156 October 2009

Clarksville, AR

Arkadelphia, AR

Paragould, AR

Russellville, AR

Searcy, AR

Siloam Springs,

AR

Sewanee/ Winchester,

TN

Johnson County, AR (Clarksville)

Clark County AR

(Arkadelphia)

Greene County, AR (Paragould)

Pope County AR

(Russellville)

White County

AR (Searcy)

Benton County

AR (Siloam Springs)

Franklin County, TN (Sewanee/

Winchester)

Household Income:

Income $ 0 - $9,999 13.4% 21.0% 11.8% 11.2% 10.2% 5.8% 15.8%

12.0% 16.0% 11.2% 10.2% 10.2% 5.6% 10.7%

Income $ 10,000 - $14,999 7.4% 8.6% 6.4% 5.9% 6.1% 5.0% 5.1%

6.9% 7.5% 6.3% 6.0% 5.8% 3.8% 5.3%

Income $ 15,000 - $24,999 19.3% 14.5% 14.6% 15.2% 15.2% 13.5% 13.3%

17.8% 15.2% 14.2% 14.9% 14.3% 10.2% 11.9%

Income $ 25,000 - $34,999 13.5% 8.3% 14.9% 14.1% 14.1% 14.7% 9.9%

15.0% 11.2% 14.8% 13.7% 13.8% 12.6% 12.3%

Income $ 35,000 - $49,999 17.5% 14.7% 16.8% 15.9% 14.0% 18.2% 16.1%

16.9% 16.4% 17.6% 16.6% 16.9% 17.9% 16.0%

Income $ 50,000 - $74,999 17.7% 15.5% 18.1% 15.8% 19.2% 23.7% 18.9%

18.1% 17.1% 19.6% 18.3% 20.2% 23.2% 21.3%

Income $ 75,000 - $99,999 5.7% 7.8% 8.7% 10.8% 9.0% 9.8% 9.6%

6.8% 8.1% 8.5% 9.7% 9.1% 11.2% 10.5%

Income $100,000 - $124,999 2.1% 5.1% 3.8% 4.8% 5.2% 4.0% 5.9%

2.8% 4.4% 3.6% 4.8% 4.4% 5.9% 5.7%

Income $125,000 - $149,999 1.4% 1.8% 1.5% 2.7% 2.5% 1.1% 2.7%

1.5% 1.7% 1.3% 2.4% 2.1% 3.3% 2.4%

Income $150,000 + 1.8% 2.8% 3.6% 3.7% 4.6% 4.3% 2.8%

2.1% 2.5% 2.8% 3.5% 3.2% 6.5% 4.0%

Average Household Income 2008

$44,277 $41,661 $49,692 $49,501 $57,836 $62,765 $53,452

$45,977 $44,086 $48,849 $49,049 $52,719 $63,007 $53,466

Median Household Income 2008

$31,699 $32,418 $37,107 $38,011 $39,970 $43,791 $43,274

$33,852 $35,139 $37,922 $39,379 $40,328 $50,008 $44,267

Per Capita Income 2008 $17,399 $17,708 $20,982 $19,948 $22,031 $23,586 $23,204

$17,248 $18,839 $19,701 $19,050 $20,191 $23,746 $21,959

157 October 2009

Clarksville, AR

Arkadelphia, AR

Paragould, AR

Russellville, AR

Searcy, AR

Siloam Springs,

AR

Sewanee/ Winchester,

TN

Johnson County, AR (Clarksville)

Clark County AR

(Arkadelphia)

Greene County, AR (Paragould)

Pope County AR

(Russellville)

White County

AR (Searcy)

Benton County

AR (Siloam Springs)

Franklin County, TN (Sewanee/

Winchester)

Average Household Income 2013

$48,768 $46,359 $55,456 $55,235 $63,968 $69,531 $53,236

$51,468 $49,346 $54,384 $54,706 $58,684 $71,605 $58,882

Median Household Income 2013

$34,779 $35,355 $40,765 $41,817 $44,289 $49,052 $44,843

$37,389 $38,832 $41,797 $43,332 $44,756 $55,475 $49,124

Per Capita Income 2013 $18,689 $20,539 $23,479 $22,119 $24,326 $25,762 $23,863

$18,792 $22,021 $21,947 $21,240 $22,393 $26,649 $24,758

Labor Force 2008

Civilian Employed 3,455 4,421 10,883 11,905 8,371 6,739 4,022 10,467 10,194 18,684 26,783 31,912 100,814 18,711

Civilian Unemployed 601 288 702 1,089 2,440 585 544 968 558 1,228 1,878 4,462 6,262 1,129

In Armed Forces 8 19 25 39 21 2 4 30 25 32 62 182 189 62

In Labor Force 4,064 4,729 11,610 13,033 10,832 7,326 4,570 11,465 10,777 19,944 28,723 36,556 107,265 19,902

Employment by Industry 2000

% Accommodation and food services

7.06% 6.87% 5.4% 7.49% 8.30% 5.1% 6.3%

6.4% 5.53% 5.1% 5.99% 5.55% 4.4% 4.1%

% Administrative and support and waste management services

0.64% 1.22% 2.4% 2.05% 2.30% 3.0% 3.3%

1.1% 1.46% 2.2% 2.02% 2.28% 2.6% 2.5%

% Agriculture forestry fishing and hunting

3.03% 0.90% 2.0% 1.10% 0.83% 3.6% 0.9%

5.3% 4.25% 3.1% 2.97% 2.21% 3.1% 2.1%

% Arts entertainment and recreation

0.29% 0.45% 0.2% 1.21% 0.64% 0.7% 1.5%

0.3% 0.64% 0.3% 0.78% 0.55% 1.0% 0.8%

% Construction 2.67% 3.46% 4.9% 5.10% 5.35% 4.1% 5.8% 5.0% 4.92% 5.8% 6.87% 9.67% 6.7% 7.6%

158 October 2009

Clarksville, AR

Arkadelphia, AR

Paragould, AR

Russellville, AR

Searcy, AR

Siloam Springs,

AR

Sewanee/ Winchester,

TN

Johnson County, AR (Clarksville)

Clark County AR

(Arkadelphia)

Greene County, AR (Paragould)

Pope County AR

(Russellville)

White County

AR (Searcy)

Benton County

AR (Siloam Springs)

Franklin County, TN (Sewanee/

Winchester)

% Educational services 9.40% 26.01% 8.0% 13.21% 16.00% 13.4% 19.8%

8.4% 17.97% 7.3% 10.58% 9.93% 6.2% 10.7%

% Finance and insurance 2.89% 4.24% 3.2% 2.80% 3.41% 2.7% 2.3%

2.8% 3.97% 2.7% 2.27% 3.03% 3.4% 2.8%

% Health care and social assistance

7.13% 12.12% 10.0% 9.75% 11.63% 5.7% 8.9%

7.5% 11.24% 9.2% 9.23% 10.41% 7.9% 9.3%

% Information 1.71% 1.77% 1.9% 1.58% 1.68% 1.7% 1.5% 1.2% 1.29% 1.5% 1.45% 1.43% 1.1% 0.9%

% Management of companies and enterprises

0.00% 0.00% 0.0% 0.00% 0.00% 0.0% 0.0%

0.0% 0.01% 0.0% 0.00% 0.03% 0.4% 0.0%

% Manufacturing 36.28% 15.32% 30.6% 16.24% 13.47% 32.7% 20.5% 31.6% 20.46% 32.7% 19.66% 18.19% 20.4% 26.0%

% Mining 0.18% 0.35% 0.0% 0.02% 0.00% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.23% 0.0% 0.06% 0.05% 0.0% 0.0%

% Other services (except public administration)

4.14% 5.66% 5.1% 4.92% 5.94% 6.2% 5.4%

4.3% 5.04% 4.9% 4.92% 5.83% 5.1% 5.0%

% Professional scientific and technical services

2.80% 1.45% 2.8% 2.75% 2.02% 1.0% 4.0%

1.7% 1.19% 2.1% 2.45% 1.68% 3.3% 4.8%

% Public administration 3.41% 2.36% 2.3% 3.59% 3.51% 2.6% 3.1%

2.2% 2.81% 2.4% 3.26% 3.30% 2.4% 3.6%

% Real estate and rental and leasing

1.30% 0.99% 0.6% 1.67% 1.12% 1.1% 1.0%

1.3% 1.18% 0.6% 1.31% 1.01% 1.5% 1.1%

% Retail trade 11.33% 12.45% 12.9% 15.05% 15.26% 10.8% 10.3% 12.4% 12.07% 12.3% 13.44% 14.68% 22.4% 11.9%

% Transportation and warehousing 2.93% 1.75% 3.1% 3.39% 4.95% 2.9% 2.8%

3.4% 2.90% 3.5% 4.75% 6.41% 4.5% 3.0%

% Utilities 0.96% 0.53% 1.1% 5.24% 1.38% 1.4% 0.9% 2.3% 0.85% 1.0% 4.84% 1.31% 0.9% 1.0% % Wholesale trade 1.86% 2.11% 3.6% 2.83% 2.21% 1.2% 1.7% 2.1% 1.98% 3.5% 3.15% 2.45% 2.7% 2.8%

159 October 2009

APPENDIX F ENDNOTES

1 http://www.clarksvillearchamber.com/localbusiness.htm 2 http://www.clarksvillearchamber.com/utilities.htm 3 Ibid. 4 Decision Data Resources report generated September 9, 2009. 5 Ibid. 6 Decision Data Resources report generated September 12, 2009. 7 7 http://normessasweb.uark.edu/schoolperformance/District/Summary.php 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. 10 http://www.clarksvillearchamber.com/education.htm 11 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/academics/majors/ 12 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/academics/preprof/ 13 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/academics/jlc/services/default.asp 14 http://www.ozarks.edu/newsevents/news/news_story.asp?NewsID=3644 15 Decision Data Resources report generated September 9, 2009. 16 Ibid. 17 http://www.clarksvillearchamber.com/localbusiness.htm 18 Decision Data Resources report generated September 9, 2009. 19 http://www.clarksvillearchamber.com/employers.htm 20 http://www.arkansassiteselection.com/aedc/Sites_results.asp 21 http://www.arkansassiteselection.com/aedc/Buildings_results.asp 22 http://jrmc.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=3 23 http://countrysidemanor.info/aboutus.html 24 Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, October 21, 2009 25 http://www2.cityofarkadelphia.com:8080/CityOfArkadelphia 26 http://www2.cityofarkadelphia.com:8080/CityOfArkadelphia/departments-1/arkadelphia-municipal-airport- 27 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 28 http://www.acce.org/news-acce-article_ektid9692.aspx 29 http://www.siftingsherald.com/news/x702322144/New-Alliance-leader-will-continue-work-of-Harvel 30 http://www.siftingsherald.com/news/x1991355098/EDCCC-approves-funding-request-from-Danfoss-Scroll 31 http://southernbancorp.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/8709c.pdf 5 http://arkansasedc.com/media/257669/clark_05_09.doc 33 http://www.clarkcountyic.com/industry-existing.htm 34 http://www.clarkcountyic.com/businesspark.htm 35 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 36 http://normessasweb.uark.edu/schoolperformance/District/Summary.php 37 http://www.hsu.edu/Majors.aspx 38 http://www.hsu.edu/asbtdc.aspx?id=49848 39 http://www.obu.edu/ 40 http://www.clarkcountyic.com/learningcenter.html 41 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67 42 http://chamber.paragould.org/ 43 http://arkansasedc.com/site-location/community-details.aspx?name=Paragould 44 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=6&Itemid=29 45 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=4&Itemid=27 46 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=75 47 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=97 48 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5248/is_20_25/ai_n29438297/ 49 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 50 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=57 51 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=45 52 http://www.arkansassiteselection.com/aedc/Sites_results.asp 53 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 54 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67 55 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67 56 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67 57 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67 58 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67

160 October 2009

59 http://chamber.paragould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=67 60 http://www.russellvillechamber.org/ 61 http://www.russellville.org/enter/transportation.htm 62 http://www.russellville.org/enter/transportation.htm 63 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 64 http://www.russellvillechamber.org/chamber/staff.htm and http://www.russellvillechamber.org/chamber/board.htm 65 http://www.russellville.org/index.html and http://www.villageprofile.com/arkansas/russellville/12/topic.html 66 http://www.russellvillechamber.org/chamber/leadership.htm 67 http://www.russellvillechamber.org/newsletter/jan09.pdf 68 https://www.newcorp.com/who_we_are/060508.html 69 https://www.newcorp.com/who_we_are/060508.html 70 http://www.russellvillechamber.org/newsletter/jan09.pdf 71 http://searcy.dina.org/about-searcy/location-climate 72 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 73 http://searcy.dina.org/your-chamber/leadership 74 http://searcy.dina.org/news/bj-services-brings-jobs 75 http://www.arkansassiteselection.com/aedc/Buildings_results.asp 76 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 77 http://searcy.dina.org/economic-development/existing-industries 78 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 79 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 80 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 81 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 82 http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/03/28/News/341465.html 83 http://searcy.dina.org/economic-development/available-buildings-and-sites 84 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 85 http://searcy.dina.org/about-searcy/public-private-schools 86 http://www.harding.edu/about/facts.html 87 http://searcy.dina.org/news/chesapeake-opens-regional-headquarters 88 http://www.asub.edu/academic_programs/programs_asus.asp 89 http://searcy.dina.org/news/chesapeake-opens-regional-headquarters 90 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 91 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 92 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 93 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 94 http://searcy.dina.org/economic-development/available-buildings-and-sites 95 Decision Data Resources report generated June 26, 2009. 90 http://searcy.dina.org/about-searcy/public-private-schools 91 http://www.harding.edu/about/facts.html 92 http://searcy.dina.org/news/chesapeake-opens-regional-headquarters 93 http://www.asub.edu/academic_programs/programs_asus.asp 94 http://searcy.dina.org/news/chesapeake-opens-regional-headquarters 100 http://www.siloamsprings.com/about/history.php 101 http://www.siloamsprings.com/about/index.php 102 http://www.siloamsprings.com/economic_dev/index.php 103 Ibid. 104 http://www.siloamsprings.com/departments/electric/index.php 105 http://www.siloamsprings.com/departments/electric/what_we_do.php 106 http://www.arkansassiteselection.com/aedc/buildings-and-sites.asp 107 http://www.siloamsprings.com/economic_dev/index.php 108 http://siloamchamber.info/images/stories/Community%20Profile%202009.pdf 109 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/index.htm 110 Decision Data Resources report generated May 22, 2008. 111 Decision Data Resources report generated May 22, 2008. 112 Decision Data Resources report generated May 22, 2008. 113 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/ 114 http://www.franklincountychamber.com/content/view/1263/73/ 115 http://www.franklincountychamber.com/content/view/1260/67/ 116 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/business-climate.html 117 Decision Data Resources report generated May 22, 2008. 118 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/existing-industry.html 119 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/existing-industry.html 120 http://www.arnold.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070131-094.pdf 121 http://www.arnold.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070205-007.pdf 122 http://www.aerospacetestingalliance.com/ 123 http://www.aerospacetestingalliance.com/ATA.pdf 124 http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/09/06/020984.html 125 http://www.expansionmanagement.com/cmd/articledetail/articleid/18052/default.asp 126 http://dramatichs.com/index.php

161 October 2009

127 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/business-climate.html 128 http://www.fcidb-tn.org/land 129 http://edu.reportcard.state.tn.us/pls/apex/f?p=222:1:356145233941682::NO::: 130 http://franklincountyschools.k12tn.net/SCHOOLS.html 131 http://www.sasweb.org/aboutsas/index.asp 132 http://home.comcast.net/~sgsfaith/index.htm 133 http://www2.sewanee.edu/why 134 http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drglance_3534_brief.ph 135 http://admission.sewanee.edu/fastfacts/facts and http://theology.sewanee.edu/academics 136 http://www2.sewanee.edu/academics/catalog/departments and http://admission.sewanee.edu/fastfacts/facts 137 http://www2.sewanee.edu/academics/preprofession 138 http://www.utsi.edu/AboutUTSI/ 139 http://www.utsi.edu/academics/ 140 http://www.utsi.edu/AboutUTSI/ 141 http://www.mscc.edu/locations.html 142 http://www.mscc.edu/academicprograms.html 143 http://www.mscc.edu/ecd/programs.pdf 144 http://www.ttcshelbyville.edu/quarter.htm 145 145 http://normessasweb.uark.edu/schoolperformance/District/Summary.php 146 Ibid. 147 Ibid. 148 Decision Data Resources report, generated on September 12, 2009. 149 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/academics/majors/ 150 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/academics/preprof/ 151 http://www.clarksvillearchamber.com/education.htm 152 http://www.atu.edu/academics/degrees.shtml 153 http://www.atu.edu/ozark/ 154 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Degrees/Certificates?skin=prospect 155 http://www.uaccm.edu/Future_Student/pages/Degree_Options.htm 156 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Total On-Campus Headcount Report, Fall 2008 157 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Average ACT Composite Scores at Public Institutions Report, 2008 158 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/ 159 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Total Degrees and Certificates Awarded by Institutions, 2007-08 160 http://www.adhe.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/Institutional%20Finance%20Division/Publications/FB2009.pdf 161 http://www.atu.edu/stuaccts/tuitionfees.shtml 162 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Finaid/Tuition 163 http://www.uaccm.edu/Future_Student/Tuition_Fees.htm 164 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/admissions/tuition.asp 165 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, Arkansas Tech University 166 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith 167 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, Arkansas Tech University 168 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith 169 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, Arkansas Tech University 170 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith 171 Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Five-Year Institutional Degree/Certificate Summary, Arkansas Tech University 172 http://onetech.atu.edu/cp/home/loginf 173 http://onetech.atu.edu/cp/home/loginf 174 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Lifelonglearning/BusinessPrograms?skin=current 175 http://www.uaccm.edu/Community/Community_Education.htm 176 http://admissions.atu.edu/hsconcurrent.htm 177 http://admissions.atu.edu/ubms/ 178 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Future/AdmissionRequirements?skin=prospect#_Concurrent_Dual_Enrollment_of_H 179 http://www.uaccm.edu/Future_Student/Admissions/High_School.htm 180 http://admissions.ozarks.edu/admissions/requirements/ 181 http://www.atu.edu/career/ 182 http://www.atu.edu/ozark/ 183 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Advising/CareerPlanning?skin=current 184 http://www.uaccm.edu/Community/Business_and_Industry.htm 185 http://students.ozarks.edu/services/careers/ 186 http://www.arkansasedc.com/business-development/targeted-industries.aspx 187 http://www.alternative-energy-resources.net/definewindenergy.html 188 http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5821 189 http://www.atu.edu/engineering/mechanical/programs.shtml 190 http://www.atu.edu/ces/About_Us.html 191 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Engineering/WhyChooseUAFortSmithEngineering

162 October 2009

192 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 193 http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/03/28/News/341465.html 194 http://www.cnbc.com/id/25501954/ 195 http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/dictionary/definition/what-is-customer-service-and-support.html 196 http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci761472,00.html 197 http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci761472,00.html 198 http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci214586,00.html 199 http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos280.htm#emply 200 http://www.discoverarkansas.net/article.asp?PAGEID=&SUBID=&ARTICLEID=1433&SEGMENTID=8 201 http://cmisight.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&pop=1&page=0&itemid=58 202 http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci214586,00.html 203 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/04/05/callcenter0405.html 204 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aK5dpaVl7stw 205 http://www.callcentermagazine.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=199703595 206 http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos280.htm#emply 207 http://www.justcareers.com/PressReleases/CallCenterCompensationStudy.pdf 208 http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story/Beebe-Details-HP-Conway-Announcement/uxrFXImk4EO_MrGI-GJeIw.cspx 209 http://arkansasnews.com/2009/06/30/transition-to-verizon-still-ongoing/ 210 http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/nccd.jsp 211 http://www.atu.edu/ces/About_Us.html 212 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Academics/MajorsAndMinors 213 http://www.uaccm.edu/Academics/Academics.htm 214 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 215 http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/03/28/News/341465.html 216 http://www.cnbc.com/id/25501954/ 217 http://www.ryder.com/aboutus_glos.shtml 218 http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/def/NDEF493.HTM 219 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3755/is_20070507/ai_n19197184 220 http://www.iwla.com/why/industry.aspx 221 http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs021.htm 222 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IBQTable?_bm=y&-ds_name=CB0600A1&-ib_type=NAICS2002&-NAICS2002=48-49&-_industry=48-49&-NAICS2002sector=15140391&-_lang=en 223 http://arkansasedc.com/media/37788/AEDClogistics.pdf and http://www.metrolittlerockalliance.com/datacenter/industry/DisplayIndustry.aspx?IndustryID=7 224 http://www.thomasgroup.com/Industries/Distribution.aspx 225 http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/CA6663610.html?industryid=48467 226 http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs021.htm 227 http://www.area-development.com/Archives/06August/1_delivering.html and http://www.naw.org/freereports/channel.pdf 228 http://www.arcountydata.com/parcel.asp?item=9BF1DA&Page=1&countycode=johtax 229 http://arkansasedc.com/media/37788/AEDClogistics.pdf 230 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 231 http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/03/28/News/341465.html 232 http://www.cnbc.com/id/25501954/ 233 http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/data/industry/E311.HTM 234 http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/128.html 235 www.ota.org 236 http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/128.html 237 http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/128.html 238 http://www.the-definition-of-kosher.com/ 239 http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/data/industry/E311.HTM 240 Food and Beverage Industry Profile, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, March 2003 241 http://www.discoverarkansas.net/cgi/dataanalysis/industryReport.asp?menuchoice=industry 242 http://www.1800arkansas.com/reports%5Fpublications/files/Industry Lists/Food_and_Kindred_1006.pdf 243 Food and Beverage Industry Profile, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, March 2003 244 http://www.1800arkansas.com/reports%5Fpublications/files/Industry Lists/Food_and_Kindred_1006.pdf 245 http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?lID=87&sID=88&ms=89&cID=Z&aID=99309.83892.111435 246 http://www.aragriculture.org/agworks/StateofArkansas.pdf 247 Id. 248 http://division.uaex.edu/news_publications/EconImpactAg_2008.pdf 249 http://division.uaex.edu/news_publications/EconImpactAg_2008.pdf 250 http://aaes.uark.edu/fruit.html 251 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 252 http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/03/28/News/341465.html 253 http://www.cnbc.com/id/25501954/ 254 http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/retail.aspx?indid=1599&chid=1 255 http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs035.htm 256 http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/research/profiles/08ar.pdf 257 http://www.experiencecorps.org/research/factsheet.html

163 October 2009

258 http://www.experiencecorps.org/research/factsheet.html 259 Decision Data Resources report generated May 29, 2009. 260 http://www.twaaconsulting.com/docs/Attracting%20Retirees%20as%20ED.pdf 261 http://www.twaaconsulting.com/docs/Attracting%20Retirees%20as%20ED.pdf 262 http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/091707/yrb_144030.shtml 263 http://www.twaaconsulting.com/docs/Attracting%20Retirees%20as%20ED.pdf and http://www.experiencecorps.org/research/factsheet.html 264 http://www.experiencecorps.org/research/factsheet.html 265 http://www.pcc.edu/programs/gerontology/career-healthcare.html 266 http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=115860&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1196237&highlight= 267 http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/green-building/residents-drive-green-living-at-arizona-retirement-community.aspx 268 http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1245816309238370.xml&coll=5 269 http://www.retirementliving.com/GPR_intro.php#college 270 http://www.collegiateretirementcommunity.com 271 http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=93345 272 http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/best-places-to-retire/2007/09/20/best-places-to-retire.html 273 Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, October 21, 2009 274 http://www.atu.edu/academics/degrees.shtml 275 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Health/MessageFromTheDean 276 http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USAR0114?from=month_bottomnav_business 277 http://www.bestplaces.net/city/Clarksville-Arkansas.aspx 278 http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/GreenBuilding/Materials/ 279 http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/GreenBuilding/Materials/ 280 http://www.fscus.org/faqs/what_is_certification.php 281 http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/EngSheet.html 282 http://www.greenconcepts.com/producttips/buildingcomponents/wall.html 283 http://www.recycle-steel.org/rates.html 284 http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/GreenBuilding/Materials/ 285 http://www.arkansasedc.com/media/37782/AEDCgreenmaterials.pdf 286 http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3340 287 http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3340 288 http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3340 289 http://www.arkansasedc.com/media/37782/AEDCgreenmaterials.pdf 290 http://www.baldor.com/products/default.asp 291 http://www.asideas.com/ 292 http://www.atu.edu/ces/About_Us.html 293 http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Engineering/WhyChooseUAFortSmithEngineering 294 http://www.uaccm.edu/Academics/Academics.htm 295 http://www.1800arkansas.com/incentives/index.cfm 296 http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/03/28/News/341465.html 297 http://www.cnbc.com/id/25501954/ 298 http://www.milkeninstitute.org/pdf/2007CostofDoingBusiness.pdf 299 http://asbdc.ualr.edu/locations/#littlerock 300 http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture17.html 301 http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1017 302 http://www.texashospitalityassociation.com/pdfs/Perryman10-07-08.pdf 303 http://www.texashospitalityassociation.com/pdfs/Perryman10-07-08.pdf 304 http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/controversies/1140551076.html 305 http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/166104/print/ 306 http://www.state.ar.us/dfa/abc_administration/regs/abcadm_map.html 307 Id. 308 http://www.texashospitalityassociation.com/pdfs/Perryman10-07-08.pdf 309 http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/DrivingIssues/1070545671.html 310 http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/166104/print/ 311 http://www.sustainableseattle.org/ 312 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, November 28, 2009