CAMDEN — By PATRIC FLANNIGAN
Staff writer
The Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development held its monthly meeting on Wednesday to conduct an overview of OPED Executive Director James Lee Silliman and discus a stall in the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Competitive Communities Initiative.
The CCI evaluation aims to ensure a city’s preparedness to successfully compete for jobs and investments. According to its website, the program is designed to identify ways that a community can be more competitive with regard to their economic development organizational structure, their economic development funding, along with workforce and product readiness. The evaluation begins with a commitment to complete an initial questionnaire detailing existing workforce, available and shovel-ready sites, funding sources, and information from the community’s economic development organization.
The item was listed in the “Old Business” portion of the agenda. Silliman stated that the item had been tabled because signatures were required from an elected official and “those have not been executed.”
Because of that, OPED cannot begin the process.
Ouachita County Judge Robert “Robbie” McAdoo made a motion to un-table the item because the CCI is important to the advancement of the community. He also wanted to notify the members of OPED that there is a perception that all parties involved have not been able to get on the same page.
“I know this from a phone call from the state that our community is not showing as much progress towards working together as we need to be,” McAdoo said. “And this phone call came directly from AEDC to me… In this conversation, this CCI, it was emphasized that if we want to be on the cutting edge, we need to get this done. So if it requires a signature, then I’m ready to sign it. I threw out an idea on how we can accomplish this goal, and it still got tabled. We’ve got to do this.”
McAdoo then asked if his signature would be enough to get things started since he represents Ouachita County, and that includes the communities and cities therein.
AEDC South Arkansas Manager Rory Gulick stated that he believed a signature on the letter of commitment was needed before the process could get started, but explained that he wasn’t sure if that was all that was needed. He shared that AEDC Regional Manager Priscilla Gober was initially handling everything, but she is moving to another state. He shared that he talked to Priscilla and she informed him that there was some misunderstanding about what was needed to get started and that he “dropped out of it” and wasn’t sure what happened at that point.
“You (Silliman and McAdoo) and I can work together so we can try and get something in community development down so we can understand exactly what it takes and get it cleared up…,” he said. “I would think the letter and that signature (is all that’s needed), but I’m not sure if that’s all it required. Again, I’m speaking on something that I’m not all that familiar with.”
Silliman said that he did not mind reaching out to community development divisions within AEDC, “but I want everybody here to understand that it’s not my place to see that this letter of commitment is signed. That’s something that comes from the state.”
McAdoo stated that he wasn’t asking for Silliman’s place in the ordeal, but was just emphasizing that he is ready to sign.
Also during the meeting, Silliman’s contract as the OPED Executive Director was extended for 18 months. OPED Chairman Jim Golden explained that Silliman’s contract runs from June of one year until June of the following year because he was hired in the middle of 2015, but all of OPED’s other contracts are from January to January. Silliman’s contract was extended for 18 months, which would sync his contract with the others to help with OPED’s fiscal budgeting.
“In my opinion and the state’s opinion - because they work closely - James Lee does a very, very good job,” Golden said. “He puts a lot of hours in for a lot less money than what we’ve paid previous directors.”
Silliman thanked OPED members for their support.
Also during the meeting, Silliman shared a report from the Mid America Aerospace and Defense Summit that was held in April in Fort Smith. He stated that he attended the meeting with James Nixon and that Camden had a good showing.
“We have very successful representation,” Silliman said. “I can tell you this much: Camden was the center of attention. We had several of our defense industries site managers that attended…”
Silliman then played a clip from “Talk Business and Politics” with Roby Brock where author Wesley Brown applauded the Camden area for its growth in the industry, despite losing the paper mill more than 20 years ago.
“This area of the state is a big story in terms of economic development,” Brown said on the clip. “There is tremendous growth, and we are seeing major things down there in Camden.”
Silliman also recognized the Ouachita County Medical Center for the report that was printed in a recent Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article where it was listed as the only one out of 29 Arkansas hospitals to receive an “A” grade. He added that he met with OCMC President/CEO Peggy Abbott, and she informed him that construction is set to start on a permanent heart cath lab in June.
“Happy to say that this organization (OPED) had a role in working with the hospital and the judge and everybody involved in making that deal come to fruition,” Silliman said. “That’s a quality of life issue and obviously if you can support your local hospital and make it more vital and financially sustainable, then we can provide services that are needed for our taxpayers rather than having to send them to Little Rock for procedures. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Golden stated before the meeting dismissed that he was happy to hear Camden being mentioned in the same sentence as Northwest Arkansas during the “Talk Business and Politics” clip, and he said that it is important for everyone to remain positive because Camden is a great place to live.
OPED member Robyn Yarbro encouraged the public to attend OPED meetings by saying, “if you have a seat at the table, you should come and take it.”
The group also approved a six-month lease to allow the Galaxy Cab Company to use a suite in the OPED building. Golden stated that the OPED is a business incubator, that the resumé for the company was “fantastic,” and that he hopes more businesses will use what OPED has to offer so they can grow.
“I personally think this is something that is fantastic for Camden,” Golden said.
OPED Office Manager Dotty Harris gave a report about the Job Fair and talked about how successful it was. She thanked Beth Osteen and Reese Broadnax for their help in compiling the numbers, and said that there were at least 900 people that attended the event. There were also surveys given out to those in attendance to help plan for another job fair.
Silliman thanked Osteen, Broadnax, members of Greater St. Paul Baptist Church and SAU Tech for their hard work on the job fair.
McAdoo asked Senator Trent Garner if their was a way for applicants with records to get them expunged, to which Garner replied there is. He said that he would research and report back to OPED when he gets the specifics.
Also during the meeting, Broadnax stated that it is important for people to educate other residents that speak negatively about Camden - especially in meetings. She explained that sometimes people don’t know about everything that OPED does or about all the things the city has going on.
Silliman talked about how large projects take time, and cited that the recent groundbreaking at Aerojet was about a year in the making.
“We all want things to happen at the snap of a finger,” Silliman shared. “But these larger projects take time. There are some smaller business opportunities for investment, and a couple larger projects that I am cautiously optimistic about.”
During the open discussion, OPED member Willie Cooper encouraged members to thank those who work in the county crews that are cleaning up everything.
“When you see those guys or those ladies out there, tell them ‘thank you,’” Cooper said. “They are doing a lot to clean up our county.”