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PINE BLUFF 20/20 TOWN HALL MEETING SCHEDULED TUESDAY

BY THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:45 PM CDT

Pine Bluff 20/20 will host a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the banquet hall of the Pine Bluff Convention Center to provide an update of the actions taken on the 12 priority goals of the citizen-generated Pine Bluff 20/20 Strategic Plan.

The public is encouraged to attend the meeting.

In January 2007, Pine Bluff Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr. invited more than 40 community leaders to create a visioning and strategic planning process for the city and Jefferson County utilizing a program established by the National Civic League. Months later, a series of town hall meetings was initiated. More than 700 individuals participated in these sessions.

From these town hall meetings, goal teams were established to address beautification, diversity and inclusion, economic development, education and workforce development, public safety, recreation and infrastructure. Goal teams met from June to September, and on Jan. 24 a report was made at a town hall meeting and citizens voted to adopt 12 priority goals for 2008. Representatives of the teams working on the 12 goals will detail their progress at Tuesday’s meeting.

The goals derived from comments made at the earlier public meetings and the mission statement of the original group of civic leaders: Create a prosperous economy that benefits all residents; develop an educated and skilled citizenry; establish safe and clean streets and neighborhoods; build first-class roads, housing, and infrastructure; and improve recreational facilities for all generations.

The 12 goals adopted at the earlier meetings:

No. 1: Create a pool of funds that can be utilized as incentives for attracting employers to Pine Bluff and Jefferson County and for the retention and expansion of existing employers.

No. 2: Build a multi-purpose recreational center in a central location to anchor public recreational facilities for youth, seniors, and all segments of the county.

No. 3: Decrease per capita crime in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County by 8 percent by the end of 2008.

No. 4: Maintain and/or improve the city’s ISO (fire insurance) rating at Class 3 by the end of the year and improve ISO rating to Class 2 by the end of 2012.

No. 5: Seek and embrace community recognition that the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is the primary local intellectual, entertainment, cultural and economic resource for professional degree programs, activities, and services for raising the quality of life in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County. Recognize UAPB’s partnership with Southeast Arkansas College and celebrate their unity of purpose.

No. 6: Improve student achievement by setting higher expectations for performance so that students are prepared to join the workforce (supporting participation in the Smart Core Curriculum working with parents to endure their understanding of its importance) and creating a partnership between higher education and secondary education to close the gap for students requiring remediation.

No. 7: Implement and support transportation improvements through the Pine Bluff and Jefferson County area to draw more economic activity into the area.

No. 8: Study the feasibility of a city planning department with a city planner and a grantwriter/researcher.

No. 9: Train a workforce for today to meet the needs of Pine Bluff and Jefferson County manufacturers via training in technical skills and higher education.

No. 10: Develop a database of highly skilled employees available in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County in order to encourage the hiring of the local workforce and to demonstrate the skill base available to potential employers.

No. 11: Establish and promote study circles on race throughout the city and county.

No. 12: Increase community participation in creating a safe community by strengthening public/private partnerships, by utilizing existing programs, and by creating new initiatives.

Judi Norton and R.J. Lightsey are serving as cochairs of the 20/20 implementation committee.

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