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Kickstart Alma is Off and Running
Kickstart Alma is off and running! Alma was chosen for the kickstart development process, a partnership between the Community Development Institute (CDI) at the University of Central Arkansas and the U of A Cooperative Extension Service Breakthrough Solutions Program. A team of CDI graduates spend a week interacting with the community during CDI week in August, and followed up with a development process that generates a blueprint and action plan for the future of the community.
The Advanced Year CDI team included Lorie Robertson with Chaffee Crossing, Gould Mayor Essie Dale-Cableton, Shannon Hills Mayor Mike Kemp, Morrilton Mayor Allen Lipsmeyer, Lisa Johnson with the Bossier City LA Chamber of Commerce, and Ashley Garris with the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District.
One of the gold nuggets that emerged from this interaction was a suggestion from Allen Lipsmeyer, mayor of Morrilton, to develop a list of development projects underway in the community and publicize it widely. When Alma Mayor Keith Greene did this, he identified over $30 million in projects currently underway. Documenting activities underway can help change the perception of the community, a critical element of the community development process.
Action teams were formed in Alma to address these critical issues: downtown revitalization, branding and marketing, job creation, arts and culture, beautification and recreation.
“We are very pleased with the progress of Kickstart Alma and the community leaders involved”, states Amy Whitehead, Director of the UCA Center for Community and Economic Development. “They have engaged many citizens across the community and are working to develop the most effective strategies for building on the successes of the community and moving forward.”
Be sure to follow the work of Kickstart Alma on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/str/kickstart+alma/stories-keyword/stories-public