Mayor Montgomery’s Farewell Address
December 12, 2006

“Accomplishments of the last 24 years”

There are those who feel that very little or No changes or progress has been made in the past 20-30 years in the City of Mena. However, I will reflect back on the past 24 years that I have been involved in our community (4 years on the Mena City Council; 8 years on the Mena Water Commission; and 12 years as Mayor) and I have seen many, many changes under the present and past city administrations. Remember 28 years ago when Highway 71, through Mena, had only two lanes, not five? And 28 years ago Mena only had two banks, today we have five.

Many of you may remember the 21% unemployment rates of the late 1970's. Today our unemployment rate is 4.1%; this compares to 8.6% in 2003. During the last 20 years, our city administration (including Mayor Sunderman’s administration) has played a very active role in recruiting new businesses to our area. Just to name a few of these, in 1987, McDonald’s moved to Mena and then came Mena Ford and Wal-Mart Super Center, of course there are many more. However, combined these three businesses alone support over 300 jobs in our community.

Economic Development and job creation have been ongoing problems that city government has faced for decades. However, we have found there are many components involved in having a good economy (you can’t just rely on big industry). We are fortunate in our community to have a diversified economic base and I believe that new jobs are (and will continue to be) created from a wide range of sources. Some of these include: tourism, aviation, health care, education (such as RMCC and our public schools), construction, small retail business, recreational opportunities, and the retirement industry.

Much preparation work, planning, infrastructure improvements, and quality of life projects need to be accomplished in a community as a part of the recruitment process in attracting new business and industry to the area. Over the years these are only part of the efforts and accomplishments the City of Mena has achieved to aid this goal:

• Became an Arkansas Community of Excellence
  
• Downtown revitalization program
  
• Street Scape Project
  
• Historic Armory renovated
  
• Beautification Ordinance
  
• A & P Tax
  
• Christmas Festival - Fireworks - Parade
  
• Lum & Abner Festival
  
• New Mena Tourism Website
  
• Mena Brochures
  
• Talimena Scenic Drive received National Designation
  
• New Senior Center
  
• Veteran’s Clinic
  
• Oaks Assisted Living Center
  
• VISION 2010 Strategic Planning
  
• Master Street Plan (including the Hot Mix Paving Program and new road to school)
  
• I-49 Lobbying
  
• High speed internet connections available
  
• Hired a part-time professional community and economic development director
  
• Retirement Recruitment Campaign
  
• Many Infrastructure Improvements (water, sewer, streets, railroad intersections, and police and fire communications)

Most recently, we have seen new and expanded retail business in Mena such as USA Drug, Auto Zone, Papa Pablanos, New China Restaurant, Fred’s, Subway, and James Food Center; all of which have enhanced our community’s business climate with more jobs. All of this progress and growth has been accomplished without an Interstate Highway and the lack of major fiber optics technology. However, it is anticipated that more broadband internet service providers will be here soon.

City sales tax revenue in 2006 will be 6-7% higher than last year; which is indicative of a healthy, growing economy. I still see our area continuing to grow in the retail sector (more jobs), retirement (more tax revenue), health care (more jobs), and airport (more jobs). With the co-operative efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, Polk County Industrial Development Corporation, Polk County Government, and the City of Mena joining together to hire a part-time Economic Development Director much more will begin to happen for the progressive future of Mena and Polk County.

In 1989, Iron’s Fork Water Treatment Plant became a reality and a tremendous asset to Mena, Polk County, and Eastern Oklahoma. Over the past 20 years, millions of dollars in grants and loans have been expended to make expansions and improvements providing for a long term investment in our water and sewer system. The numerous grants over the past 20 years were used in part to supply water to several rural areas including Board Camp/Opal (which allowed poultry farmers a reliable water source and brought 260 new customers into the system), to Leflore, Oklahoma, and to extend water and sewer services to the Industrial Park.

In 1990, the City of Mena assumed operations of Mena Medical Center - since that time it has been a tremendous success, continued to grow, and is now a regional hospital that employs over 300 people. The recent $9 million expansion creates more job opportunities for the future and offers quality health care for the region. The After Hours Clinic which opened in 2000 has also proven to be a great asset for our community providing a convenient medical facility to all area residents.

The City assumed operations of the airport 18 years ago. Over $12 million in grant funds has been expended to complete Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport and we now have a great facility that the entire community can be proud of and appreciate. The many improvements at the airport has spurred growth which has increased aviation related jobs from approximately 170 to 265 in 2006. New businesses have located there. Mena Aerospace opened in 2000 with 50 employees, a new fueling company is opening this year, and new T hangers are being built. A new Terminal/Workforce Training Center was constructed and opened in 2005. The airport has state of the art technology including an Instrument Landing System and Automated Weather Observation System

In 1986, our General Fund budget was $420,000.00 and today, 20 years later, it is $3 million. In the first full year of sales tax collections (1987), city sales tax revenue was $498,752.00 and in 2006 it is projected to be $1,380,000.00. In 1986 we had 23 full time city employees and in 2006 we have 33.

Citizens of Mena and the surrounding community have enjoyed the many capital improvements made in our City Parks over the past 20 years. Some of these include the renovation of Janssen Park after the tornado of 1993, Osborne lighting display added to the Park, new playground equipment installed in McMillan Park, and the refurbishment of McMillian Park Swimming Pool and kiddie pool.

We now have an ISO Class 4 Fire Rating in the Mena Fire Department. This compares to a Class 6 of 20 years ago which saves our local community and its fire insurance rate payers thousands of dollars per year in insurance premiums. We have on order a new fire apparatus which will enhance our already excellent fire rating. Our new outdoor weather warning sirens placed in service this year are a great benefit to ALL our citizens and hopefully will not have to be used; but, are here in case of a disaster.

We are very proud of our low crime rate in Mena - one of the lowest for a city of our size in the state of Arkansas. This is made possible by the excellent, well-trained, and professional individuals in the Mena Police Department.

One of the highlights of the past 4 years has been the passage of the Advertising and Promotion Tax allowing us to proceed with the construction of the Recreational and Cultural Complex and to promote and market our area for tourism and the retirement relocation population which is a tremendous part of our local economy. With A & P funds and grant revenue, water lines have been extended to the Complex, 12 soccer fields built, and three baseball/softball fields completed with lighting, dugouts, and backstops.

The completion of the Morrow Street and Highway 71 intersection, which began under Mayor Sunderman’s administration, is a great improvement to our traffic infrastructure. Traffic control rehabilitation and improvements to the 6 traffic signal lights in Mena will begin in the Spring of 2007 and in 2006 significant improvements were made with several major drainage projects being completed.

I strongly encourage future administrations to aggressively pursue long term planning for our community to allow for continued growth and establish visionary plans looking toward the future and the betterment of the community.

Last, but not least, I want to say, as in any business, what makes the City of Mena government a success is everyone working together. I am very thankful for the cooperative efforts of the City Council, ALL City employees, City officials, the many appointed city board and commission members, numerous volunteers, and all the various civic organizations with whom I have worked with over the last 24 years. Great people make a Great Community! It has been a privilege to lead the City of Mena for the last four years - I have truly enjoyed serving our community and ALL the People!