Panel considers 4 cities for veterans home

Four cities have been named as potential hosts for a new $22 million veterans home, Sen. Jane English said Monday in a legislative task force meeting.

Those cities are Benton, Fort Smith, Jacksonville and Russellville, English said. Cissy Rucker, director of the Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs, said the department would consider other sites as well if the features better suited its needs.

No official design plans have been drawn for the home, Rucker said.

The panel must present its recommendations to the state general assembly on Oct. 31.

The state VA Deputy Director Charles Johnson said the department is still awaiting confirmation for the $18 million in federal government matching funds before a decision can be made on the location.

English asked Johnson if the panel would know more about the matching funds before the deadline, in case it would need to request additional funding from the state. Johnson said he did not know when the funds would be authorized.

The panel is scheduled to meet again Sept 12. and Oct. 10.

Read more in Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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