SPRINGDALE -- Mayor Doug Sprouse described Springdale as a city on the rise in his state of the city address Tuesday night.
Sprouse spoke after the City Council meeting, delivering his ninth address as a mayor. He began his third term in January.
Council action
Springdale’s City Council met Tuesday and approved:
• An application for a taxicab operator permit filed by Thimotee Liboudo.
• Rezoning 10 acres of two Washington County parcels owned by Dewitt Bank and Trust Co., from a low/medium density multi-family residential district to a general commercial district.
Source: Staff Report
"I can honestly say, this is a very exciting time for Springdale," Sprouse said.
Sprouse said the Springdale is one of the leading job creators in the state.
The state's Department of Work Force Services didn't provide Springdale's job creation numbers by the time of the meeting, but Melissa Reeves, the city's public relations director, said Springdale is one of the leading cities in job creation, behind Little Rock and Fayetteville. She said the information was provided to her by the Springdale Chamber of Commerce. Bill Rogers with the chamber didn't respond to a message requesting those numbers.
Sprouse highlighted several indications of growth in 2016, saying commercial and residential development continued to increase with total permit valuation increasing from just over $167 million in 2015 to more than $216 million in 2016.
Vast infrastructure development occurred in 2016, including the Don Tyson Parkway interchange, widening and extending 56th Street, two new fire stations, building C.L. "Charlie" and Willie George Park and park improvements across the city.
"The taxpayers of Springdale can take pride in the project priorities set by this City Council, and the quality of the projects that will serve our residents for many years to come," Sprouse said.
Sprouse said many of the improvements he cited wouldn't have been possible without money from the 2012 bond issue, which generated $70 million for important projects without any tax increases, and he hopes the council and residents will support a 2018 bond issue, which he said will also not require a tax increase.
"Because of our stronger financial position, we believe such a bond issue will generate substantially more revenue than the 2012 issue, allowing us to pick up where we left off, with many additional road improvements, along with many more projects designed to better serve our community," he said.
Sprouse said, after concluding his speech, his top priorities for the 2018 bond issue would be to extend 56th Street farther north, build a fire station on Har-Ber Avenue and develop a new park in the northwest portion of the city.
Alderman Rick Culver said the 2018 bond issue will bring even more progress to the city.
"We need more fire stations and a new law enforcement building, because they've outgrown what they've got now," Culver said.
Sprouse said current developments will see greater strides 2017, with construction being completed on the 230,000 square-foot Arkansas Children's Hospital Northwest, which is to open in January 2018.
"It's impossible to overstate the positive impact that Arkansas Children's Hospital will have on our economy and on the children and families of Northwest Arkansas," he said.
Sam's Club will open in May, Sprouse said.
"Springdale has been looking forward to that opening for a long time," Sprouse said. "There's no doubt Sam's will do very well in Springdale."
Both Sam's and the Children's Hospital will be in the burgeoning area along South 56th Street, near Don Tyson Parkway. Northwest Arkansas Community College is raising money to build a campus just west of Arvest Ballpark. Also, the City Council recently approved a two-story, 16,000-square-foot office building in the northwest corner of South 56th Street and Don Tyson.
Murphy Park improvements are expected to be completed soon and nearby Springdale High School with receive new baseball, track and soccer facilities in 2017, Sprouse said.
Walter Turnbow Park, a new park next to the City Administration Building at 201 Spring St., will be completed this year, Sprouse said.
Reeves recently said Turnbow Park will be complete by late May. The park is along the Razorback Greenway in the downtown area, and is one of several downtown enhancements.
The annual Hogeye Marathon, which traditionally has been held in Fayetteville, will come to Springdale for the first time April 8. It will start and finish in the downtown's main strip, Emma Avenue.
Sprouse cited Tyson Foods and the Walton family's continuous support of the downtown area.
Sprouse thanked city employees and public officials for their dedication to the city, and closed his speech by calling for unity in a time in which the nation is more divided, he said, than it has been in the past 60 years.
"If we could all just love God, help our neighbors, spend more time volunteering and less time focusing on negatives and arguing about politics, obey the law and do the things we all know are right, regardless of who we are or where we've come from, we'll experience more joy and peace in our life," he said.
NW News on 03/01/2017