Nicky Boyette – Sandy Martin, chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development, announced the group now has a presence on the web at eurekaspringsliveworkplay.us. On the site is a toolkit Martin has been developing to make things easy for a prospective entrepreneur checking out Eureka Springs. The site features tabs to history of Eureka Springs, what you need to know to start a business here, local incentives and a thorough list of important contacts. There is also a place for questions and comments.
Martin also reported the board and staff of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation held their June meeting at Keels Creek Winery in Eureka Springs. She commented the board was impressed with the local creative economy, the collaboration among agencies, and the regional approach to economic development.
“Their plan matches well with ours,” Martin observed. The foundation is emphasizing improvements in education across the state and she pointed out education and a creative economy can change a community. She underlined how important it was that the foundation met face-to-face with locals. “Their grants are by invitation only, and now they know us,” she said.
A modern tale
Jacqueline Wolven, executive director of the Eureka Springs Downtown Network, suggested the city develop a city-wide campaign “to tell our story differently.” She said all the stories she hears from citizens refer to the past. She said the story should shift toward entrepreneurship and opportunity, rather than stories for tourists. She said there are stories in town about folks who were able to open the business of their dreams, and encouraged “an internal campaign to change the language,” adding it will be critical to economic development to engage locals to tell new stories.
Mike Maloney, executive director of the City Advertising and Promotion Commission, commented that all over Northwest Arkansas, cities have old-timers with their stories. The good news, he pointed out, is agencies like the Northwest Arkansas Council telling a new story about economic development in our part of the state, and Eureka Springs is aligned with their progressive message.
“I’m with you,” Maloney said to Wolven.” Let’s put the old news in the morgue. We’re in a growth spurt.”
Other items
- Martin reported the G60 entrepreneur challenge event went well, and sponsor Startup Junkie wants to put on another one. Mayor Butch Berry stated it is important to nurture the excellent ideas presented at the event.
- Martin mentioned canvassing customers in stores to get a database of zip codes as a way of identifying likely pools for workers if new businesses came to town. Wolven right away responded, “Eagle Rock and Cassville.” Huntsville was also mentioned as a worker pool. Martin added that task force members have gathered 65 completed and very extensive surveys with comments about Eureka Springs. She will report on the surveys at the next meeting.
Next meeting will be Wednesday, July 13, at 10 a.m., at the Auditorium.