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Street Infrastructure Our community has been fortunate in securing major improvements to Arkansas Highway 69(Harrison Street)and more recently,the ongoing highway widening projects between Batesville and Cave City on US Highway 167(N. St. Louis Street). The Arkansas Highway&Transportation Department has invested tens of millions of dollars in these road infrastructure projects without a requirement from local tax contributions. Overlaying of local streets has become very expensive and making sure taxpayer dollars are well spent is more essential than ever.Often drainage issues,such as culvert replacement, require correction before money can be spent on overlays. Many of our water and sewer lines lie under our streets and ongoing line repair and rehabilitation necessitate those repairs being completed before any street overlays are done.As part of the 2012 Community Development Initiative passed by voters, 1/3 of the permanent one half cent sales tax for operations and maintenance is allocated to the street department. In addition,voters in the recent 2012 general election approved a new, 10 year, State Highway Improvement Sales Tax that is estimated to return an additional$182,538.00 dollars to our city for street work. Using a penny of the existing state fuel tax, the state also created a permanent$20 million dollar per year State Street Aid Fund to provide additional funding for city street improvement projects on a competitive basis. Airport Infrastructure The Batesville Regional Airport continues to be an important hub of activity for North Central Arkansas.The airport,with its 6002 ft runway,continues to provide a great first impression to business prospects visiting our community.The airport continues to grow and provide new hangar space to companies and individuals desiring to base aircraft here. Hanger space is rented as fast as airport commissioners can find the resources to construct it,and the airport is now home to several jet aircraft.The FAA,along with the Arkansas Aeronautical Commission, recently awarded the city a multi-million dollar grant to improve the runway safety area at the airport. This will provide funding for completion of the chain link fence around the airport property reducing the likelihood of deer and other animals wandering onto the runway.The airport is essential to economic growth and the need for continued community support is critical. Economic Development The county has the responsibility for recruiting new jobs and protecting existing jobs in all of Independence County. In 2008, county voters enacted a temporary,five year, 1/4 cent sales tax to fund economic development.The county created an Economic Development Commission to review funding requests and make recommendations to the Quorum Court. In mid 2012,the county hired a new Economic Development Director.The County Economic Development Sales Tax expires in April 2014, and its future is currently uncertain.Though the city does not have any direct representation on the County Economic Development Commission,it continues to fully support the county's economic development efforts. Economic Development through Community Development Over the last six years our city has made the water and sewer infrastructure decisions necessary to bring our infrastructure into the 21"century and put Batesville on a path to future prosperity. Once these infrastructure issues were addressed my administration began looking at the other requirements AEDC said we needed to attract new jobs and to be successful. I realized that our community excelled in the majority of the quality of place factors when compared to most of the cities we compete with.The one quality of place area in which our community was most lacking involved recreation.While we are blessed with outdoor recreational opportunities such as hunting,fishing, hiking and rock climbing,our recreational opportunities for families, especially those with young children,are limited.The old Mickey Mouse Municipal Pool turns 60 this year, most of our ballparks were built in 1982,and we do not have indoor aquatic opportunities or sufficient space for meetings and large gatherings.As I began to share my concerns with business and community leaders I found they too understood what AEDC said were important considerations to be able to attract new jobs.They agreed that our community needed new recreational opportunities and available meeting space.As a result,the 2012 Community Development Initiative was created and a majority(58%)of the voters agreed in March 2012 that it was time to make this important investment in the future of our community.Construction is underway at the new soccer complex and the contracts for seven new ball fields and an additional concession/restroom facility at the North Recreation Complex will be awarded soon.City officials are meeting with the architects and engineers every two weeks on the design of the future Batesville Community Center and the indoor/outdoor aquatics facility that is scheduled to go to bid in late July or early August of this year with construction to begin soon thereafter. This year I want to challenge each of you to join myself and the council members in moving Batesville forward with a focus on becoming part of the solution to our challenges and making the most of our opportunities. It is critical that we be ready and committed to embrace whatever regional economic opportunities arise. In 1870, Fayetteville was chosen over Batesville as a site for the University of Arkansas. Batesville was considered because of its accessibility by train; however,an abundance of land was offered by a generous family in Fayetteville as the deciding factor. An additional example was in 1949,when entrepreneur Sam Walton lost his lease in Newport and relocated to Bentonville. Consider the major economic impact of our community had both of these established in our region. We have to be prepared by assuring the availability of land to possible new prospects for industry or funding for economic development. The passing of the economic development tax has definitely given our county an advantage over other communities. In 2007,when the Emerson Corporation attempted to establish a new compressor manufacturing plant,they requested funding that unfortunately we were unable to provide because this sales tax was not in place. My hope is that the citizens will keep this in mind if this crucial tax resurfaces for a renewal vote.Although, as I mentioned previously,Judge Robert Griffin and the Independence County Quorum Court will determine if it will be placed on the ballot in the future. I will not lead this community with a mindset of negativity and fear for our future. Instead,we will continue moving forward with confidence knowing that we have focused first on providing the needed infrastructure for sustained economic growth and prosperity for our community.We must be confident that the quality of life and quality of place investments currently being made will enhance the economic development opportunities of our citizens for decades to come.We will continue to provide community resources to enable our citizens to be healthy, happy and productive. As quoted by Sam Walton,"High expectations are the key to everything". MAYOR COMMENTS