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Home My WebLink About2009-02-02-R r RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the closure of manufacturing facilities in the Batesville area during the past two years has cost our area hundreds of jobs. Problems presently existing within other industries threaten the loss of several thousand more jobs, and WHEREAS, in December, 2008, 66% of our county residents voted to enact an economic development tax and collections begin April 1, 2009. The City of Batesville has placed on the ballot for a March election a tax to improve and increase our waste water treatment system, and WHEREAS, the unemployment rate for the Batesville area exceeds the • state and national unemployment rates. The Batesville area is the service center for several north-central Arkansas counties. Many of these residents work, shop, seek medical treatment, banking services and educational opportunities in Batesville. Our community needs immediate assistance from Federal stimulus funds recently enacted by Congress. BATESVILLE/INDEPENDENCE COUNTY NEEDS Wastewater Treatment Facilities WHEREAS, renovation and expansion of Batesville's wastewater treatment facility is our most critical priority. The city has been mandated to make these changes costing in excess of $45 million, by ADEQ, and it cannot support any business expansion, including White River Medical Center, without i I f I this waste water expansion, and WHEREAS, allocation of stimulus funds would permit the city to immediately begin these improvements and serve existing jobs and create new jobs. BATESVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT WHEREAS, our existing airport is 6000 feet long and 150 feet wide. It is located on the edge of the "safe" zone in the event of a New Madrid earthquake. This coupled with a large regional medical center could make the airport a vital disaster relief site, and WHEREAS, the runway is long enough to support C-130 aircraft and other relief aircraft to provide critical supplies, but the runway is not strong enough • to support such aircraft and the ramp area is not large enough to handle the volume of traffic which would be required, and WHEREAS, in addition, the airport is ideally located to serve as an alternate training and landing site for C-130 aircraft based at Little Rock Air Force Base, and WHEREAS, stimulus money would allow funds to achieve the goals as set out above. WHITE RIVER MEDICAL CENTER WHEREAS, WRMC is a regional medical facility serving Arkansas residents in a seven county area. Changes proposed by President Obama to improve the quality of care rendered to our citizens, such as electronic medical record capacity would improve the quality of care, and WHEREAS, an infusion of stimulus money into this project would immediately create jobs for residents of Independence, Sharp, Lawrence, Stone, Izard, Cleburne and Jackson counties. The improved level of medical care would also benefit the residents of these same areas. IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED by the City Council of Batesville, Arkansas these projects are of vital importance to the future growth of our community, and, FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of Batesville, Arkansas . unanimously supports these requests as set out, and FURTHER RESOLVED by the City Council of Batesville, Arkansas, that these requests be submitted to the appropriate authorities for action. This Resolution adopted this 24`h day of February, 2009. Mayo -E ug ATTESTED: