Citizens voice concerns on Community Center

BLYTHEVILLE— Roughly 30 people were in attendance at the Ritz Civic Center for Tuesday night’s community forum where citizens and elected officials voiced their opinions concerning the extension of the one-half cent sales tax and proposed community center.

The main concern from citizens and elected officials were, if passed, where did Blytheville Mayor Melissa Logan plan to build the community center.

The question concerning the location was proposed by councilman Jacquin Benson.

Logan informed the audience and five council members in attendance that if passed her proposal would be to build the community center at the city owned property near the Blytheville Sportsplex and Thunder Bayou Golf Links.

“We have not solidified a definite location,” answered Logan. “I have proposed to add it to the sports complex facility out on the airbase.”

Several audience members mumbled disapproval.

Benson responded, “Is there any consideration for anywhere in town locally.”

Logan added she will consider it.

Councilwoman Linda Moore asked for Logan to explain the mayor’s reason for considering the sportsplex being the location.

Logan responded that when looking at potential land they wanted to build it on property already owned by the city. Logan continued by saying the city owns 136 acres which is where the sportsplex, Thunder Bayou,  and ponds are currently located.

Logan added, “Since we already own the land, there's plenty of land to build and to expand. We thought that way the city doesn’t have to go into procurement of land.”

Logan told the Town Courier, after the event, the current specs for the proposed community center is a total of 35,000 square feet.

Councilman R.L. Jones added his constituents don’t want to go to the polls in May and not know where the building would be located.

Logan mentioned that if her proposed location didn’t satisfy citizens they would have the chance to voice their concerns later tonight or before the three issues had to be sent to the ballot by the end of March.

After much debate between Logan and Jones, Logan responded she’d like to hear from citizens and see if the ballot measures pass before setting an exact location.

Councilman Matt Perrin asked Jones if he believes citizens would be happy if after the ballot measures pass they can go back to the citizens to vote where the community center location would be.

Jones responded the location should already be decided and put in the ballot measure.

Perrin replied, “I don’t understand why waste time deciding where it’s going to go if we don’t know if it is going to go.”

Jones then mentioned the center should be centrally located.

Perrin quickly responded, “But you don’t want it centrally located. You want it on East Moultrie. You said that.”

Jones said, “yeah.”

Perrin replied, “That’s not central.”

Jones replied, “Let’s find central, (sportsplex) isn’t central.”

Perrin expressed, “I’m just making the point that East Moultrie isn’t central.”

Councilwoman Shirley Marshall asked if the ballot could read the possible location would be in consideration.

Later during the audience portion several citizens voiced their support for a community center but asked if Walker Park, near the interstate, or near Arkansas Northeastern College were possibilities.

Concerned citizen Bradley Ballard, who until early Monday was a potential candidate for mayor in 2026, said he’s not against the tax but had heard from citizens about the back land of Walker Park and making Walker Park one entrance.

Ballard added many concerns he had heard that if the center is put by the Sportsplex, it’d be for the citizens of Gosnell.

He mentioned Walker Park is “very central”.

“The park is right here, it's very central,” Ballard explained. “You guys grew up here. Everyone used to ride their bikes to the park back in the day. You don’t see anybody at the park anymore. Let’s bring life back to that part of town.”

After another citizen spoke Logan addressed the actual reason why Walker Park currently is not available – the Mississippi County Fairgrounds owns the property.

“To the Walker Park issue. We do not own the fairgrounds. In a deal with the county, the city deeded that portion of the park to the county. It’s no longer city property,” Logan explained. “So, I’m sure that if we decide that Walker Park is the place where you want to put the community center that is fine. We just need to go to the table to negotiate with the county on the cost and if they would be willing to sell us that land. We do not own that land in the back acreage of the park.

Logan continued, “That doesn’t belong to the city. It belongs to Mississippi County. It’s called the Mississippi County Fairgrounds.”

Logan responded to Ballard’s entrance comment as well.

“We are working on the entrance and exit to Walker Park. We were just awarded a $250,000 match grant… that money will be applied to the tennis court,” said Logan. “Once we start the upgrades in Walker Park it won’t just be for the tennis court. The entire park is going to get a makeover. We are going to re-asphalt the entrance and the exit of the park. That is all a part of the plans. There will be gated entrances that will close at 10 p.m. on both sides… that’s been on the table for the past year.

Logan continued, “We are just waiting on the money to start rolling in so we can get started.”

Logan later added, “The city of Blytheville has more parks than we have people actually using those parks. A lot of our parks haven’t been active since I was a kid and I’m in my mid-50’s. So we are trying to bring life back into our park system.”

Concerned citizen and Perrin’s wife Cody Perrin expressed she is for a community center, but the issue she has is no one would be over the center.

“I want a community center more than probably anyone in this room. I promise I advocated for it for a very long time,” said Perrin. “However, year after year of less and less and less leadership over the parks department and less investment on the city leadership part. How many jobs will this create? 10? If we are lucky, right. Who is going to lead those people?”

Perrin continued “I love this. I want this. I promise I want to take that little boy who’s running around to go swimming year round. However, we are not prepared to take care of this… I’m concerned that we’re going to take on another thing, it doesn’t matter where it ends up and we don’t have a strong enough system to support it and the leadership to bring it to fruition.”

The next speaker, Blytheville citizen Michelle Sims, expressed she was for the community center, but that it should be “visible and that will draw people to our area.”

Another citizen, who stated she was new to the city of Blytheville, asked if the location could be somewhere citizens could walk or ride their bikes to.

Citizen Sheila Rumph expressed that if the tax is passed could citizens see a “paper trail” on issues they have voted for in the past, as people don’t see things happening.

Logan responded the city can be “personally audited” and the city will be transparent on giving citizens what they ask so they know what the city is spending money on.

Blytheville CFO John Callens added the state audits several checks, especially large purchases, to make sure money adhering to the bond was written.

Callens added the city has not had any “write-ups” concerning the tax that was passed for the justice complex.

Callens mentioned getting with the Friday firm on getting some locations set up on the ballot.

Logan replied she wanted to hear other suggestions besides Walker Park.

Councilman Jones replied, “Walker Park would be a great idea, but it's still kind of offset. Because you really want to encourage other people coming into your city to see these new things that you’re doing. And no one is going to ride around Walker Park for this place.”

Jones added somewhere near the interstate or around the college.

“You want this to be seen more than just one time a year,” Jones said. “ You want this to be seen everyday that you have people traveling through your city.”

Logan added they will take a survey of what city owned property the city has, but doesn’t own any large land near the interstate.

Logan mentioned if the city buys land it takes away from the facility.

The mayor also had early designs, which were prepared by Brackett- Krennerich Architects out of Jonesboro, for citizens to look at, and added modifications can be made.

Councilwoman Moore expressed the center would be for the members of the community and not for people from other towns traveling Interstate 55.

During closing statements, former councilman L. C. Hartsfield expressed that interstate property is expensive and that he has concerns with children going over the overpass just to get to the community center.

Another suggestion for a possible location came from Cody Perrin expressed the building located at Moultrie and N. 6th Street (across from Kroger).

“It looked exactly the way it looks right now my entire life. I Beams laying on the ground, it caught on fire at some point. Huge eyesore,” said Perrin. “It’s such a phenomenal location with tons of foot traffic. Schools near-by. Not exactly walkable or bikeable, because not really much of our community is if we are being honest.

Perrin continued, “I think that acquiring that property and leveling that old compress and building a community center right there would be phenomenal for our community and for those that are traveling on North 61.”

Logan closed expressing if passed this would be a win for the city, and this will be for all citizens.

She added before the next forum she will get with her team and look at other possible locations.

Benson closed, “It’s up to our residents, our citizens to decide. We do understand that our kids need something. We do need something for our kids, but at the end of all of these discussions it is in you alls hand. You all are going to be the ones to decide whether or not this happens or not… show up at the polls. Go to the polls. That’s going to dictate whether this comes to fruition or not.”