Local officials are soliciting diverse opinions from the community to create a poverty-reduction plan in Blytheville.
Through a project called "Emerging Communities Initiative," which is funded by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, local officials are teaming up with Little Rock-based Ken Hubbell Associates to gather community input that will shape the plan.
Ken Hubbell himself will be in Blytheville Saturday, Jan. 23, to lead discussions.
"We'll be inviting folks on the 23rd to come and help complete as many surveys as possible that tell us people's view of Blytheville and its future," Hubbell said, noting the goal is to collect more than 500 surveys.
Some of the questions include:
-- When you think of Blytheville, what is the very first word or thought that comes to your mind?
-- When you meet a new person, what do you tell them about Blytheville?
-- What obstacles are you currently facing in this community?
-- Do you feel like you and your family belongs and has strong roots in this community? Why or why not?
-- What do you think about the quality and effectiveness of your community's leaders? Why?
-- What have been the key developments in the past 10 years in this community? Are there any key lessons that you believe should shape our forward thinking?
-- What are your hopes and dreams for this community and where would you like to see it in the future?
-- What do you believe is standing in the way of a more prosperous future for this community? How do you believe it got to be that way?
-- What do you believe should be the top 10 priorities to solve the issues facing you and other residents of this community?
Blytheville is one of three Delta communities selected to participate in ECI; Marianna and Helena-West Helena are the other two.
Hubbell said the intention is to develop unique community-based solutions to poverty in rural Arkansas.
"We're excited that Blytheville was selected because I think there can be something good to come out of this in addition to the other activities that are going to be going on here in the county over the next 12 to 24 months," said Mississippi County EOC executive director Sam Scruggs, who is one of the community leaders heading the project. "These are exciting times for us."
Scruggs said coaches will work with the community over the next 18 months, analyzing its past and present, then forming a poverty-reduction plan.
He said it is important to gather input from all segments of the community, from the low income populace to those in business, industry and the educational field.
"We think that the meeting on the 23rd will have a good cross-section of people there," Scruggs said. "Some of the time at the meeting will be devoted to explaining what the initiative is about and to try to get a survey done from those in attendance because a part of the approach is going to be to get input and surveys from as many people as possible. We understand there are times when everyone can't attend a community meeting so this is just one additional way of getting input from the community,"
He said there will be other opportunities in the coming year.
"Over the next 12 months, we expect to have at least 12 or more meetings, where we try to continue to first of all get input and then to analyze whatever comes out of it so that we can arrive at a community poverty reduction initative that everyone has had input into identifying ...," Scruggs said. "But this would be an excellent in-person opportunity for the community to complete surveys, have a chance to meet Ken and actually take part in a community forum that was actually planned by city council members. We look forward to it."
Hubbell said the community can "reshape the story of poverty and hopelessness faced by too many of our residents into a story of opportunity, hope, and self-sufficiency for individuals, and a sense of renewed vibrancy in the community itself."
He added the most committed communities already have dozens of good programs to build on or expand, but there is likely some new creativity needed to reduce the high levels of chronic poverty that are still present.
"The current recession is increasing the pressure on people and on the agencies and community support network," Hubbell said. "Even more people could be seriously impacted and may be falling through the existing safety net. It may be increasingly urgent that we reconsider how our community is responding to short-term needs and persistent poverty if we hope to promote widespread opportunity for all when the economy eventually improves. We may have to reshape some policies or put new programs in place. We will have to tap the hearts of people through person-to person conversation and community action to create more hope and connect the pieces more effectively."
In each of the three Delta communities, the ECI team will be hosting conversations, collecting ideas and data about the way poverty is affecting people, neighborhoods, schools, and the workplace -- and designing new solutions. There may be meetings, informal task forces, and survey efforts where volunteers can help carry out important activities.
"The process will be inclusive," Hubbell said. "We will invite people living in or previously experiencing poverty, representatives from the spectrum of organizations, agencies, institutions, and local government that provide services to the community, and other volunteers from the business and faith communities to build a long term blueprint to reduce the impact of poverty in the community."
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com