Blytheville citizens gather to form community plan

Bob Barber with Orion Planning and Design, a city planning group, held an open meeting at Arkansas Northeastern College on March 6.

Barber is leading a team of community leaders in Blytheville to work on an assessment of capacity and community planning to move the city in a positive direction.

A survey has been taken with citizens answering several questions including the three positive features of the city, the rating of the quality of life, greatest challenges, one thing you would change and one thing you hope never changes.

Barber said there was a large number who highlighted the people as the heart of Blytheville and would not want to change the community spirit and engagement.

Barber was asked by city leaders to work with the community on a planning project to address concerns and desires to move the community forward.

Mississippi County is known for the steel industry and is the largest steel producer in the country.

Barber asked the group of about 35 citizens attending to think about the uniqueness of Blytheville. Mississippi County is in the upper third in Arkansas growth.

He pointed out Mississippi County has high quality jobs but lagging in incomes in Mississippi County. The county has to import workers. Like most towns in the Delta, Blytheville has lost population and has been on decline for a while. Blytheville is half the size in population it once was.

“However, Blytheville has a relatively healthy population structure,” Barber said. “More young people than old people.”

He said the survey results make it obvious that people love their community.

Survey results showed the positives of Blytheville as community, opportunity, location, people, ANC, and industry.

Change suggestions included clean up, improved infrastructure, economic development, tighter code enforcement, more to do to keep people entertained, and recruit businesses.

From the survey the quality of life was rated 2.5 with five being the best. Barber said 2.5 was low.

Tripp Muldrow from South Carolina led the group in an interactive activity with five questions to answer. The group was divided into teams with the top answers being listed and reviewed by the entire group.

The information was shared and compared and will be used in developing a product for the city to use in future decisions.