Monticello Live

Monticello is the winner of the 2013 Arkansas Business City of Distinction Quality of Life category for cities with a population between 5,000 and 20,000 people, because of the Ridgeway Hotel renovation.

After months of dirt moving by city and county workers, as well as the UAM heavy equipment training class, rails and crossties are now being laid in place for the new rail spur at the Industrial Park, on HWY 35 East.

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The recent re-application for cities to espresse interest in being home to the state’s new veterans care home is receiving the full attention of Quorum Court, MEDC, City of Monticello, and many other local residents and organizations.

When consttucted, the $22 million dollar facility ex expected to provide over $3 million in yearly payroll.

The deadline is November.

MEDC reported that they have had on-going contact with a prospect, and it is still looking positive. They will be meeting with AEDC next week to negotiate incentives.

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The industrial “spec” speculative building, which was built as a qualification for the state’s ACE program, seems to have a local industry that will likely use the structure as part of a long term lease, for warehouse space.

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The groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of a Public Rail Access Facility in the MEDC Industrial Park was held Tuesday afternoon.

When completed the new rail spur will hook to the existing (soon to be improved) spur at Hood Packaging, and switch to a rail that will send freight cars into the Industrial Site for loading and unloading of cargo. This will likely begin with lumber.  Currently Price Lumber and occasionally Maxwell Hardwood load rail freight at the Jackson Street crossing.

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Eight local business leaders and government officials visited our elected officials in Washington D.C.Tuesday and Wednesday, to discuss our local infrastructure needs.

During their trip, members of the MEDC and 20 for the Future met with Congressman Tom Cotton, Senator Mark Pryor, and Senator John Boozman.

This photo was taken during their meeting with Senator Boozman.

As the former Centerpoint Energy property on N. Chester St. is being cleared out, with the company’s move to the Industrial Site, the property will son belong to the MEDC, in receipt of the land-swap for the gas company’s new worksite.o

The first likely tenant will be contractor’s for the city’s new water system upgrade  project.

Tommy Maxwell, vice- president of Maxwell Hardwood Flooring has submitted his resignation from the Monticello Economic Development Commission, where he served as vice-president, to accept a position on the National Hardwood Federation Board.

The Monticello City Council approved the extension of MEDC’s bid for services to the city for $268,692 (for 2013) at Tuesday nigh’ts meeting.

MEDC Report from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

The Arkansas Economic Developers, a statewide organization of economic development professionals and community leaders, presented it’s yearly awards, Tuesday, including thhe 2012 Volunteer of the Year, at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, Arkansas.

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MEDC Report to City Council from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Sen. Mark Pryor and the MEDC / 20 for the Future Delegation in Washington DC

8 business and community leaders from Monticello spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington D.C., meeting with with all 6 members of our state’s national representatives, detailing a list of local needs, in hopes of getting or continuing funding of several Monticello / Drew County projects.

Meetings were with with Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman, as well as Congressmen Tim Griffin, Mike Ross, Rick Crawford and Steve Womack.

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After several years of hard work, the “dream” of bringing the old Ridgeway Hotel back to life as a modern senior apartment complex, became a reality, in 2011.

Mandy Moss, reporter, and Joe Burgess, the "MonticelloLive Guy"

The Business of the Year Award is given to a business that strives everyday to provide outstanding community service while developing a quality product that attracts a wide range of customers. MonticelloLive is pleased and honored to accept the title of MEDC/Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year for 2011.

After purchasing MonticelloLive only 4 years ago, owner Joe Burgess has transformed a small, local website into a news site that, in the past 12 months, has had more than 2.7 million page views. In the past two months alone, MLive has also been linked on state-level news websites 3 times for its coverage of important local stories.  The business has been mentioned in Arkansas Business twice, and in Arkansas Times once

Burgess’ entertaining acceptance speech ranged from stand-up comedian to lay-preacher, as he took the opportunity to thank his sponsors, employees, and readers, but most of all, he took time to say, “I want to thank the Lord.”

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

The MEDC and the Chamber of Commerce hosted the dedication ceremonies for the Ridgeway Monticello and the Downtown Civic Center, Tues afternoon.

Ridgeway tours  led into the ceremony at the fully renovated hotel, where around 100 people attended.

The Downtown Civic Center dedication followed, and had an estimated 75 present.

Cablevisin’s “Hometown Monticello” program on Channel 19 will include a special video segment of the Ridgeway Monticello dedication event, repeating from Sunday at 5 pm, until Monday at 7 am, this weekend.