Community Development Kick Start Report: Lonoke

Community Development Kick Start Report:

Life As It Should Be

In Appreciation A special thanks to the following individuals for their leadership, cooperation, and hospitality in welcoming the Community Development Kick Start team to Lonoke: • Adam Starks, Chamber President; EVP, First State Bank • Charles Hunter, Arkansas Farm Bureau • Dianna Bowen, Lonoke County Cooperative Extension Service • Michael Florence, City Council Member; Owner, ALPS/Laminate.com • Ryan Biles, Planning & Zoning Commission Chair; Architect, SCM Architects • Dr. Suzanne Bailey, Superintendent, Lonoke Public Schools • Suzanne Dorsey, Author, Lonoke Assembly of God • Valena Washington, Volunteer/Coordinator, George Washington Carver Alumni Association • Walls McCrary, former State Representative • Wayne McGee, Mayor, City of Lonoke Thanks to the Lonoke Community Center, Lonoke Chamber of Commerce, and Central Arkansas Development Council for hosting the Kick Start meetings.

We appreciate the community leaders in Lonoke who came out and participated in the community meetings on August 2 and 4, 2016. Your active participation and commitment is invaluable to launching the Kick Start development process in your community.

Thanks to Amy Whitehead, Director, University of Central Arkansas’ Center for Community and Economic Development, Shelby Fiegel, Assistant Director, and to Corey Parks, Project Coordinator, for their support and laying the groundwork for this initiative. We look forward to continuing to work together to support Lonoke in their development efforts.

Dr. Mark Peterson, Professor – Community and Economic Development, Community Development Kick Start Team Leader, and Report Editor, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

Contents Executive Summary

1

Introduction to Kick Start

3

History of Lonoke

6

Kick Start Team

7

Internet Search

Online Community Assessment from Various Perspectives

Single 25 Year-Old Starting a Business Family with Children Looking to Relocate

High School Student Moving to Lonoke

Retiree Looking for Community in Which to Live

Potential Tourist

Industrial Plant Locator

8

Community Driving Tour

15

Overall Strengths and Weaknesses

16

Key Issues and Opportunities

17

Out of the Box Ideas

22

Summary

23

10 11 12 13 13 14

Contact Us 23 Appendix: Lonoke Demographic Data

24

Executive Summary The Community Development Institute (CDI) at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) provides community and economic development professionals with the knowledge and skills to assist communities to be successful in this 21st century economy. Community Development Kick Start provides an opportunity for CDI graduates to use that knowledge and those skills in a real-life community situation, using the Breakthrough Solutions Model from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

Community Development Kick Start is a collaborative initiative between UCA’s Community Development Institute and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension to provide a community the tools they need to develop a five-year strategic action plan. The program begins with a five-day, intensive workshop focused on one Arkansas community, leading to this report. CDI and University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension faculty and staff then work with the community for an additional nine months to create and launch the action plan.

Communities in Arkansas were invited to apply for this unique opportunity, and Lonoke was selected.

Lonoke has great assets, and is doing many things very well. The excellent school system and community center are just two signs of visionary leadership in the community. It is also a mark of leadership to look to the future, engage citizenry, and tap strategic resources that can help move the community forward.

The challenges identified by community leaders in Lonoke are shared by many other communities in our state and nation, as indicated by these statements of Lonoke community leaders: • Looking at where population is moving to, there is a sense among some that our community is being passed over – by people moving out of the city and by major employers.

• Our population has been stagnant, and if we don’t grow, we will die.

• We need more jobs for people who live here.

• We need more things for children and young people to do.

• We need to understand what it takes to grow, and leverage our assets.

• We need to change the perception of Lonoke.

• How can we take advantage of the new I-40 interchange in a way that is good for Lonoke?

• Our community has good citizen involvement and leadership, but we need fresh ideas and strategic direction to move forward.

Our goal is that this development process will equip the community of Lonoke to become a model for the nation as it identifies and implements breakthrough solutions to realize its full potential and desired future.

As in the real world, people check out communities online before visiting them, so the Kick Start team invested a day researching Lonoke online to gather insights about the community, and another day in Lonoke interacting with citizens, taking a bus tour, and meeting with community leaders.

They presented their findings to the community the following day, and finally pulled all of this together into this report with recommendations for Lonoke to consider moving forward.

1

This is not a comprehensive analysis of all economic sectors of Lonoke, but it does represent a fresh look at the community from several outsiders with community and economic development experience and expertise.

Breakthroughs are advances, innovations, or leaps forward that can transform a community and change the dynamics in a region by acting as catalysts to leverage other resources. Breakthrough solutions carry the breakthroughs into action. The Kick Start team found that the citizens, leaders, organizations, and businesses in Lonoke have much to be proud of, and are successful in many ways. These potential breakthroughs build on the good work that Lonoke is already doing.

Potential Breakthroughs for Lonoke: 1) Community Identity and Brand - Develop a powerful community identity and brand that describes your desired future, differentiates Lonoke from other communities, and attracts people – families, visitors, and businesses - to the community, with an action plan to deliver on the brand promise.

2) Enhanced Online Presence - Enhance your online presence across several Lonoke websites with a common look and brand that is mobile friendly, and create a community app.

3) Quality of Life and Place – Create a clean, attractive community with walkability and trail systems that connect the entire community, a vibrant downtown, and entrances to the city that are attractive to residents and visitors.

4) Support Employers and Identify New Job Opportunities – Support your employers with a business retention and expansion program, create robust education and workforce development, and develop an entrepreneurship support system.

5) Youth Activities - Increased activities for young people that complement your excellent sports programs.

6) Long-Term Sustainability Through New Funding and Finance – Successful communities create ways for their citizens and outsiders to financially support community and economic development in their communities. This requires community involvement to create financing mechanisms that are good for the community over the long term.

As the real experts are those of you who live and work in Lonoke, these recommendations are things to consider, for you to select the gold nuggets that may confirm what you already know or describe a new opportunity you had not considered. The team was unencumbered by knowledge of local politics and who owns what land or businesses, so we leave that up to the people of Lonoke to work through.

Note: A large amount of secondary data about Lonoke and Lonoke County has been gathered through UCA and is available upon request.

2

Introduction to Kick Start

The Community Development Institute Central (CDI), established in 1987 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas, trains community and economic development professionals in Arkansas and surrounding states. The complete CDI experience is a three-year training program, with one week of training per year. Participants move through the program curriculum in cohorts, and are exposed to a comprehensive, applied approach to the field of community and economic development. CDI is relevant for both new and seasoned professionals because it focuses on best practices and current trends.

You can learn more about the Community Development Institute at www.uca.edu/cdi Community Development Kick Start was created three years ago as a collaborative initiative with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service to provide a unique opportunity for CDI graduates to apply their knowledge and skills to a real-life situation and to kick start a community and economic development process in one community. Paris, Arkansas was selected for Community Development Kick Start in 2014 and Heber Springs, Arkansas in 2015.

Community Development Kick Start uses the Breakthrough Solutions Model from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, with Dr. Mark Peterson, Professor of Community and Economic Development, serving as class director for this initiative. The Breakthrough Solutions Program is a partnership initiative with the purpose of equipping communities and regions in Arkansas to be vibrant, sustainable, and resilient in the 21st century economy.

You can learn more about Breakthrough Solutions at www.uaex.edu/business-communities/strategicplanning/breakthrough-solutions.aspx The Breakthrough Solutions Model 2.0 is a good fit for Community Development Kick Start, as it demonstrates that: • citizens and community leaders can really make a difference in their communities, • an asset-opportunity mindset is effective to move toward action, and • communities that come together and take action will be the ones that will survive and prosper, while those that do not will fade away.

3

Lonoke has a wide array of assets, as indicated on this asset map:

The Breakthrough Solutions Model provides a way for communities and regions to leverage their assets to realize their desired future, leading to measurable results:

4

This report identifies many of the assets in Lonoke and describes possible strategies and action steps that can move the community forward.

The Kick Start team spent August 1, 2016 researching Lonoke to gather insights about the community.

August 2, 2016 was spent in Lonoke, taking a bus tour and interacting with citizens and community leaders about their most pressing issues and opportunities. August 4, 2016 was spent in a community meeting in Lonoke, then pulling all of this together into a report with recommendations for Lonoke to consider moving forward. Benchmark communities were chosen to compare to Lonoke not because they are similar to Lonoke, but because they have some activity or assets that are worthwhile for Lonoke’s consideration.

Community Development Kick Start provides a community with: • A fresh look at their community – challenges and asset-based opportunities from several perspectives by community and economic development professionals.

• A process to prioritize key issues and opportunities for their community.

• The opportunity to receive follow-up technical assistance from UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development and the Breakthrough Solutions program of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

• A full-paid scholarship for one member of the community to attend the 2017 Community Development Institute and 2017 Breakthrough Solutions Conference.

5

History of Lonoke Lonoke, Arkansas is the second most populous city in Lonoke County and serves as the county seat.

According to 2013 United States Census, the population of the city is 4,229. It is part of the Little Rock – North Little Rock – Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Brownsville, Arkansas, two and a half miles north of the town of present-day Lonoke, was the County seat of Prairie County from 1846 until 1868 when the county moved its seat of justice to DeValls Bluff.

Brownsville was burned by Union Forces during the Civil War and the railroad tracks were destroyed.

The original site of the town of Lonoke, then part of Prairie County, was surveyed and laid out in August 1869 with the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad running through the center of town.

A depot was built near the only tree visible on the prairie for miles, an oak tree from which the area came to be called “Lone Oak.” Major Rumbaugh, a civil engineer with the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, wanted the town’s name to sound more like it was derived from Native American heritage, so he changed the spelling to Lonoke. The town was incorporated on January 22, 1872.

Lonoke County was formed April 16, 1873 from a combination of land on the eastern edge of Pulaski County and the western edge of Prairie County, of which Lonoke was previously a part.

The first highway in this immediate territory was known as the “Military Road” leading from Memphis to Little Rock, and crossing the county by way of Brownsville. This road was made by the government and cut prior to the Mexican War, during which the Tennessee troops passed over it on their way to Mexico.

The highway also follows one of the Trail of Tears routes and was used by Butterfield Stage lines.

Lonoke had a college in 1872 for which College Street is named. Lonoke was also the site of Eberts Field, a WWI flight training school. Historical accounts also note that the city of Lonoke had a zoo in 1926.

The soil and underground water supply of Lonoke County are ideal for fish farming. The Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery in Lonoke, established in 1928, is the largest state-owned, warm-water pond fishery in the United States. It attracts tourists and is a teaching tool for colleges.

Agriculture continues to be the principal economic resource for the county. Cotton ruled as the main crop until W. H. Fuller proved in 1904 that rice could be profitably produced on the same land, the first rice to be grown in Arkansas. In 1940, soybeans were introduced to the county. Aquaculture also provides economic growth for the county, and Remington Arms is the largest manufacturer in the county.

To this day, Lonoke’s geographic location and key transportation infrastructure continues to have a major impact on the community. With the completion of a second Interstate 40 interchange northwest of town in 2014, Lonoke has a new venue to the state’s largest metropolitan area and is uniquely positioned as a “front porch” welcoming travelers to the Delta region.

6

Kick Start Team Team Leader: Dr. Mark Peterson, Professor – Community & Economic Development, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

Brenda Rowell,

Grants Manager at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Team Role: Family with Children Looking to Relocate

Sue Kinsey,

Downtown District Director for the Johnson County Regional Chamber of Commerce in Clarksville Team Role: Potential Tourist

Randy Holland,

Mayor of the City of Mayflower Team Role: Potential Retiree Moving to the Community

Tongia Gaston,

Customer Service Representative at Entergy Team Role: Industrial Plant Locator

Shelia Borum-Cooney, Community Development Specialist at the Central Arkansas Development Council Team Role: High School Student Moving to Lonoke

Wonder Lowe,

Executive Director at The Butterfly Effect, Inc. Team Role: Single 25 YearOld Starting a Business

7

Internet Search In this digital era, most people check out your community online before coming to visit. If they do not like what they see (regardless of the real situation in your community), they will probably never come.

These notes reflect how outsiders perceive your community as they search for Lonoke on the internet. The following websites were reviewed by the Kick Start team: • Arkansas Site Selection Center: www.arkansassiteselection.com • City of Lonoke: www.cityoflonoke.com • Lonoke Chamber of Commerce: www.Lonoke.com and Chamber Facebook page • Lonoke Community Center: www.lonokecommunity.com • Lonoke Planning Commission: www.lonoke.planyourcity.com/ • Lonoke Public Schools: www.lonokeschools.org • State of Arkansas: www.arkansas.com/places-togo/cities-and-towns/city-detail.aspx?city=lonoke • Trip Advisor: www.tripadvisor.com/SmartDealsg31744-Lonoke_Arkansas-Hotel-Deals.html Here is the front door to Lonoke from the world wide web:

8

Web Presence - Strengths: • The city and chamber of commerce have Facebook pages • Several Facebook pages relate to Lonoke • Pictures of the area were beautiful • Logo consistency • Good presence on Arkansas.com • Ample lodging listings • Website for planning and zoning

Web Presence - Weaknesses: • A YouTube channel could be used to advertise community and people • City website has a beautiful picture, but does not invite visitors to the community • Chamber website looks cluttered • Chamber web page not linked to city web page • City, chamber, and county websites could use more cohesion and connection • Absence of a tagline that differentiates Lonoke from other places • Websites would be strengthened by adding:

o More high quality pictures/videos

o A link with things to do in Lonoke

o Information about historical sites in the community

o Programs offered at the community center, including schedules

o An economic development link on the city website

o More information for schools such as: activities, schedules, accomplishments, district rating

9

Online Community Assessment from Various Perspectives Single 25-Year-Old Starting a Business What I want as a 25-year-old starting a business in Lonoke: • Tax incentives • Green spaces • Low cost commercial property • Low crime rate • Affordable housing • Entertainment • Reliable internet access • Good places to eat • Active chamber of commerce • Strong online presence • Business funding opportunities • Built areas

Weaknesses: • No incentives to start a small business • No professional business organizations • Lack of entertainment/nightlife • Lack of activities and venues for young adults

Benchmark Communities: • Newport, Helena, and the North Little Rock Innovation Hub

Strengths: • Available storefronts downtown for lease • Ease of doing business with the city • Active chamber of commerce

10

Family with Children Looking to Relocate What I want for my family if we relocate to Lonoke: • Parks • Schools • Quality of life • Churches • Parks • Broadband internet access Strengths: • Schools • Community Center • Safe small town atmosphere • Fast food restaurants • City parks and the ball park • Lonoke Exceptional Development Center • Churches and youth groups • Nonprofits • Close to Little Rock and North Little Rock • CORE program • Health Services Team for students • Veterinarian services Weaknesses: • Lack of cultural activities, arts, and theater • Closed golf course • Lack of healthy food choices • Lack of rental property • Limited housing for low to mid income families • Lack of opportunities for youth to participate in community governance, planning, and leadership Benchmark Communities: • Sherwood and White Hall

11

High School Student Moving to Lonoke What I want if my family relocates to Lonoke:

Strengths:

• Activities for youth • Sports teams • Availability of technology • Other amenities

• School district offers a variety of sports programs • Community Center • City parks and ball park facility • ASU Beebe offers career oriented classes at high school • Churches with youth programs

Weaknesses: • Lack of diverse recreational activities for teens • No amenities like theaters, shopping, or arts • Limited technology • Lack activities for teens on the website Benchmark Communities: • Greenbrier and Mayflower

12

Retiree Looking for Community in Which to Live What I want if I relocate to Lonoke:

Strengths:

• Health care facility locations • Senior dancing • Pharmacy locations • Home healthcare • Facilities suited for seniors • BINGO • Where and how to interact with other seniors, etc.

• Computer classes • Mentoring program for students

• Proposed senior citizen center next to the community center • Assisted living and nursing homes • Peaceful, relaxing quality of life • Transportation for seniors for doctor’s appointments and errands • Access to hunting and fishing activities

Weaknesses:

Benchmark Communities:

• Lack of communication of community activities • Mosquitoes • Lack of senior citizen outdoor activities • Lack of hospital and Medi-Flight • No golf course • Lack of technological training for seniors

• Mena and Heber Springs

Potential Tourist What I want to see if I visit Lonoke:

Benchmark Communities:

• Tourism activities and special events

• Heber Springs, El Dorado, and Eureka Springs

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

• Agri-tourism – fish hatchery tours • Lonoke County Historic Museum • Bayou Meto Double D Waterfowl Guide Service and Lodge • Walking trail • Softball tournaments • Hunting

• No tourism information on the website • No public fishing • No marketing • Poor signage • Lack of tourism development • Lack of restaurants, coffee shops, music venues, green spaces, and farmer’s market • No festivals

13

Industrial Plant Locator What I am looking for in Lonoke:

Strengths:

• Certified industrial site or controlled site with due diligence completed • Skilled and available workforce • Good transportation infrastructure • Local incentives as well as state-wide incentives • Existing industry that speaks highly of the business climate in Lonoke

• Industrial and commercial sites on the Arkansas Select Site Page • Sales tax dedicated to economic development with no sunset • Infrastructure - electricity, water, gas at available sites • Interstate access • Five higher education institutions within 40 miles • Revitalized Lonoke Industrial Development Council • Active chamber of commerce

Weaknesses:

Benchmark Communities:

• Lack of industrial presence on website • No local incentive identified – only state incentives • Information about target industries or existing industry programs is missing • Lack of a skilled workforce • No available commercial buildings • No viable business retention and expansion program

• Monticello and Newport

14

Community Driving Tour As part of the assessment, the Community Development Kick Start team toured Lonoke with tour guides Mayor Wayne McGee and Ryan Biles.

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

• Community Center and ball park • Clean community • Attractive historic homes and new homes • Development on interstate • New high school and gymnasium • Lonoke County Museum • Walking trails • County courthouse • Train depot • New interchange on the interstate • Dairy Bar

• Lack of signage for I-40 to downtown, historical sites, and upcoming events • Lack of directional signs to the city hall, ball park, and museum • Walking trails and trailheads could be more fully developed • Safety crosswalk at walking trail by ball park • Lack of restaurants in downtown • Need for grocery store(s) south of I-40 • Assets are spread out with few connectors • Map on city brochure needs to be updated (museum is not on map) • Revitalization and beautification of downtown is needed • Empty storefronts in downtown

15

Overall Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths: • The Community Center and new school buildings are signs of visionary leaders with strong community support in Lonoke • Close knit community, relaxed environment • Partnership with THRIVE, graphic designers and strategists from Helena AR • Good schools (safe rooms available to the schools and the public) • Low crime rate • Commercial and industrial property is available • Access to the I-40, Highway 70, and proximity to Little Rock metro area • Historical significance (homes, museum, district) • Affordable retail space available in town square • Community Center • Active chamber of commerce • Diverse denomination of churches and nonprofits • Strong economic sectors – agriculture, aquaculture, and industry • Availability of assisted living, nursing homes, and a proposed senior center

Weaknesses: • Websites and the lack of links • Lack of activities for children outside of sports • Limited Wi-Fi downtown • Limited entrepreneurial training offered in the schools and the community • Dry county • Unclear availability of incentive package for new businesses • Aging infrastructure (sidewalks, streets, and water system) needs improvement • Code enforcement appears to be lax - dilapidated houses and empty retail structures in downtown • Lack of affordable housing for low to middle income families • Lack of community identity and an effective economic brand • Lack of unified consensus on moving forward

16

Key Issues and Opportunities The following are key issues that emerged out of the team’s work in the community, and include some possible strategies and action steps. Key issues include: 1) Professional Staffing and Funding 2) Communication and Leadership 3) Quality of Life and Place 4) Economic Development and Workforce 5) Marketing and Tourism Professional Staffing and Funding: 1) Explore providing chamber services to neighboring communities in increase funding and opportunity to hire professional staff.

2) Explore funding sources through the city and county to do the same.

3) Review chamber membership funding structure and compare with other chambers around the state.

4) Create a funding and finance action team. For example, Kick Start Heber Springs created a funding and finance action team with these purposes:

o Review all funding streams (taxes, etc.) coming into the community, to see if they are used for

the most strategic purposes in the community, and if they can be enhanced or leveraged in some

way

o Assist the other action teams with identifying possible funding sources and strategies

o Connecting people of means (such as wealthy individuals who have some connection to the

community) with major projects that would be breakthroughs for the community Easy place to start:

o Explore funding sources to increase funding and opportunity to hire professional staff.

Communication and Leadership: 1) Create a comprehensive calendar of events for the website(s), Facebook pages, and local media.

2) Create e-newsletter and print newsletter to be distributed to the community.

3) Create mechanism for key leaders to meet on a regular basis, which could include individuals such as the mayor, county judge, chamber of commerce president, school superintendent, a representative from the Central Arkansas Planning and Development District, the Lonoke County Extension Service, churches, and non-profits. Example: Conway County has an Intergovernmental Committee that meets once a month over lunch to discuss what each organization is doing.

4) Create a junior leadership program for high school students and consider other ways to involve youth in community organizations.

5) Recruit local residents to participate in statewide leadership programs such as the Community Development Institute, LeadAR, and Leadership Arkansas, and community development events such as the Arkansas Community Development Conference and Breakthrough Solutions Conference.

17

6) Take a fresh look at the Lonoke County Leadership Program (Leadership programs in Clarksville and Newport might be useful to review), connect to other organizations and community websites, and inform the community of Lonoke County leadership training availability.

Easy place to start:

o Create a comprehensive calendar of events for the website(s), Facebook pages, and local media.

Quality of Life and Place: 1) Develop a comprehensive development plan that includes:

o All assets of the town

o Current and future plans

o A land use plan that shows available sites and existing businesses

o Shows all proposed trail systems that connect the city 2) Connect different parts of town with bike paths and sidewalks that meet ADA standards.

3) Create a comprehensive system of attractive, decorative, way-finding signage that points to key areas of interest in the community.

4) Create a comprehensive system of attractive, decorative, way-finding signage that points people to the community center, ball park, and other points of interest (rogerbrooksinternational.com is a tremendous resource for this purpose). Examples of way finding signange from Roger Brooks can be found in the photo on the right.

5) A Beautification Action Team could take a fresh look at downtown, Main Street, entrances into town, lighting, trailheads, and explore forming a Master Gardner’s Program through the Lonoke County Extension office.

6) Create a focal point for downtown (fountain or sculpture).

7) Revitalize downtown, seeking restaurants, coffee shops, music venues, green spaces, farmers’ market, etc.

8) Local foods are gaining popularity in Arkansas. Some possibilities:

o Create a farm-to-table event in the community

o Develop a community garden

o Encourage/teach gardening in the community 9) Explore joining the Main Street network.

10) Create more activities for people of all ages, particularly for youth and in arts and culture.

18

11) Install a splash pad for kids at the Community Center (grants are available through Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism).

12) Pursue opportunities for housing development.

13) Explore natural ways to kill mosquitoes.

14) Explore multiple uses for the building downtown that was donated to the city, such as: a museum for the high school, meeting rooms, fitness center, providing public access to the internet, a welcome/information center, distance education center, a small business incubator, or coworking space.

Easy place to start:

o Form a beautification action team with a challenge to make something happen in the next

1-3 months.

Economic Development & Workforce: 1) Develop an entrepreneur short course, tapping expertise of local business people, ASU- Beebe, and the UALR Small Business Technology Development Center. Example: Harrison (pop. 13,224) created an entrepreneurship short course for existing and potential entrepreneurs. Individuals have to apply to be accepted, and present a business plan at the end of the course. The winner of the business plan competition received $5,000 in cash and free rent for several months in a downtown store front. Of the 15 individuals taking the course, 12 started their own businesses.

2) Create a business retention and expansion program to find out what existing employers need and address them.

o The Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Entergy can be helpful

o Utilize expertise from the Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions within AEDC to address needs

identified 3) Sponsor economic development training for planning commission and local officials.

4) Define target markets - what businesses you want to attract.

5) Update the Arkansas Site Select webpage with Lonoke sites.

6) Add more information for schools, such as activities, schedules, accomplishments, and district rating on the school website.

7) Create a mechanism for the school system, colleges serving the community, and employers to meet on a regular basis.

8) Use economic development funds to create an incentive package to attract major employers.

9) Investigate grants to fund infrastructure at the new interchange.

10) Agriculture and aquaculture are major economic drivers in the community. Engage local farmers, aquaculture operators, agricultural enterprises and organizations, Division of Agriculture Extension and Research faculty in exploring what they would like commercial agriculture and aquaculture to look like in Lonoke County in 10 years and what can they do to realize that vision.

11) Utilize outside resources such as:

o Small Business Technology & Development Center

o Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center

o Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions

o Arkansas Economic Development Commission

o Entergy Teamwork Arkansas/Entergy Business Development

o Central Arkansas Planning and Development Easy place to start:

o Update the Arkansas Site Select webpage and add more information about the school district. 19

Marketing and Tourism: 1) Create a new economic development brand (logo graphic, tagline, and brand promise) that distinguishes Lonoke from all other communities in the world. We understand this is underway with THRIVE. 2) Develop an action plan to deliver on the brand promise. Example: Heber Springs – Spectacular by Nature promises spectacular nature and community experiences.

3) Conduct a brand audit, to insure that there is uniform use of Lonoke’s brand across all community websites, and that all websites are mobile friendly.

4) Create a unified image, cohesion, and links between city, chamber, and county websites. Example: Look at newportarcity.org and the connectivity they have achieved.

5) The Lonoke County Museum is a tremendous resource. Suggest a refurbished front of the building and signage.

6) Involve the Lonoke County Historical Society into communicating the rich history of Lonoke and offer historical re-enactments, cemetery tours at night (with individuals wearing period costumes telling stories by their deceased relatives’ graves), storytelling festivals, and community plays based on historical events.

7) Develop a homecoming weekend for everyone who has ever lived in Lonoke; fill it with fun activities, and invite the alums to participate.

8) Strengthen Lonoke websites by adding:

o More high quality pictures and videos

o A link with things to do in Lonoke

o Information about historical sites in the community

o Programs offered at the community center, including schedules

o An economic development link on the city website

o More information for schools, such as activities, schedules, accomplishments, and district rating 9) Create a video to market the community and a YouTube channel to house more videos.

10) Create one or more festivals that involve and celebrate the community.

11) Invite travel writers for an extraordinary experience.

12) Create opportunities for fishing within the community.

13) Identify and develop existing and new opportunities in agri-tourism.

20

14) Offer tours of the jail on the fourth floor of the courthouse.

15) Offer workshops and hands-on assistance to get all businesses on to the internet and travel sites.

16) Develop bicycling in the community:

o Create a trail from Little Rock to West Memphis, which would go right through Lonoke, with

rest stops along the way with shade

o Host bike races - CARTI now sponsors bike races south of Lonoke; why not host them in

Lonoke?

17) Utilize resources such as Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Easy places to start:

o Add a link with things to do in Lonoke to the chamber website.

o Add programs offered at the Community Center with schedules.

o Add an economic development link on the city website.

21

Out of the Box Ideas What are your dreams for Lonoke if funding was not a barrier? Think outside of the box. Everyone thought you could not grow rice in Arkansas until W.H. Fuller started to grow rice in Lonoke County!

Cardboard boat races were considered wild and crazy before Heber Springs sponsored the first cardboard boat race. They now attract thousands of people every year to see them.

Here are a few out of the box ideas: 1) Create a huge aquarium in the community, perhaps at one of the minnow operations or downtown.

2) Revitalize your Minnow Festival, with minnow-themed floats, minnow recipes, minnow costume contests, etc.

3) Create the World Famous Lonoke Goldfish Festival. You may have the only Goldfish Festival in the U.S. To create the World Famous Lonoke Goldfish Festival:

o Create new activities at the festival related to the goldfish theme

o Develop an annual Goldfish Festival Parade, with prizes for the best goldfish-themed float

o Create an online competition for the most innovative project or activity for the festival

o Construct the world’s largest goldfish in downtown Lonoke

o Create a large goldfish balloon that floats above downtown Lonoke and can be seen from the interstate

o Build the Lonoke Goldfish Restaurant with special goldfish dishes as a delicacy (deep-fried of

course)

o Create a goldfish gift shop

o Host tours of the aquaculture operations in the Lonoke area (particularly those who raise gold

fish)

o Invite representatives of goldfish festivals from Japan and the Netherlands to come to Lonoke

o Send delegations to visit their festivals

o Create a fishing pond in Lonoke that is stocked with goldfish

o Offer to anyone who catches a goldfish over a certain size a free goldfish burger at the local

Lonoke Goldfish Restaurant (the goldfish burger is shaped like a goldfish and has a slight fishy

taste)

o Build a large goldfish aquarium in downtown Lonoke or at one of the aquaculture operations

o Work with the UAPB Aquaculture/Fisheries Center to search the world for or develop a large

goldfish that is good to eat and call it the Lonoke Golden

o Encourage the local EAST lab students to design a high-tech aquaponics demonstration model

that combines hydroponics and aquaculture (raising goldfish, of course) 4) Paint one of the elevators in town with a huge, beautiful mural of something special about Lonoke.

It could be the tallest mural in the state and perhaps the nation.

5) What if the city utilized technology to create the mural and projected a picture on to a silo?

6) Zip lines are really big, and really attract people. What if you installed a zip line from the top of an elevator to the Dairy Bar? 7) What if the Lonoke water tower was painted like a big tree – the largest oak tree in the world?

22

Summary This report is a culmination of the Community Development Kick Start team and their interactions with citizens and leaders of Lonoke, Arkansas. It is a rare opportunity for a community or organization to receive a fresh look from the outside of how they are perceived, and more importantly, what are the strategic opportunities they see for your community.

Lonoke is a special community with unique assets and opportunities. You all do many things very well, and have a great foundation on which to build the future you desire for your children and grandchildren.

You who live in Lonoke are most knowledgeable about Lonoke, and are in the driver’s seat moving forward. We hope this report offers some useful observations, recommendations, and gold nuggets that will be helpful to you on your journey.

Thanks to all who have been involved with this initiative so far. We look forward to seeing great things happening in Lonoke.

For more information, please contact: Dr. Mark Peterson Professor - Community and Economic Development U of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service 2301 South University Little Rock, AR 72204 (501) 671-2253 mpeterson@uaex.edu

Amy Whitehead Director - Center for Community and Economic Development University of Central Arkansas 201 Donaghey Avenue, BHCC 102 Conway, AR 72035 (501) 852-2930 amyw@uca.edu

Shelby Fiegel Assistant Director - Center for Community and Economic Development University of Central Arkansas 201 Donaghey Avenue, BHCC 102 Conway, AR 72035 (501) 450-5269 sfiegel@uca.edu

Corey Parks Project Coordinator - Center for Community and Economic Development University of Central Arkansas 201 Donaghey Avenue, BHCC 102 Conway, AR 72035 (501) 450-3460 cparks@uca.edu

23

Appendix: Lonoke Demographic Data Population Population in 2015: 4,302

Population change since 2010:

52% Female

Median Age

Civilian Population 16+ in Labor Force

Arkansas median age:

39.3

37.4

Arkansas:

96.4%

3.6%

96.1%

Employed

Unemployed

Employed

0% Pacific Islander

Arkansas:

Estimated Per Capita Income

$22,100 $22,595

Lonoke:

Housing Units Total Lonoke housing units in 2015: 1,819 Lonoke Occupancy Breakdown:

United States Occupancy Breakdown:

32.8% Renter Occupied

34.4% Renter Occupied

56.3% Owner Occupied

55.7% Owner Occupied

10.8% Vacant Units

12.8% Vacant Units

* All data from Esri Community Analyst

10.3% Bachelor’s Degree

$115,300

16.1% No Diploma

Arkansas:

8.1% Associate’s Degree

Education Level for Population 25+ 60.2% Diploma or GED

Median Home Value

$105,761

Unemployed

$50,410 $41,264

Lonoke:

Arkansas:

Lonoke:

3.9%

Estimated Median Household Income 4.3% Hispanic Origin

0.7% Asian

3% Other

0.2% American Indian

1.1% Two or More

Race and Ethnicity

Lonoke:

5.3% Graduate or HIgher

Median resident age:

23.8% Black

+2.28%

+.25%

48% Male

71.2% White

Projected population in 2020: 4,400

24

NOTE: The following data for Lonoke County sheds light on the community of Lonoke.

80,000

Lonoke County Population, 1960-2015 71,645

68,356

70,000 60,000

52,828

50,000 40,000 30,000

34,518 24,551

26,249

1960

1970

39,268

20,000 10,000 0

1980

1990

2000

2010

2015

Source: Census of Population and Population Estimates, U.S. Bureau of Census

25,000

Lonoke County Employment, 1970-2014

20,000

22,279

2010

2014

17,820

15,000 11,284 10,000

21,623

12,997

8,776

5,000 0

1970

1980

1990

2000

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.

25

A larger proportion of jobs in Lonoke County were in trade (16%), other services (15%), finance, insurance, real estate (9%) and construction (9%) in 2010 as compared to the state average. There were considerable missing data due to nondisclosure of confidential information.

The farm & farm services sector lost more jobs, while the professional services sector gained more jobs between 2001 and 2010 than any other sectors in Lonoke County. There were considerable missing data due to non-disclosure of confidential information.

Source: 2013 Lonoke County Profile, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock, by Professor Wayne Miller and Thai Nguyen, Intern; http://www.uaex.edu/business-communities/strategic-planning/docs/county-profiles/lonoke-county-profile.pdf 26

The elderly population as a proportion of the total population grew most rapidly in Central and Northwest Arkansas from 2000 to 2010, including Lonoke County.

More demographic and retail information can be provided by contacting the Center for Community and Economic Development.

27

Don’t ask what the world needs.

Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who come alive.

- Donald Thurman

28

Life As It Should Be