Monticello Live

U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representative Mike Ross have announced that the Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority, made up of the Cities of Monticello and Warren, and Drew and Bradley Counties, will receive a $1.9 million grant from the Economic Development Administration under the U.S. Department of Commerce to construct water and sewer infrastructure for a new industrial park outside Monticello. 

The funds will be used to construct water and sewer infrastructure for the new industrial park, which will support new and expanding industries. The project is expected to create 40 jobs and leverage $5 million in private investment. (more…)

$475,000 for Southeast Arkansas Intermodal Facility
Funds will be used to construct infrastructure to develop the intermodal and industrial park facility. Improvements will include an access road, water and sewer lines and rail.

 $250,000 to Address Critical National Energy and Environmental Issues at University of Arkansas at Monticello
Funding will provide for renovation, construction, and equipment to further the initiatives of Arkansas Forest Resources Center. Diverse research, extension educational outreach and teaching programs encompassing economic expansion and productivity, and environmental sustainability and quality of life issues provide the principal focus to the Center’s mission. The University’s extension programs reach about two million Arkansans per year.

 $100,000 for Digital Mamography Equipment at Drew Memorial Hospital
Drew Memorial Hospital will use the funds to purchase a state-of-the-art digital breast imaging machine. The hospital’s current mammography equipment is out-of-date and insufficient in the detection and treatment of cancer nodes.

$1,948,000 for Interstate 69/Great River Bridge: Highway 65-MS Highway 1 (Desha County)
Funds will be used to continue engineering, design, and right-of-way acquisition for I-69/Great River Bridge. This bridge is a portion of a new, four-lane, controlled-access highway.

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It was announced at a recent Intermodal Authority meeting,  that SeaArk Marine has agreed to sign a “letter of intent” with the intermodal authority, which may eventually lead to the Monticello boat manufacturer re-locating to the new industrial site, just west of Monticello, across from the sports complex.

The intermodal authority has applied for a grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), and one of the requirement for further consideration is a promisory “letter of intent” from an industry that would become a part of the facility. This part of the process of finalizing the grant process will hopefully lead to funding by EDA. (more…)

The Southeast Arkansas Intermodal Facility authority met Wednesday, September 17, in the Commercial Bank Community Room in Monticello.

Major business items covered included “setting a value” for “grubbing work” done at the facility by UAM’s heavy equipment class to ready the area for the access road.   Progress reports were also heard from Garvin Engineers and Midland Railroad. AHTD updates and timber harvest reports were also heard.
The facility expects to see rapid progress in the near future.

The Southeast Arkansas Intermodal Facility board met last week with approximately 20 local officials and guests in attendance.

Vince Hotho, with Garver engineers, told the group they have all been awarded a $154,000 general improvement fund grant from the state of Arkansas.  The amount of the grant is derived from the amount submitted for water and sewerage improvements in preparation for the first occupant at the facility.

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