Reynolds Foundation Considering Monticello for Building Donation Worth Up to $8 Million
Published by Joe Burgess September 17th, 2008 in City, County, MEDC.
Last week, Craig Willis, a representative of the Reynolds Foundation visited Monticello, based on a recent response to a survey, that was completed by MEDC Director Truman Hamilton.
Over 15 business and community leaders, including County Judge Damon Lampkin, Mayor Joe Rogers, State Rep. Allen Maxwell, as well as city council and quorum court members, took part in the question and answer session that was held at the Sadie Johnson Community Center, at Jordan Park.
The Reynolds Foundation operates a “Capital Grants Program”, which is designed to “give back to small communities”, by means of providing buildings, which are to be used for community purposes.
Various uses of the Foundation’s previous donated projects included conference centers with large meeting rooms (complete with appropriate kitchen facilities to provide for large crowds). Multi-purpose rooms can be included, which are available to serve as performance halls for music and/or dance recitals. Theatre and outside amphitheatres may also be considered by the Foundation’s board. Other possible uses could include improved facilities for senior citizens, the Boys & Girls Club, Head Start, and the ongoing summer enrichment programs.
The MEDC Director, Mayor, and Judge took Mr. Willis on a tour of Monticello, which included all of our parks, the sports complex, schools campus’, intermodal facility, and concluded the visit with another question and answer session, at UAMonticello.
The maximum grant amount is $8 million, for a community, pending the approval process. At this point, over 80 buildings have been donated, and that number is soon expected to surpass the 100 mark.
Meeting the criteria and completing the application process for this grant program may be appear to be slow, but as southeast Arkansas can tell by looking at Warren’s YMCA (a prime local example of the Reynolds Foundation’s efforts), it could certainly be a worthwhile project to pursue.
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This would be such a great thing to have for our town.
I have never understood why Monticello doesn’t have a convention center when there are smaller towns around us that do have them. I realize UAM is gracious enough to allow some functions to be held there but why can’t Monticello have it’s own center???
There are several times that meetings, school functions, etc. are held at MMS and even that doesn’t provide enough seats. I think it is time for Monticello to “think big”….get rid of the “small town syndrome”.
Then again, it will most likely be shot down so the people in charge of Monticello that are controlling the lack of businesses, factories, etc can maintain their status quo.
Not that this subject will affect me much since I will be leaving in about 8 months anyway but I would be more interested in tearing down the delapidated buildings causing Monticello to look trashy and putting that space to better use. There are plenty of empty buildings just sitting around rotting that could be remodeled to provide and convention center.
I do agree with Tony though in that the people making the major decisions for Monticello seem to like the status quo while the rest of us keep trying to push for change. This may say something about the fact that most young people leave as soon as they can.