Saturday, January 31, 2009
Mayor Jordan urges residents to work together
Working Together;
Meeting the Challenges
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
January 30, 2009
My central message today is this: No one in Fayetteville should have to suffer unduly from the effects of this ice storm. It doesn't matter whether you're poor or unemployed, a renter or homeless, a student or a corporate executive- you should be able to stay safe and warm, and the City is doing and will continue to do everything in its power to help you.
I want to recognize the outstanding work of our city employees in all divisions and departments. It is an honor for me to work with such dedicated people who are committed to serving our citizens at all times and under such difficult conditions. I also appreciate the work of the Red Cross to establish an emergency shelter and the ongoing efforts of the private utility companies –SWEPCO and Ozarks Electric Cooperative – to restore electrical power to our homes and businesses.
Our citizens have responded with compassion and concern. Many have called my office to report conditions and alert us to the needs of their neighbors, and the number offering to volunteer to help has been heartwarming. I thank you for everything you do for our community.
I am grateful that President Barack Obama has issued an emergency disaster declaration allowing us to avail ourselves of federal resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and funding, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act. Governor Mike Beebe has declared a state of emergency allowing state agencies to more easily coordinate with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
Meeting the Challenges
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
January 30, 2009
My central message today is this: No one in Fayetteville should have to suffer unduly from the effects of this ice storm. It doesn't matter whether you're poor or unemployed, a renter or homeless, a student or a corporate executive- you should be able to stay safe and warm, and the City is doing and will continue to do everything in its power to help you.
I want to recognize the outstanding work of our city employees in all divisions and departments. It is an honor for me to work with such dedicated people who are committed to serving our citizens at all times and under such difficult conditions. I also appreciate the work of the Red Cross to establish an emergency shelter and the ongoing efforts of the private utility companies –SWEPCO and Ozarks Electric Cooperative – to restore electrical power to our homes and businesses.
Our citizens have responded with compassion and concern. Many have called my office to report conditions and alert us to the needs of their neighbors, and the number offering to volunteer to help has been heartwarming. I thank you for everything you do for our community.
I am grateful that President Barack Obama has issued an emergency disaster declaration allowing us to avail ourselves of federal resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and funding, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act. Governor Mike Beebe has declared a state of emergency allowing state agencies to more easily coordinate with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
January 25, 2009, annual meeting of FNHA features water-quality presentations
"Troubled Water: Preserving and Restoring Arkansas' Most Valuable Resource"
will be the program theme for FNHA’s annual meeting at 2:00 pm on January 25, 2009,
in the Walker meeting room of the Fayetteville Public Library.
Two leading experts on water issues in Arkansas, Martin Maner and Marty Matlock, will discuss Arkansas’ persistent water concerns and will talk with us about what they are doing and what we, as citizens, can do to protect the quality of our water and to help restore water quality where it has deteriorated.
Martin Maner is Director of Watershed Management with Central Arkansas Water, a metropolitan system which traces its history to the springs and wells of the early 1800s and which currently provides water to nearly 400,000 users. Central Arkansas Water, which is publicly owned, emphasizes a regional approach to water needs and has won numerous EPA awards for its commitment to water quality. Before becoming Director of Watershed Management for the utility, Maner was chief of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality’s Water Division.
Marty Matlock is Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Arkansas and has conducted research on a variety of ecological issues. One groundbreaking project which has drawn national attention combines urban stream ecological services restoration with outdoor classrooms, greenway trails and park development. Matlock's ecological engineering group collaborates closely with the University of Arkansas Community Design Center, in the School of Architecture, as well as with city and state officials to demonstrate more natural designs for stormwater systems. Among other activities, he will be working with the Springdale water utility in 2009 on the Clear Creek stream restoration project.
Please plan to join us the afternoon of January 25, and encourage your friends and neighbors to come along. Refreshments will be served. The annual business meeting will be brief, and there will be opportunities to learn more about an essential resource on which we and all living things depend.
Barbara Elaine Boland
Green Infrastructure Planning, Project Coordinator
Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association
148 E Spring Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 521-2801 home
(479) 387-6724 cell
barbaraboland@hotmail.com
"Green Infrastructure is our nation's life support system - an interconnected network of waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats, and other natural areas; greenways, parks and other conservation lands; working farms, ranches and forests; and wilderness and other open spaces that support native species, maintain natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources and contribute to the health and quality of life for America's communities and people." USDA Forest Service, Green Infrastructure Working Group's definition of Green Infrastructure.
will be the program theme for FNHA’s annual meeting at 2:00 pm on January 25, 2009,
in the Walker meeting room of the Fayetteville Public Library.
Two leading experts on water issues in Arkansas, Martin Maner and Marty Matlock, will discuss Arkansas’ persistent water concerns and will talk with us about what they are doing and what we, as citizens, can do to protect the quality of our water and to help restore water quality where it has deteriorated.
Martin Maner is Director of Watershed Management with Central Arkansas Water, a metropolitan system which traces its history to the springs and wells of the early 1800s and which currently provides water to nearly 400,000 users. Central Arkansas Water, which is publicly owned, emphasizes a regional approach to water needs and has won numerous EPA awards for its commitment to water quality. Before becoming Director of Watershed Management for the utility, Maner was chief of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality’s Water Division.
Marty Matlock is Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Arkansas and has conducted research on a variety of ecological issues. One groundbreaking project which has drawn national attention combines urban stream ecological services restoration with outdoor classrooms, greenway trails and park development. Matlock's ecological engineering group collaborates closely with the University of Arkansas Community Design Center, in the School of Architecture, as well as with city and state officials to demonstrate more natural designs for stormwater systems. Among other activities, he will be working with the Springdale water utility in 2009 on the Clear Creek stream restoration project.
Please plan to join us the afternoon of January 25, and encourage your friends and neighbors to come along. Refreshments will be served. The annual business meeting will be brief, and there will be opportunities to learn more about an essential resource on which we and all living things depend.
Barbara Elaine Boland
Green Infrastructure Planning, Project Coordinator
Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association
148 E Spring Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 521-2801 home
(479) 387-6724 cell
barbaraboland@hotmail.com
"Green Infrastructure is our nation's life support system - an interconnected network of waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats, and other natural areas; greenways, parks and other conservation lands; working farms, ranches and forests; and wilderness and other open spaces that support native species, maintain natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources and contribute to the health and quality of life for America's communities and people." USDA Forest Service, Green Infrastructure Working Group's definition of Green Infrastructure.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Mayor Lioneld Jordan's 2009 state-of-the-city address to the city council
http://www.accessfayetteville.org/government/mayor/documents/sotc/State_of_the_City_2009.pdf
Partners in Progress
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
State of the City
January 20, 2009
I am privileged to serve as Mayor of our wonderful city, and I am humbled by the
responsibility that the people have entrusted to me. I am honored to be your servant, and I
will work every day to make our community better for every citizen. That is my solemn
pledge to you.
Thanks to the vision of Mayor Dan Coody, the dedicated effort of our fine Aldermen, the
hard work of our outstanding city employees, and the contributions of many individual
residents who share our civic concerns, I am pleased to report to the City Council and to
my fellow citizens that the State of our City is sound.
We begin the year with a balanced city budget, solid progress on improving our
infrastructure, dedicated police officers and fire fighters who assure our safety, and a
commitment to institutional and individual partnerships to nurture and sustain the things
we love about this great community.
We also begin the year facing many new challenges and we must be prepared to face
those together with resolve. We are not immune from the problems of a faltering national
economy, and we must anticipate and be prepared for the consequences of any revenue
shortfall. We must be responsible stewards of our tax dollars, and we must maintain
essential city services for our citizens. Toward that end, I have already begun to identify
potential cost savings and have implemented a more effective management structure to
improve efficiency and control costs. Our staff already has offered many good solutions,
and we will institute an ongoing, frequent, consistent review of cost/benefit analysis of
operations and projects to assure the services and quality of life that our citizens expect
and deserve.
I believe in leadership by example, and I have proposed to cut the mayor’s salary and roll
it back to last year’s level. I have signed an affidavit that I will not avail myself of the
special lifetime retirement plan funded from general revenues. I have asked to return the
2
$5,000 annual car allowance formerly paid to the mayor and instead, to use a vehicle
from the city fleet when necessary to travel on city business. We have already achieved
some savings in the salaries of top staff, and I will continue to look for savings in all
areas of city operations. My staff and I are partners in this effort.
Even in uncertain economic times, we must be bold in our efforts to develop and
implement a strategic economic development plan for our city. Not only can this lead to
increased revenues without a tax increase, but more importantly, it can help assure green
jobs, good jobs that pay a living wage, allowing individuals and working families to have
the basic necessities and a better life. We already know that we need greater efficiency in
the development approval process, a workforce trained for the jobs of the future, and
better methods to accurately measure the results of our efforts. We can draw on the
suggestions of recent studies and the work of my outstanding Transition Team to craft a
plan that is consistent with Governor Mike Beebe’s long-term strategic plan to help
achieve economic improvement for our state through collaboration and cooperation.
To that end, know that I am serious, and within six weeks I will host a Community
Summit on the Future of Fayetteville that will be open to every citizen and I will consider
all views in forging our own economic and community development strategy. We must
have the participation of the business community and advocates for working families,
students and retirees, public institutions and private citizens, as partners in our shared
progress. We will have, within 90 days, an economic and community development
strategy that considers support for existing small businesses as well as nurturing new
opportunities, and together we will work to make it a reality. A slow national economy is
no excuse for inaction but an opportunity for us to move quickly and prepare now for our
shared future.
My first and immediate goal will be to do everything possible to secure and support the
establishment of a Satellite Campus of the University of Arkansas Medical School and a
Regional Trauma Center in Fayetteville. In the longer view, we should also develop a
close relationship with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and seek a regional presence for that
institution. This commitment clearly illustrates the close connection between economic
development and our quality of life.
The University of Arkansas is a priceless resource, and it is one that helps define
Fayetteville. We must be active partners in progress with the University, drawing on the
vast local resources of knowledge and expertise as we grow together and achieve our
mutual goals. From the development of knowledge-based industry, to community design
plans, to solving social service needs, to collaborating on support for a vibrant arts
culture, the possibilities are limitless. I will actively reach out and pursue this partnership.
The economic, environmental, and cultural aspects of Fayetteville’s advancement are
deeply interconnected. For example, any consideration of transportation policy must
consider getting to work, moving goods, access to cultural resources, and environmental
impact, requiring an integrated and connected system of streets, mass transit, multi-use
trails, bike lanes, sidewalks, and parking, along with a revised transportation impact fee
3
to help growth pay for itself. We will pursue the development of each of these elements,
and we will urge the Regional Mobility Authority to support a feasibility study and
planning for a future light rail system.
As we consider infrastructure development, we must seize the same opportunities. My
administration will go beyond the current recycling program to implementation of a
comprehensive waste minimization program for our entire community. We are pursuing
the idea of solar greenhouses to kill pathogens and reduce the volume of bio-solids now
going to landfills. We are investigating an effective Hillside Development Ordinance and
a storm water utility to better control the primary transmitter of pollutants into our water
supply, and we will implement and enforce a better plan for the protection of riparian
zones. We will be active partners with the “Green Infrastructure” project being developed
with the help of the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, Arkansas Forestry
Commission, the city’s Urban Forestry program, the Tree and Landscape Committee, and
citizen volunteers. Our ongoing city sustainability efforts can also be expanded and
shared to benefit the entire community, evidenced by our new initiative to provide and
exchange CFL light bulbs in the apartments at Hillcrest Towers. In each instance, we will
be partners in progress.
One major change that will be implemented is a reorganization of our Parks and
Recreation Department. While much attention in the past has been focused on sports
playing fields, we know that our outdoor public spaces can serve other essential
functions. I will propose a new division, to be implemented without additional costs, that
emphasizes our community heritage and citizen participation. Examples to be considered
will be increasing the number of way-finding signs and local historical markers, planting
of native trees and grasses in portions of the parks, establishing a community garden
program in appropriate neighborhood parks, opening a convenient dog park, and
partnering with the University, the County, the Fayetteville School District, the
Washington County Historical Society, and private citizens to identify, preserve, and
promote our historic buildings and other cultural resources. In conjunction with these
changes, I will appoint a volunteer citizen task force on Festivals and Community Events
to seek a closer partnership with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to identify needs
and opportunities, and we will promote the “creative economy” in Fayetteville by
developing a comprehensive Cultural Plan, in partnership with the Fayetteville Arts
Council, the University, local artists, entertainment businesses, and concerned local
citizens.
Finally, I want to reiterate and make clear my unwavering commitment to Open
Government. This administration is dedicated to access, transparency, inclusion, timely
responses, personal recognition, and exceptional customer service for our citizens, and
we will be held accountable to those we serve. From Town Hall Meetings to an improved
interactive city website to information on civic literacy to empowered Neighborhood
Associations, we are preparing to implement real changes to better provide information to
our citizens and, more importantly, to seek and consider ways for citizens to
communicate their ideas, arguments, suggestions, and problems to their city government.
My Transition Team has listened to your ideas and has made a series of steps we will be
4
implementing to assure an effective community conversation. We must be partners in the
progress of our community, and every citizen must have a voice and be treated with the
respect and dignity that they deserve. You have heard my ideas, I now ask our City
Council to help me work toward these goals and I look forward to hearing their input and
the input of citizens, especially how I can be a better mayor and do a better job for our
city.
Thank you for your patience in listening as I share my plans and thank you for the
opportunity to serve you and our city.
Partners in Progress
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
State of the City
January 20, 2009
I am privileged to serve as Mayor of our wonderful city, and I am humbled by the
responsibility that the people have entrusted to me. I am honored to be your servant, and I
will work every day to make our community better for every citizen. That is my solemn
pledge to you.
Thanks to the vision of Mayor Dan Coody, the dedicated effort of our fine Aldermen, the
hard work of our outstanding city employees, and the contributions of many individual
residents who share our civic concerns, I am pleased to report to the City Council and to
my fellow citizens that the State of our City is sound.
We begin the year with a balanced city budget, solid progress on improving our
infrastructure, dedicated police officers and fire fighters who assure our safety, and a
commitment to institutional and individual partnerships to nurture and sustain the things
we love about this great community.
We also begin the year facing many new challenges and we must be prepared to face
those together with resolve. We are not immune from the problems of a faltering national
economy, and we must anticipate and be prepared for the consequences of any revenue
shortfall. We must be responsible stewards of our tax dollars, and we must maintain
essential city services for our citizens. Toward that end, I have already begun to identify
potential cost savings and have implemented a more effective management structure to
improve efficiency and control costs. Our staff already has offered many good solutions,
and we will institute an ongoing, frequent, consistent review of cost/benefit analysis of
operations and projects to assure the services and quality of life that our citizens expect
and deserve.
I believe in leadership by example, and I have proposed to cut the mayor’s salary and roll
it back to last year’s level. I have signed an affidavit that I will not avail myself of the
special lifetime retirement plan funded from general revenues. I have asked to return the
2
$5,000 annual car allowance formerly paid to the mayor and instead, to use a vehicle
from the city fleet when necessary to travel on city business. We have already achieved
some savings in the salaries of top staff, and I will continue to look for savings in all
areas of city operations. My staff and I are partners in this effort.
Even in uncertain economic times, we must be bold in our efforts to develop and
implement a strategic economic development plan for our city. Not only can this lead to
increased revenues without a tax increase, but more importantly, it can help assure green
jobs, good jobs that pay a living wage, allowing individuals and working families to have
the basic necessities and a better life. We already know that we need greater efficiency in
the development approval process, a workforce trained for the jobs of the future, and
better methods to accurately measure the results of our efforts. We can draw on the
suggestions of recent studies and the work of my outstanding Transition Team to craft a
plan that is consistent with Governor Mike Beebe’s long-term strategic plan to help
achieve economic improvement for our state through collaboration and cooperation.
To that end, know that I am serious, and within six weeks I will host a Community
Summit on the Future of Fayetteville that will be open to every citizen and I will consider
all views in forging our own economic and community development strategy. We must
have the participation of the business community and advocates for working families,
students and retirees, public institutions and private citizens, as partners in our shared
progress. We will have, within 90 days, an economic and community development
strategy that considers support for existing small businesses as well as nurturing new
opportunities, and together we will work to make it a reality. A slow national economy is
no excuse for inaction but an opportunity for us to move quickly and prepare now for our
shared future.
My first and immediate goal will be to do everything possible to secure and support the
establishment of a Satellite Campus of the University of Arkansas Medical School and a
Regional Trauma Center in Fayetteville. In the longer view, we should also develop a
close relationship with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and seek a regional presence for that
institution. This commitment clearly illustrates the close connection between economic
development and our quality of life.
The University of Arkansas is a priceless resource, and it is one that helps define
Fayetteville. We must be active partners in progress with the University, drawing on the
vast local resources of knowledge and expertise as we grow together and achieve our
mutual goals. From the development of knowledge-based industry, to community design
plans, to solving social service needs, to collaborating on support for a vibrant arts
culture, the possibilities are limitless. I will actively reach out and pursue this partnership.
The economic, environmental, and cultural aspects of Fayetteville’s advancement are
deeply interconnected. For example, any consideration of transportation policy must
consider getting to work, moving goods, access to cultural resources, and environmental
impact, requiring an integrated and connected system of streets, mass transit, multi-use
trails, bike lanes, sidewalks, and parking, along with a revised transportation impact fee
3
to help growth pay for itself. We will pursue the development of each of these elements,
and we will urge the Regional Mobility Authority to support a feasibility study and
planning for a future light rail system.
As we consider infrastructure development, we must seize the same opportunities. My
administration will go beyond the current recycling program to implementation of a
comprehensive waste minimization program for our entire community. We are pursuing
the idea of solar greenhouses to kill pathogens and reduce the volume of bio-solids now
going to landfills. We are investigating an effective Hillside Development Ordinance and
a storm water utility to better control the primary transmitter of pollutants into our water
supply, and we will implement and enforce a better plan for the protection of riparian
zones. We will be active partners with the “Green Infrastructure” project being developed
with the help of the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, Arkansas Forestry
Commission, the city’s Urban Forestry program, the Tree and Landscape Committee, and
citizen volunteers. Our ongoing city sustainability efforts can also be expanded and
shared to benefit the entire community, evidenced by our new initiative to provide and
exchange CFL light bulbs in the apartments at Hillcrest Towers. In each instance, we will
be partners in progress.
One major change that will be implemented is a reorganization of our Parks and
Recreation Department. While much attention in the past has been focused on sports
playing fields, we know that our outdoor public spaces can serve other essential
functions. I will propose a new division, to be implemented without additional costs, that
emphasizes our community heritage and citizen participation. Examples to be considered
will be increasing the number of way-finding signs and local historical markers, planting
of native trees and grasses in portions of the parks, establishing a community garden
program in appropriate neighborhood parks, opening a convenient dog park, and
partnering with the University, the County, the Fayetteville School District, the
Washington County Historical Society, and private citizens to identify, preserve, and
promote our historic buildings and other cultural resources. In conjunction with these
changes, I will appoint a volunteer citizen task force on Festivals and Community Events
to seek a closer partnership with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to identify needs
and opportunities, and we will promote the “creative economy” in Fayetteville by
developing a comprehensive Cultural Plan, in partnership with the Fayetteville Arts
Council, the University, local artists, entertainment businesses, and concerned local
citizens.
Finally, I want to reiterate and make clear my unwavering commitment to Open
Government. This administration is dedicated to access, transparency, inclusion, timely
responses, personal recognition, and exceptional customer service for our citizens, and
we will be held accountable to those we serve. From Town Hall Meetings to an improved
interactive city website to information on civic literacy to empowered Neighborhood
Associations, we are preparing to implement real changes to better provide information to
our citizens and, more importantly, to seek and consider ways for citizens to
communicate their ideas, arguments, suggestions, and problems to their city government.
My Transition Team has listened to your ideas and has made a series of steps we will be
4
implementing to assure an effective community conversation. We must be partners in the
progress of our community, and every citizen must have a voice and be treated with the
respect and dignity that they deserve. You have heard my ideas, I now ask our City
Council to help me work toward these goals and I look forward to hearing their input and
the input of citizens, especially how I can be a better mayor and do a better job for our
city.
Thank you for your patience in listening as I share my plans and thank you for the
opportunity to serve you and our city.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Jim Barnes, formerly of Fayetteville, Arkansas, named Oklahoma's State Poet Laureate for 2009 through 2010 by the Oklahoma Humanities Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2009
Contact: Carla Walker, Director of Communications
Oklahoma Humanities Council
(405) 235-0280 • carla@okhumanitiescouncil.org
JIM BARNES APPOINTED STATE POET LAUREATE
Oklahoma City, OK— The Oklahoma Humanities Council announced today that Governor Brad Henry has appointed distinguished author Jim Weaver McKown Barnes as State Poet Laureate for 2009 through 2010. The Humanities Council facilitates the poet laureate selection committee, which reviews statewide nominations on behalf of the governor, and coordinates the activities and appearances of the poet laureate throughout his/her term.
“It was my privilege to name Jim Barnes as Oklahoma’s Poet Laureate,” said Governor Henry. “His unique artistic vision, considerable creativity, and deeply moving works made him a natural choice. Jim Barnes is an accomplished poet and teacher who has done much to expand the cultural horizons of Oklahomans and all Americans.”
Jim Barnes, of Choctaw and Welsh ancestry, grew up in Summerfield, Oklahoma. His non-fiction prose book, On Native Ground: Memoirs and Impressions, reflects Oklahoma and Native cultures and won the American Book Award in 1998. He has authored several volumes of poetry, including The Sawdust War: Poems, which won the Oklahoma Book Award in 1993; Paris: Poems; On a Wing of the Sun: Three Volumes of Poetry; and his most recent work, Visiting Picasso (University of Illinois Press, 2007).
On learning of his appointment, Barnes remarked: “I am indeed honored and delighted to accept the Poet Laureateship of Oklahoma. I am honored to serve my home state in the cause of literacy and literature, and I am delighted to think, with the appointment as Poet Laureate, that perhaps all my years of living in the realm of poetry have not been outside the boundaries of understanding. No art is more important to me than poetry, for poetry makes everything happen.”
Barnes received his master’s and doctoral degrees in Comparative Literature from the University of Arkansas. He served as professor and writer-in-residence at Truman State University for 33 years. He then served as Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at Brigham Young University. He was the founding editor of the Chariton Review Press and is currently poetry editor for Truman State University Press and editor of the international journal The Chariton Review.
OHC Executive Director Ann Thompson said that the Council is eager to re-introduce Oklahoma citizens to Jim Barnes and his work. “Jim’s talent, teaching experience, and ability to engage with the public make him an enormous asset to our state,” said Thompson. “We have no doubt that he will further the governor’s and the Council’s efforts to engage people with poetry.” Thompson also noted that the Council will post some of Barnes’ published poetry on its website: www.okhumanitiescouncil.org.
“As Oklahoma’s Poet Laureate, Jim Barnes has the task of broadening understanding and appreciation of poetry,” said Governor Henry. “His work is a testament to the strong cultural fabric of Oklahoma and an inspiration for others to follow.”
January 15, 2009
Contact: Carla Walker, Director of Communications
Oklahoma Humanities Council
(405) 235-0280 • carla@okhumanitiescouncil.org
JIM BARNES APPOINTED STATE POET LAUREATE
Oklahoma City, OK— The Oklahoma Humanities Council announced today that Governor Brad Henry has appointed distinguished author Jim Weaver McKown Barnes as State Poet Laureate for 2009 through 2010. The Humanities Council facilitates the poet laureate selection committee, which reviews statewide nominations on behalf of the governor, and coordinates the activities and appearances of the poet laureate throughout his/her term.
“It was my privilege to name Jim Barnes as Oklahoma’s Poet Laureate,” said Governor Henry. “His unique artistic vision, considerable creativity, and deeply moving works made him a natural choice. Jim Barnes is an accomplished poet and teacher who has done much to expand the cultural horizons of Oklahomans and all Americans.”
Jim Barnes, of Choctaw and Welsh ancestry, grew up in Summerfield, Oklahoma. His non-fiction prose book, On Native Ground: Memoirs and Impressions, reflects Oklahoma and Native cultures and won the American Book Award in 1998. He has authored several volumes of poetry, including The Sawdust War: Poems, which won the Oklahoma Book Award in 1993; Paris: Poems; On a Wing of the Sun: Three Volumes of Poetry; and his most recent work, Visiting Picasso (University of Illinois Press, 2007).
On learning of his appointment, Barnes remarked: “I am indeed honored and delighted to accept the Poet Laureateship of Oklahoma. I am honored to serve my home state in the cause of literacy and literature, and I am delighted to think, with the appointment as Poet Laureate, that perhaps all my years of living in the realm of poetry have not been outside the boundaries of understanding. No art is more important to me than poetry, for poetry makes everything happen.”
Barnes received his master’s and doctoral degrees in Comparative Literature from the University of Arkansas. He served as professor and writer-in-residence at Truman State University for 33 years. He then served as Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at Brigham Young University. He was the founding editor of the Chariton Review Press and is currently poetry editor for Truman State University Press and editor of the international journal The Chariton Review.
OHC Executive Director Ann Thompson said that the Council is eager to re-introduce Oklahoma citizens to Jim Barnes and his work. “Jim’s talent, teaching experience, and ability to engage with the public make him an enormous asset to our state,” said Thompson. “We have no doubt that he will further the governor’s and the Council’s efforts to engage people with poetry.” Thompson also noted that the Council will post some of Barnes’ published poetry on its website: www.okhumanitiescouncil.org.
“As Oklahoma’s Poet Laureate, Jim Barnes has the task of broadening understanding and appreciation of poetry,” said Governor Henry. “His work is a testament to the strong cultural fabric of Oklahoma and an inspiration for others to follow.”
Monday, January 12, 2009
Demand for development versus supply discussed by local people
Honeymoon / Demand
From: owner-nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com on behalf of Gary Ault (gault00@yahoo.com)
Sent: Mon 1/12/09 9:21 PM
To: Northwest Arkansas List (nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com)
Demand:
I don't know anything about measuring real estate demand either. From a lay perspective it seems that demand would be linked directly with job creation or loss. You could possibly link the cost of the house to the salary of the created or lost job.
Chief of Staff:
It has been announced that Don Marr is the new chief of staff. I doubt anyone is surprised. The job was created for him and he is qualified. I'll let it go until the city starts signing contracts with Haliburton - oops I mean HR Factor.
--- On Sun, 1/11/09, William Goliff wrote:
From: William Goliff
Subject: Re: Honeymoon without a mate
To: svallush@sbcglobal.net, "Northwest Arkansas List", "Barbara Moorman"
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2009, 12:53 PM
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for a very concisely stated position on this issue. I appreciate your position and think it is a very important one. City and county planning should use this environmental study to map out future development of the area. A demand study, as opposed to a supply study, does not tell you where to put the defined need, it only tells you what the need is. Land use is an entirely separate topic. Exellent examples of land use may be seen in Europe where they do a lot of in-building. In-building is where the city fathers set the perimeter of the city and you may only build within that perimeter.
Companies that do demand studies are KPMG, Pyramid, Booz Allen Hamilton, and others.
I don't believe there has been any demand studies for the NWA area. If you know of one, please let me know.
Bill Goliff
--- On Sun, 1/11/09, Barbara Moorman wrote:
From: Barbara Moorman
Subject: Re: Honeymoon without a mate
To: svallush@sbcglobal.net, "Northwest Arkansas List"
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2009, 11:06 AM
I know nothing at all about economics or profits from property or construction.
That said, it seems to me that environmental studies, evaluation of what the
area's natural environment can give up while continuing to function as part
of a natural system... it seems to me that this should preceed an evaluation of
"demand". I would fear that a "demands" study might simply
chalk up what "demand" will be over a certain number of years and
acres. Until the past year or less, many experts predicted "demand"
would be intense and long-lived. Now we see the experts weren't up to their
task. (I have no idea what the 6 or so qualified companies referred to may have
been predicting... perhaps they were more accurate than the run of the mill
economist.) We do see however that a few experts, largely ignored, in fields
other than economics and development, predicted -- since the late 1960's,
actually -- that funny weather could result from encouraging "demand"
and acceding to it.
Still, I applaud recognition that there hasn't been adequate local analysis
of demands, their causes, and their effects.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Vallus"
To: "Northwest Arkansas List";
"Jeff Erf";
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: Honeymoon without a mate
> This is NOT good news.
> Not surprised about the bankers but for 1/6 of our local economy which is
based in the so-called real estate business and NO one knows how to assemble the
required empirical data?
> Easy to bang on the City for conflicts of interest (present company
excepted) but this does not explain the dearth of data in academia.
> Can't quit my day job, but to be continued!
> One of the first probs. is, of course, is how to fund the thing. There
seem to be a lot of folks who may not want to know the answers since our image
of *getting back to normal* may be shattered thereby.
> Really appreciate this info.
>
>
>
> --- On Sat, 1/10/09, William Goliff wrote:
>
>> From: William Goliff
>> Subject: Honeymoon without a mate
>> To: "Northwest Arkansas List",
"Jeff Erf"
>> Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 6:04 PM
>> Seems to me that the City of Fayetteville is doing half the
>> job by reacting to developer requests without concern for
>> demand. This is the approach the Skyline Report uses. It
>> presents only half the story, leaving the developer and the
>> financiers to work out the demand side. And, they
>> don't! County planning would like to see a demand
>> study as would UofA, but neither has the skill to do the
>> study. There are at least 6 companies on the planet that
>> could do such a study as well as several universities.
>> I'd like to see the UofA develop a curriculum in this
>> area.
>>
>> With a demand study in hand, it would become much easier to
>> do long range planning bc the growth models needed would be
>> at hand. Demand studies are not easy and it takes a highly
>> refined skill set to do one, and they need to be updated
>> frequently, about every 3 years or so. Demand study
>> results would help the city and its developers better
>> predict the needs of the community and the timing of these
>> needs.
>>
>> The UofA, county planning, and myself sat down many months
>> ago to see if we could get a demand study going. We are
>> still searching for an adequate model to start with. There
>> are several on the Internet but none come close to a
>> starting place. I've asked the FHLB to see if they can
>> find one. They've been looking for about a year with
>> no results. I'm sure there are several of these at
>> universities that would be a good start though I have not
>> located one yet.
>>
>> With around a $1B at stake in NWA, I'd expect the
>> bankers to fund a demand study. I have not found any
>> bankers that know what a demand study is. I think it is a
>> question of education bc all the market presentation
>> I've seen in NWA have been supply studies. And, a
>> supply study tells you nothing about demand.
>>
>> If you know of a demand model that might fit NWA, please
>> let me know.
>>
>>
>>
>> --- On Sat, 1/10/09, Jeff Erf
>> wrote:
>>
>> From: Jeff Erf
>> Subject: Re: Honeymoon Over?
>> To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
>>
>> Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 11:47 AM
>>
>> >Gary Ault wrote:
>> >Does Fayetteville really need a Chief of Staff?
>>
>> For all practical purposes, Gary Dumas was Mayor
>> Coody's Chief of Staff
>> (see below). And now that he's gone, he should
>> probably be replaced.
>>
>> Northwest Arkansas Times - November 21, 2004
>> ʽSuper divisionʼ is reason behind cityʼs
>> restructuring
>> BY ADAM WALLWORTH Northwest Arkansas Times
>>
>>
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> Last week, [Gary] Dumas added management of the planning,
>> building safety,
>> engineering and community resources and code compliance
>> divisions to his other
>> responsibilities of overseeing parking and
>> telecommunications, parks and
>> recreation, transportation, solid waste and fleet
>> operations.
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> >
>> > --- On *Thu, 1/8/09, Linda Ralston
>> //* wrote:
>> >
>> > From: Linda Ralston
>> > Subject: RE: Honeymoon Over?
>> > To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
>>
>> > Date: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 11:10 PM
>> >
>> > Gary...from my perspective, this pension fund has
>> had the potential
>> > for some time to become a much bigger issue
>> (probably like a lot of
>> > pension plans in the world). Pour on the fuel of
>> the
>> > recent financial downturn and it's really
>> knocking on the old door
>> > for attention. I got the impression that City
>> Attorney Kit Williams
>> > brought it to the forefront for the new
>> administration to address.
>> So I don't think it's been made into a big deal for
>> strategy
>> > sake...it finally just got priority delivered. No
>> fear intended or
>> > perceived.
>> > Since I was naive on the full definition of
>> cronyism, I just now
>> > looked it up. Part of the meaning is to show
>> "favoritism without
>> > regard to qualifications". I believe Don
>> Marr would do quite
>> well
>> > in this "new" director of operations
>> role, especially
>> because of the
>> > depth and breadth of his qualifications. So Gary,
>> do you know who
>> > the other applicants are, by chance? By the way,
>> I believe the
>> > "next level" of positive transformation
>> for Fayetteville is
>> only
>> > just beginning--it's got a ways to go before
>> anyone can call it
>> > complete, wouldn't you agree? To all
>> on the list: Get out
>> and enjoy one more warm and sunny day on
>> > Friday before the Arctic blast sends us back to
>> the deep freeze
>> > starting Saturday! with deep optimism for
>> the future of
>> Fayetteville, Linda
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > *From:* owner-nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com
>> > [mailto:owner-nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com]*On Behalf
>> Of *Gary Ault
>> > *Sent:* Thursday, January 08, 2009 6:34 PM
>> > *To:* Northwest Arkansas List
>> > *Subject:* Re: Honeymoon Over?
>> >
>> > LOL
>> > Was the pension fund really a
>> surprise? Seems it's
>> been to the
>> > council every year for the past seven years.
>> Didn't Jordan
>> have
>> > a perfect attendance record?
>> > The plan was also closed in 1983.
>> Current employees are
>> in a
>> > different plan. Oh, and the fund isn't
>> controlled by the
>> city. It's controlled by an independent board.
>>
>> Anyway, making a big deal about it is a good strategy.
>> Creating
>> > a high level of fear might take attention away
>> from the smell of
>> > cronyism. We all know the job is going to Don
>> Marr. Jordan now
>> > has his Chaney and is using fear as a tool to
>> maintain a level
>> > of control. The transformation is now
>> complete.
>> >
>> >
>> > --- On *Thu, 1/8/09, Jeff Erf
>> //* wrote:
>> >
>> > From: Jeff Erf
>> > Subject: Re: Honeymoon Over?
>> > To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
>>
>> > Date: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 8:42 AM
>> >
>> > Gary Ault wrote:
>> > > The honeymoon may already be over for
>> Mayor Jordan.
>> > >
>> http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Editorial/72805/
>> >
>> > I don't think so.
>> >
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>
From: owner-nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com on behalf of Gary Ault (gault00@yahoo.com)
Sent: Mon 1/12/09 9:21 PM
To: Northwest Arkansas List (nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com)
Demand:
I don't know anything about measuring real estate demand either. From a lay perspective it seems that demand would be linked directly with job creation or loss. You could possibly link the cost of the house to the salary of the created or lost job.
Chief of Staff:
It has been announced that Don Marr is the new chief of staff. I doubt anyone is surprised. The job was created for him and he is qualified. I'll let it go until the city starts signing contracts with Haliburton - oops I mean HR Factor.
--- On Sun, 1/11/09, William Goliff
From: William Goliff
Subject: Re: Honeymoon without a mate
To: svallush@sbcglobal.net, "Northwest Arkansas List"
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2009, 12:53 PM
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for a very concisely stated position on this issue. I appreciate your position and think it is a very important one. City and county planning should use this environmental study to map out future development of the area. A demand study, as opposed to a supply study, does not tell you where to put the defined need, it only tells you what the need is. Land use is an entirely separate topic. Exellent examples of land use may be seen in Europe where they do a lot of in-building. In-building is where the city fathers set the perimeter of the city and you may only build within that perimeter.
Companies that do demand studies are KPMG, Pyramid, Booz Allen Hamilton, and others.
I don't believe there has been any demand studies for the NWA area. If you know of one, please let me know.
Bill Goliff
--- On Sun, 1/11/09, Barbara Moorman
From: Barbara Moorman
Subject: Re: Honeymoon without a mate
To: svallush@sbcglobal.net, "Northwest Arkansas List"
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2009, 11:06 AM
I know nothing at all about economics or profits from property or construction.
That said, it seems to me that environmental studies, evaluation of what the
area's natural environment can give up while continuing to function as part
of a natural system... it seems to me that this should preceed an evaluation of
"demand". I would fear that a "demands" study might simply
chalk up what "demand" will be over a certain number of years and
acres. Until the past year or less, many experts predicted "demand"
would be intense and long-lived. Now we see the experts weren't up to their
task. (I have no idea what the 6 or so qualified companies referred to may have
been predicting... perhaps they were more accurate than the run of the mill
economist.) We do see however that a few experts, largely ignored, in fields
other than economics and development, predicted -- since the late 1960's,
actually -- that funny weather could result from encouraging "demand"
and acceding to it.
Still, I applaud recognition that there hasn't been adequate local analysis
of demands, their causes, and their effects.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Vallus"
To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
"Jeff Erf"
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: Honeymoon without a mate
> This is NOT good news.
> Not surprised about the bankers but for 1/6 of our local economy which is
based in the so-called real estate business and NO one knows how to assemble the
required empirical data?
> Easy to bang on the City for conflicts of interest (present company
excepted) but this does not explain the dearth of data in academia.
> Can't quit my day job, but to be continued!
> One of the first probs. is, of course, is how to fund the thing. There
seem to be a lot of folks who may not want to know the answers since our image
of *getting back to normal* may be shattered thereby.
> Really appreciate this info.
>
>
>
> --- On Sat, 1/10/09, William Goliff
>
>> From: William Goliff
>> Subject: Honeymoon without a mate
>> To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
"Jeff Erf"
>> Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 6:04 PM
>> Seems to me that the City of Fayetteville is doing half the
>> job by reacting to developer requests without concern for
>> demand. This is the approach the Skyline Report uses. It
>> presents only half the story, leaving the developer and the
>> financiers to work out the demand side. And, they
>> don't! County planning would like to see a demand
>> study as would UofA, but neither has the skill to do the
>> study. There are at least 6 companies on the planet that
>> could do such a study as well as several universities.
>> I'd like to see the UofA develop a curriculum in this
>> area.
>>
>> With a demand study in hand, it would become much easier to
>> do long range planning bc the growth models needed would be
>> at hand. Demand studies are not easy and it takes a highly
>> refined skill set to do one, and they need to be updated
>> frequently, about every 3 years or so. Demand study
>> results would help the city and its developers better
>> predict the needs of the community and the timing of these
>> needs.
>>
>> The UofA, county planning, and myself sat down many months
>> ago to see if we could get a demand study going. We are
>> still searching for an adequate model to start with. There
>> are several on the Internet but none come close to a
>> starting place. I've asked the FHLB to see if they can
>> find one. They've been looking for about a year with
>> no results. I'm sure there are several of these at
>> universities that would be a good start though I have not
>> located one yet.
>>
>> With around a $1B at stake in NWA, I'd expect the
>> bankers to fund a demand study. I have not found any
>> bankers that know what a demand study is. I think it is a
>> question of education bc all the market presentation
>> I've seen in NWA have been supply studies. And, a
>> supply study tells you nothing about demand.
>>
>> If you know of a demand model that might fit NWA, please
>> let me know.
>>
>>
>>
>> --- On Sat, 1/10/09, Jeff Erf
>> wrote:
>>
>> From: Jeff Erf
>> Subject: Re: Honeymoon Over?
>> To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
>>
>> Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 11:47 AM
>>
>> >Gary Ault wrote:
>> >Does Fayetteville really need a Chief of Staff?
>>
>> For all practical purposes, Gary Dumas was Mayor
>> Coody's Chief of Staff
>> (see below). And now that he's gone, he should
>> probably be replaced.
>>
>> Northwest Arkansas Times - November 21, 2004
>> ʽSuper divisionʼ is reason behind cityʼs
>> restructuring
>> BY ADAM WALLWORTH Northwest Arkansas Times
>>
>>
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> Last week, [Gary] Dumas added management of the planning,
>> building safety,
>> engineering and community resources and code compliance
>> divisions to his other
>> responsibilities of overseeing parking and
>> telecommunications, parks and
>> recreation, transportation, solid waste and fleet
>> operations.
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> >
>> > --- On *Thu, 1/8/09, Linda Ralston
>> /
>> >
>> > From: Linda Ralston
>> > Subject: RE: Honeymoon Over?
>> > To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
>>
>> > Date: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 11:10 PM
>> >
>> > Gary...from my perspective, this pension fund has
>> had the potential
>> > for some time to become a much bigger issue
>> (probably like a lot of
>> > pension plans in the world). Pour on the fuel of
>> the
>> > recent financial downturn and it's really
>> knocking on the old door
>> > for attention. I got the impression that City
>> Attorney Kit Williams
>> > brought it to the forefront for the new
>> administration to address.
>> So I don't think it's been made into a big deal for
>> strategy
>> > sake...it finally just got priority delivered. No
>> fear intended or
>> > perceived.
>> > Since I was naive on the full definition of
>> cronyism, I just now
>> > looked it up. Part of the meaning is to show
>> "favoritism without
>> > regard to qualifications". I believe Don
>> Marr would do quite
>> well
>> > in this "new" director of operations
>> role, especially
>> because of the
>> > depth and breadth of his qualifications. So Gary,
>> do you know who
>> > the other applicants are, by chance? By the way,
>> I believe the
>> > "next level" of positive transformation
>> for Fayetteville is
>> only
>> > just beginning--it's got a ways to go before
>> anyone can call it
>> > complete, wouldn't you agree? To all
>> on the list: Get out
>> and enjoy one more warm and sunny day on
>> > Friday before the Arctic blast sends us back to
>> the deep freeze
>> > starting Saturday! with deep optimism for
>> the future of
>> Fayetteville, Linda
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > *From:* owner-nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com
>> > [mailto:owner-nw-ar-list@nw-ar.com]*On Behalf
>> Of *Gary Ault
>> > *Sent:* Thursday, January 08, 2009 6:34 PM
>> > *To:* Northwest Arkansas List
>> > *Subject:* Re: Honeymoon Over?
>> >
>> > LOL
>> > Was the pension fund really a
>> surprise? Seems it's
>> been to the
>> > council every year for the past seven years.
>> Didn't Jordan
>> have
>> > a perfect attendance record?
>> > The plan was also closed in 1983.
>> Current employees are
>> in a
>> > different plan. Oh, and the fund isn't
>> controlled by the
>> city. It's controlled by an independent board.
>>
>> Anyway, making a big deal about it is a good strategy.
>> Creating
>> > a high level of fear might take attention away
>> from the smell of
>> > cronyism. We all know the job is going to Don
>> Marr. Jordan now
>> > has his Chaney and is using fear as a tool to
>> maintain a level
>> > of control. The transformation is now
>> complete.
>> >
>> >
>> > --- On *Thu, 1/8/09, Jeff Erf
>> /
>> >
>> > From: Jeff Erf
>> > Subject: Re: Honeymoon Over?
>> > To: "Northwest Arkansas List"
>>
>> > Date: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 8:42 AM
>> >
>> > Gary Ault wrote:
>> > > The honeymoon may already be over for
>> Mayor Jordan.
>> > >
>> http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Editorial/72805/
>> >
>> > I don't think so.
>> >
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Northwest Arkansas Times reports highlights of Lioneld Jordan's first day as mayor and retirement of vice president of Chamber of Commerce
Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Virgil Neuroth, who is retiring from his post as vice-president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, and Gary Dumas, Fayetteville's highest-paid city employee, on December 30, 2008. Links to related stories below photo.
NWAT report on Lioneld Jordan's first day as mayor
NWAT report on retirement of Virgil Neuroth
NWAT report on Lioneld Jordan's first day as mayor
NWAT report on retirement of Virgil Neuroth
Friday, January 2, 2009
Lioneld Jordan sworn in as mayor of Fayetteville, Arkansas
Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Mayor Lioneld Jordan a few minutes after being sworn in by Judge Mark Lindsay on Friday, January 2, 2009, being congratulated by admirers and supporters in the Washington County Courthouse.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Why is muddy water flowing in a normally clear Ozark Mountain stream on a sunny New Year's Day?
Please click on images to ENLARGE view of muddy water flowing on New Year's Day into the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River.
For more images and a bit of explanation of this situation, please click the following link Silt-laden water pumped to the Town Branch by contractors flows to Beaver Lake
For a closer view of the pipe spewing water from Hill Place work site, please click on image to ENLARGE. Use cursor to move about and see the contrast between the flow from the pipe and the stream's normal clear water at right.
For more images and a bit of explanation of this situation, please click the following link Silt-laden water pumped to the Town Branch by contractors flows to Beaver Lake
For more images and a bit of explanation of this situation, please click the following link Silt-laden water pumped to the Town Branch by contractors flows to Beaver Lake
For a closer view of the pipe spewing water from Hill Place work site, please click on image to ENLARGE. Use cursor to move about and see the contrast between the flow from the pipe and the stream's normal clear water at right.
For more images and a bit of explanation of this situation, please click the following link Silt-laden water pumped to the Town Branch by contractors flows to Beaver Lake
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