Rural Development Conference a Success

Over 75 state legislators joined over 500 mayors, county judges and other state and federal officials and community leaders to participate in the Arkansas Rural Development Conference from May 21st - 23rd at the Best Western Inn of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs. Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Rural Services and the Arkansas Rural Development Commission, this three-day event provided participants with the opportunity to gain a working knowledge about a variety of programs and services that are available to assist rural communities and their leaders with development, planning and revitalization efforts. It is also an excellent opportunity for members of the state legislature to meet and gain feedback from the people that both make up and lead the state, towns and cities.

Eureka Springs Mayor Dani Joy welcomed everyone at the opening session. Other guest speakers included Mark Wilcox, Commissioner of State Lands and Dan Flowers, Director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. The conference also provided three days of panel discussions covering such topics as Strengthening Rural Fire Departments, Rural Health Issues, Severance Taxes in Arkansas, a Grant Writing Workshop, and the ever-popular Political Roundtable.

Sip Mouden, Executive Director of Community Health Centers of Arkansas, Inc., (CHCA), Arkansas Primary Care Association, was announced as the Rural Advocate of the Year. Grant funding was also given out for cycle III of fiscal year 2008 under the Rural Community Grant Program.

The Rural Development Conference will be held next May in Hot Springs. If you have questions regarding the Arkansas Rural Development Commission, the Department of Rural Services, the grant programs and services they provide, or this annual conference, please call 1-888-787-2527 or visit their website at www.arkansas.gov/drs.

Pictured Left to Right: ARDC Vice-Chair Mellie Watson, DRS Director Butch Calhoun, Rural Advocate of the Year Sip Mouden, and ARDC Chariman Steve Cole

Community Health Centers Executive Director Sip Mouden of Maumelle received the Rural Advocate of the Year award at the Arkansas Rural Development Conference held May 21st – 23rd in Eureka Springs. The Rural Advocate of the Year award is one of the most prestigious awards in the state and recognizes Arkansans who provide exemplary service to rural areas. The Rural Development Commission selects an honoree each year, and past recipients of the award include Senators David Pryor and Dale Bumpers, former state legislators James Scott and Phil Jacobs, and two former members of the ARDC, Bruce Leggitt and Larry Teague, who is also a former legislator.

Mouden has served for over 25 years in health and social service administration and management within major medical institutions, academic institutions, state government, private for profit health care businesses, insurance and not-for-profit organizations.  She currently serves as the Executive Director of Community Health Centers of Arkansas Inc., which represents twelve federally qualified health centers and their 59 health center locations.  She is also a UAMS College of Public Health faculty member.  She has served on numerous boards and committees in a continuous effort to improve the quality of life of rural Arkansans.  Her dedication and commitment is what makes Ms. Mouden stand out as the Arkansas Rural Development Commission and the Department of Rural Services’ Rural Advocate of the Year.

The Department of Rural Services helps preserve the rural values and way of life through a variety of grants.

Two such grants are the Rural Community Development Grant Program and the Rural Community Fire Protection Grant Program. Under these programs, the Department of Rural Services with assistance from the Arkansas Rural Development Commission fund projects such as baseball/softball fields, community parks, walking trails, community centers, fire stations, fire trucks and other fire protection related equipment. DRS accepts and funds applications three times each fiscal year. Our next deadline for the Rural Community Grants is August 22, 2008.

In July 1999, DRS added two additional programs to assist rural communities. The first is the County Fair Building Grant Program. As we all know, the county fair is an integral part of life in rural Arkansas, but they need money to stay viable. The County Fair Building Grant Program has been established to help meet some of these monetary needs. Fair associations located in counties with a population of 55,000 or less are eligible to apply for up to $4,000 per year under the program. Communities must provide 50% of the cost of the project as match to qualify for the grant. The next deadline for this grant is August 22, 2008. We strongly encourage all counties/county fair associations to apply.

A second program, which I am equally excited about, is the Rural Services Block Grant Program. The Rural Services Block Grant Program was established through a partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Unlike the other DRS grant programs, the source of funding is federal dollars from Housing and Urban Development. Under the Block Grant, communities with a population of 3,000 or less and whose population is 51% low to moderate income are eligible to apply for grants. Applications for this grant program are currently available. This fiscal year's deadline is December 19,2008.