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VisionWorks' Breakthrough Solutions
Community and Regional Success Stories
Sebascott, A Tale of Two Counties
Mansfield, Arkansas is a happening place! Since going through the
VISION 2010 program in 2001, the landscape in this small town -
population 1100 - has changed. The VISION 2010 participants
represented Sebascott, with community leaders from both Sebastian
and Scott Counties. (Mansfield has a unique city hall - it straddles
the border of two counties. On election day, citizens of two
counties can vote on opposite sides of the room in the same
building!)
Last year, a new $10 million high school opened, serving 1100
K-12 students from Sebastian, Scott, and Logan Counties. In addition
to the beautiful new school building, the campus includes a stadium
with football and track facilities, a baseball field, and a softball
field. There is also a separate Agriculture Building.
Plans are underway for a new 180-lot residential development and
its commercial development counterpart. Dollar General is adding
1,000 square feet to its retail facility. The community has applied
for a grant to refurbish the vintage Dixie Theater for use as a
civic and cultural center.
The one-acre downtown park is another recent addition, with its
gazebo and public restrooms. There are plans to produce musicals at
the gazebo, which already hosts Santa and his sleigh during the
annual Christmas Parade. The park is on the site where three
unusable buildings were purchased and demolished, representing a
total investment of $125,000.
A recreational facility is being constructed on the site of the
old city lake, the former source of city water, drained after being
found unsafe in 1992. The city of Mansfield is funding the
rebuilding of the dam to refill the 25 - 30 acre lake, owned by the
city. The Kelly Estate (Ft. Smith) is donating 10 acres of the land
surrounding the lake for development of boat docks, picnic areas,
and possible camping facilities. The city is investing $50,000 in
this project.
A major infrastructure piece is the $4.5 million wastewater
treatment facility being built to replace the aging facility now in
use. This is a collaborative project with Hartford, a neighboring
community of 700. Hartford has not had a wastewater treatment
facility, so they are investing $2.9 million in this project, 90
percent funded by a Rural Development grant and the rest by a bond
issue. Mansfield is providing $1.1 million from a Rural Development
grant and $.5 million from tiling fees.
Marion Mathis, with the City of Mansfield, credits VISION 2010
with helping the community take action on projects like the
wastewater treatment facility. It also inspired collaboration with
neighboring communities to improve the quality of life in the
region. Mathis says VISION 2010 "… helped us along with our long
range planning, getting us excited about some things. We’re just
real grateful to have the help - and Extension - to get this all
done."
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Community and Regional Success Stories
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