Addressing a friendly auditorium full of guests, council members, city employees and supporters, Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington delivered her state of the city address with updates on various projects going on in the city.
The address in prior years was given during a City Council meeting. But Washington, who is running for reelection, gave the address its own spotlight on Thursday evening in the new council chambers in the Detective Kevin D. Collins Center.
“I’m especially proud to welcome you to the Detective Kevin D. Collins Center,” said Washington, who was welcomed with a standing ovation and cheers. Washington noted that the facility was renamed in honor of Collins, who was killed in October 2020 while out on an investigation.
“In doing so, we knew we had a responsibility to develop a center that would reflect the excellence and civic purpose that Det. Collins’ actions and life exhibited. We promised to conduct renovations to reopen this facility one year from that day,” said Washington. “I am proud to say that among the many things accomplished in the past several months, we succeeded in meeting that commitment.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Formerly a children’s theater for the old library, the space was converted into a new City Council Chamber, with increased seating capacity and technical upgrades. The floor above was renovated to create a new police training center featuring a conference room, a kitchen, modern restrooms, classroom space and a computer lab.
“In order to protect Pine Bluff, officers have to receive top quality training and stay up to date on law enforcement standards,” said Washington. “This training center is designed specifically for this purpose.”
With Chick-fil-A representatives in the audience, Washington noted the opening of the new restaurant in Pine Bluff.
“For months prior to construction, the city had the pleasure of working with developers to bring this restaurant in,” said Washington. “Through our Community Development Department, and Go Forward Pine Bluff, funds were provided to assist with flood mitigation at the property to help make the development a reality.”
The restaurant is owned by Katie Branch, the first African American woman to hold that position for Chick-fil-A.
“Bringing this Chick-fil-A to Pine Bluff was important for several reasons,” said Washington. “Not only does it give the community another dining option, but it also opens the door to more development in the area.”
Washington said over the past several months, the city has focused on public safety, with reducing violent crime among its highest priorities.
“In the police department, lateral transfers were implemented, allowing the city to hire six certified officers, four of whom returned to the department after serving in the previous year,” she said. “Patrol schedules were restructured from 8-hour shifts to 10-hour shifts. This helps the department to patrol the streets, while also giving officers longer rest periods to maintain overall wellness.”
New computing software, improved supervision and policy compliance, a new auto lease agreement that provides take-home police cars for patrol officers, and increased law enforcement visibility in neighborhoods were noted by Washington as evidence of improvements in the police department.
Also, with help from 2017 sales tax revenue, the addition of a new police dog to assist officers in the field has been an asset. According to Washington, the K-9, named Poker, has helped apprehend criminals who were later arrested for stealing thousands of dollars in AT&T copper and detected narcotics.
The city secured a $500,000 grant for police and fire departments to replace outdated radios and another $107,000 grant to help police in their patrols.
The GVI program, which stands for Group Violence Intervention, was implemented to connect young people with social services that can help neutralize situations that lead to violence.
The partnership with the city of Pine Bluff includes the Sixth Division Juvenile Court, the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney’s office, the Jefferson County sheriff’s department, the Pine Bluff and Watson Chapel School Districts, Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Health, and the Pine Bluff Police Department.
“We embraced this program in response to a significant number of youth homicides,” said Washington. “This is an evidence-based initiative that has reduced violence in other communities. The City initially committed to GVI by investing $500,000 into the program. In the past year, we worked with partners to launch the initiative locally.”
The program also partnered with the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission for an anti-bullying nonviolence rally.
The GVI program focuses on mental health awareness, substance abuse prevention, financial literacy and anti-bullying initiatives. The program also aims to provide a safe and engaging space for community youth.
Washington said success metrics are being developed to assess the program’s effectiveness and make necessary improvements and that community involvement is crucial for the program’s success.
“We must continue to invest everything we can into saving lives in Pine Bluff, especially the lives of our young people,” said Washington. “The GVI Program is an innovative approach that has never been done here before. It’s the first program of its kind in the state of Arkansas. If it has successfully reduced crime in other cities, it can succeed here too if we’re focused on making it effective.”
Washington said the city’s support for the Youth Employment Program was a success, with approximately 120 young people employed in summer programs at 28 sites. Washington said she plans to expand the program to provide more opportunities for youth.
She said the city is also committed to supporting organizations that specialize in workforce development like People Shores, which provides a range of services to support various industries. The city is also partnering with Ambassadors for Christ to connect youth and adults to job opportunities.
“Starting in 2024, the city will be partnering with Ambassadors for Christ to help connect local residents to these much-needed employment opportunities,” she said.
The city’s efforts to enhance public facilities included upgrades to multiple parks and recreational facilities, over $80,000 invested for lighting at the baseball field and renovation of an old park to improve safety and visibility.
“In 2023 the city started working to refurbish an old park space at the corner of Arlington and Miramar,” said Washington. “Council members and volunteers … throughout the community assisted in clearing debris, removing overgrowth, and making building and fence repairs. In 2024, the City plans to continue investing in this project to create a new, active park space for the Third Ward.”
Construction of a new football/soccer field is underway at the MLK park and Washington said the city aims to offer specialized sports at each major park for residents of all interests.
Washington spoke about infrastructure development in the city such as the Coleman Elementary Safe to School Project.
“This project will install sidewalks on Grant Street from Sixth Avenue to 13th Avenue, making it safer for children commuting to school,” she said. “It is now awaiting final approval from ARDOT to go to bid.”
The city is in the design phase for new sewer lines along 73rd Avenue and Highway 63 and has begun acquiring easements for a new sewer line along University Drive. “This will allow the city to incentivize and support new development in these areas,” said Washington.
A sewer expansion extension is also in the design phase at Kansas Street Parallel Force Main to prevent deterioration.
Washington said the new Streetscape project will add new sidewalks, polls, banners and digital signs on University Drive which is a top priority for 2024.
“We will be initiating Phase II of the Streetscape for Main Street in 2024. It will also include new sidewalks and lighting from Eighth Avenue to the train tracks,” she said. “This is important because it will cover a vibrant area of Main Street, an area that includes the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library, Arts and Science Center, the Art Works and Art Space buildings, Friendship Elementary, the UAPB Incubator and other businesses.”
Washington spoke about her partnership over the past year with the Arkansas Black Mayors Association on flood prevention in Pine Bluff, as part of the $32 million awarded for watershed upgrades in the community. Engineers are analyzing current drainage conditions and collecting community feedback to identify flood-prone areas. The project will involve design, construction and community engagement. Patience and participation from the community are crucial for the success of the project, said Washington.
The city is working on an affordable housing development called the Southeast Estates where Southeast Middle School once stood. More than 24 acres of land will be used for the development and a developer has been selected to work with the city on the project. According to Washington, the developer will build 120 affordable housing units, 60 units for seniors and 60 for families.
The city also working on opening a shelter for homeless individuals renovating the old First Ward School School building in 2021.
“From the very beginning, we knew that in order for this facility to be successful, we would need an operator with significant experience in this kind of operation,” said Washington, who said DePaul USA was ideal because DePaul operates homeless shelters around the country, including one in Little Rock. “They have worked with us throughout most of the renovation process, in which volunteers and contractors have worked to clean, paint and build.”
At present, the shelter is on track to open this spring according to Washington who said DePaul is already accepting job applications and contractors are completing final renovations. “Upon opening, it will be a day center available three times a week, with the capacity to serve up to 50 men,” said Washington, who named the shelter the Opportunity House. “As time goes on, it should transition to a full-time shelter. It’s important to build toward this goal incrementally so DePaul can develop a sustainable foundation.”
Construction of a new Courtyard Marriott Hotel at the Pine Bluff Convention Center is set to begin in 2024.
“The city engaged the P3 Group in 2022 to redevelop the property,” said Washington. “This was important because the convention center is one of the city’s best assets. It’s our largest event space, where everything from the circus to school graduations to major sporting events is held. Yet the worsening condition of the hotel continued to threaten its future.”
The P3 group, said to be the largest African American public-private partnership development company in the U.S., engaged to address hotel deterioration and cash flow issues. Financing has been approved, according to Washington, and guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“The city invested funds from the 2017 sales tax to provide equity to the project. However, because the hotel will be owned by the Public Facilities Board, this investment doesn’t give the city any liability over the hotel,” said Washington.
Washington said the hotel will complement the existing Pine Bluff Convention Center and attract major events. The project is expected to revitalize the area and address the current infrastructure issues.
Another new business in the area is Graphyte. “Last year, the company announced its plans to begin operations here in Pine Bluff in early 2024 with its operations centered in the Industrial Park,” said Washington. “Graphyte is set to become a global leader in its field, the world’s first and only carbon dioxide remover that will offer a permanent and affordable model for carbon removal. The company is backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures by Bill Gates, a key investor.”
The center will use carbon-rich sawdust from woody waste. The industrial park is an ideal location due to its proximity to timber and agricultural industries, according to Washington who said the project will create green jobs and position the city at the forefront of global climate change mitigation efforts.
Gas to Liquid facility is another new business being planned for the northern part of Jefferson County. The plant would employ up to 250 full-time employees.
Despite challenges, the past months have been productive with progress in various areas.
“I admit that everything wasn’t perfect. We didn’t get everything right. There’s still a lot of work to be done. Nevertheless, it was a year of progress that continued Pine Bluff’s overall momentum,” said Washington.
As Washington concluded, she said by working together, there have been amazing new advancements for Pine Bluff.
“That’s why I can say with extreme confidence that the state of our city is strong,” said Washington. “The city plans to continue this momentum through our goals for 2024, addressing the critical needs that remain and bringing key objectives to completion. We hope to have your continued support in this mission.”