Honoring the Community of Gravette, Arkansas

HONORING THE COMMUNITY OF GRAVETTE, ARKANSAS -- (House of Representatives - September 15, 2004)

(Mr. BOOZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to congratulate the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) on their work on that resolution, which is so important.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the community of Gravette, Arkansas, for winning an Arkansas Community of Excellence Award.

The ACE awards, administered by the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, go to communities that do not wait for ideal circumstances to attract development but actively work to create an environment that welcomes growth.

To that end, the community of Gravette embarked on a plan for change that highlighted their town as the heart of hometown America. Their plan, which included everything from minor beautification projects to a $5 million rural water project, put them in a position to attract more jobs to Gravette. As the town continues to grow, important infrastructure upgrades, like the completion of the railroad overpass, will be crucial to dealing with the changes this growth brings.

Mr. Speaker, the community of Gravette, under the leadership of Mayor Dean Fladager, deserves this award. They put a lot of work into this plan, and it is sure to pay off as this community continues to grow.