Magnolia Living 2022 - 11

PARTNERSHIPS for Progress
Local Alliances are Vital to County Success
INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH are an
integral part of any community's lifeblood, providing
employment and opportunity to its citizens. Magnolia
and Columbia County are no exception to that rule.
But unlike so many communities striving to attract
and hold manufacturing jobs, Columbia County is well
positioned with rare natural resources native to the
region. These include oil, gas and bromine as well as
more common resources such as timber. These unique
reserves have attracted producers associated with
defense, steel, aluminum, trucking and a myriad of
smaller support industries to bolster the larger entities.
One other powerful tool used to draw employers to
Magnolia is Magnolia Economic Development.
Ellie Baker is the " go to " person when it comes to
recruiting industry in Magnolia. She serves as director
of Magnolia Economic Development which is a city
department governed by the mayor and city council. As
a " one woman " department, Baker manages relations
with companies with the potential of establishing a
presence in Columbia County.
" In an effort to preserve the local economy, Magnolia
passed a quarter-cent sales tax in the late 90's, " Baker
says. She explained how the community recognized
a genuine need to create a dedicated team to further
economic expansion and remain relevant in the
marketplace. " This type of forward thinking is what
builds a strong economy. "
" Industries and businesses will contact me when they
are looking to come to our area. When I have a list of
their needs, I'm able to compare what we have available
as well as connect them to others they will need along
the way. Magnolia Economic Development also offers
incentives to those who qualify based on the number of
new jobs they'll create.
" A key factor, " Baker says, " in economic
development is to build and maintain a strong working
relationship with state and local government, utilities,
transportation and all agencies that can assist with the
process.
" I work with Arkansas Economic Development in
various capacities. That state agency keeps all local
economic developers abreast of state programs and
assistance designed to promote business expansion and
retention. They also send out 'requests for information'
to cities in the natural state where industry is
considering relocation to see how they may fit the
needs of that particular industry. And we help industry
MAGNOLIA LIVING 2022 11
Magnolia Living 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Magnolia Living 2022
