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Fayetteville Wins Second Consecutive Arkansas Shine Award

City honored for holistic approach to community, environmental improvement

FAYETTEVILLE (Sep. 23, 2009) - The City of Fayetteville has won its second consecutive Arkansas Shine Award from the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission (KAB). KAB representatives presented the award to city officials at a reception today at Fayetteville’s historic downtown square.

The Arkansas Shine Awards program recognizes communities that are making significant strides in providing programs and instituting policies to create sustainable communities. Fayetteville is one of six statewide recipients of the second annual Arkansas Shine Awards.

“Fayetteville’s citizens are its greatest asset, and the City is working to leverage this asset. The City of Fayetteville has taken a more proactive approach to organize volunteer programs,” wrote Mayor Lioneld Jordan in Fayetteville’s Arkansas Shine Awards entry. “Almost all of the projects identified in this application would not have been possible without the volunteers who exemplify civic responsibility and overwhelming generosity.”

In fact, Fayetteville’s award entry highlighted the new Fayetteville Forward Economic Development Summit that resulted in 12 citizen committees that are creating and implementing action plans to address a variety of community-improvement issues, including land use and green infrastructure, the green economy, historic and heritage resources, and citizen empowerment and volunteerism. Each committee is represented on the Fayetteville Forward Action Council.

“This initiative matches citizens’ energy and commitment to their city with meaningful actions developed by devoted community members,” Jordan continued. “[These] citizen volunteers … want to ensure that the City takes action steps to expand its economic base while protecting its natural resources.”

The eco-friendly cleanup following the January 2009 ice storm was also highlighted in Fayetteville’s awards entry. Approximately 520,000 cubic yards of debris was collected, 3,200 hazardous trees were removed, and 20,500 trees were trimmed during the cleanup process. Instead of burning the organic debris (tree limbs, etc.), the City of Fayetteville chipped it and gave away the resulting mulch to residents and businesses. The mulch was also used by the city Parks Department, and some was used as boiler fuel, according to the awards entry.

“The ice storm that hit Northwest Arkansas in the winter of 2009 … pushed Fayetteville to use innovation and creativity in order to continue to best serve residents and protect the environment,” wrote Jordan.

A third project highlighted in the awards entry is Project LIGHTS. A collaboration between the City and University of Arkansas business students, Project LIGHTS (Light Initiative Giving Hope Through Sustainability) provides low-income households with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs to educate the public about the benefits of sustainability and to generate cost savings for the targeted households. The bulbs are donated by Sam’s Club and distributed to the elderly and disabled living in Fayetteville Housing Authority public housing. Research by the U of A students suggests that Project LIGHTS has reduced utility bills by 50 to 60 percent.

“By showcasing these accomplishments, KAB honors the pride and spirit that produces noteworthy activities, salutes community leaders and selfless volunteers whose work makes it happen, and spotlights outstanding achievements that we hope will stimulate similar programs in communities around Arkansas,” said Robert Phelps, director of KAB.

Arkansas Shine Awards entries were evaluated and ranked using performance standards for 1) creating environmental initiatives to reduce litter, encourage recycling and enhance natural beauty; 2) positively impacting economic development; 3) developing public-private partnerships to accomplish goals; 4) securing project funding; and 5) enforcing litter laws and city ordinances for property upkeep. One Arkansas Shine Awards winner was named in each of six population categories.

Other 2009 Arkansas Shine Awards recipients are Brookland (Craighead County), Hot Springs (Garland County), Lowell (Benton County), Van Buren (Crawford County) and Waldron (Scott County).

The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission is a division of
the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is in compliance with
the Freedom of Information, Ar Code Ann., § 25-19-101 et seq.

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