Independence County, Arkansas

6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 industry. We also offered in-kind work on public roads (funded by the county), workforce training through UACCB (a program funded by the County), and any other help we can offer.” With the key role that Lyon College has played in the community, as well as representing a great partner for the City of Batesville, Melissa Taverner President of Lyon College highlights how this key educational partnership has helped to strengthen the County as a whole. She shares, “Lyon College has been a vital member of the local region for 150 years, and the city, the county, and the College have benefitted over the years from a strong and mutually supportive relationship. The area is fortunate to also be the home to the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB) which provides quality and ever- expanding opportunities for our citizens to pursue higher education, supporting workforce development in the region.” Leaders at these two institutions and many individuals in local government and industries partnered to create an educational focus as an integral part of the county’s grassroots community development plan, IMPACT. The Independence County Educational Foundation, a direct outgrowth of the IMPACT initiatives, intentionally works to connect the two higher educational institutions with area school and industry leaders from Batesville, Southside, and other communities to promote and support the myriad of educational opportunities in the area to students of all ages. With so much to offer, Independence County continues to see growth, and to match the current and anticipated expansion of the area several residential developments are on the city agenda. Mitchell explains, “Both single family and multi-family residential developments are in the works that will provide much needed INDEPENDENCE COUNTY , ARKANSAS