Civil Municipal Magazine Aug 2023

114 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 8 that. It just goes on and on with the projects that we are doing here in Harrison,” he shares. With the city and county officials working well together, “We’ve had an enormous amount of business growth. Even though we only have 13,000 people in the city, we have a reach of probably 80,000 that shop Harrison because of the mountainous terrain. It keeps them from going to the larger cities. And then the influx of tourists and drive-through traffic, it’s just enormous. Our chamber is the voice of business and economic development. Harrison is just a great place to do business.” Along with our award-winning hospital and medical facilities, we have a historic structure called The Jack Williams Veterans Resource Center (Camp Jack) which uses a 1942 former Armory to provide services, activities, and amenities for veterans and their families. The building has recently qualified for the National Historic Registry. Almost three years ago, US Congressman Steve Womack was part of a grant allocation providing just under $2.3 million to renovate the facility. Executive Director Matt Russell says, “This building has served our community well for 80 years, and now we need to repair it with a wow factor so everyone can continue to be proud of it.” Harrison Public School District has won numerous awards for its outstanding approach to education. North Arkansas College is a two- year community college with connections to four-year schools so students can graduate with a bachelor’s degree without leaving home. They also work with area high schools to create a unique solution for industrial arts-based education. The Mayor also draws attention to Camp Jack as an important aspect when discussing joint city initiatives for its residents. Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Bass Pro Shops, has recognized the potential in the region, recently purchasing the former Dogpatch USA amusement park site. He intends to revitalize the location, turning it into the Marble Falls Nature Park, a project that Mayor Jackson believes will have a remarkable impact