is better equipped to handle the day-to-day demands without the stress of scrambling to fill gaps when someone calls in sick or takes vacation. The investment extends beyond staffing, though. Mena’s officers were previously working out of a cramped 1,600-square-foot space. Today, they’ve been relocated to a 5,500-square-foot building. Mena has heavily invested in its fire department, acquiring new equipment like a $176,000 brush truck and a $926,000 pumper truck. “We’re always investing in our police and fire departments,” says Mayor Smith. They’ve added an ATV and mountain bike response equipment to support the city’s expanding trail system. Investments extend to parks, with new splash pads, playgrounds, and ball field upgrades. “We’ve made lots of investments in our parks,” he adds. Mena has also bought street maintenance equipment without financing, a point of pride for Mayor Smith: “We haven’t had to do loans.” However, larger projects like water and sewer system upgrades required taking out a bond, costing $20-40 million. Mena also allocates about half a million dollars annually for street maintenance, with the mayor noting,“Our streets are fantastic for a town of our size.” BUILDING A BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM Attracting and sustaining commercial activity in Mena requires a nuanced approach. Mayor Smith acknowledges that while the city might be “in the middle of nowhere,” it still draws workers from surrounding counties to its major employers. “We have multiple people from surrounding counties that come in to work at our facilities,” he says, pointing to key players like Nidec, a large manufacturing plant that employs around 300 people, and the local hospital, which staffs between 275 and 325 depending on its caseload. The area also boasts several machining companies that produce specialized parts, from engine blocks to elevator components. However, Smith is careful not to overemphasize this type of industry as the city’s future. 265 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 10 MENA, AR
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