The city of Pine Bluff hosted a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library along with Chief Terry Cosby of Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) to announce a $96 million investment fund throughout Arkansas including Pine Bluff. Mayor Shirley Washington led the conference by first recognizing those present including state representative Vivian Flowers, State Representative Kenneth Ferguson, police chief Lloyd Franklyn Sr., the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Chancellor Lawerence B. Alexander, and more.
Mayor Washington explained with excitement that the event was held to give an announcement that has echoed in other cities in southeast Arkansas in relation to flooding.
Chief Cosby with NRCS, spoke shortly after Washington explaining that he and his team have been searching for ways to help invest in underdeveloped communities under the administration of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure and Job Act.
Cosby went on to say that that $32 million would go into removing flooding issues, developing infrastructure, and enhancing economic mobility in the community. Rep. Flowers spoke with Deltaplex about how this opportunity will benefit her district in Pine Bluff.
Kevin Trice the CEO of Capacity building, Consulting, and Analysis LLC. has been working with Representative Vivian Flowers for some time to obtain grants to help fix infrastructure and flooding issues in Pine Bluff and other cities in Arkansas. Deltaplex radio spoke with Trice and he explained more about the development of this funding.
