Go Forward Pine Bluff held a town hall meeting Tuesday night at the Pine Bluff Convention Center to show citizens the progress they have made, how money is being spent, and more.
Go Forward CEO Ryan Watley touched on Urban Renewal and the process of tearing down dilapidated houses, and the goal to rebuild on those properties. Watley said that the houses that have been torn down were left by people who moved away from the city.
Watley also spoke about a lot of commercial properties that Go Forward Pine Bluff has purchased. He said that “site control” is needed in order to fully implement the plan to revitalize the city.
He said that they have been able to purchase properties at good prices, and now it is about finding investors for those properties.
Education is another area that Go Forward Pine Bluff is working to address within the city. A study conducted shows that Pine Bluff has had a sharp increase in uncertified teachers, and it is very possible for students to go through grades K through 12 without ever having a certified teacher. To date, Go Forward has assisted 150 teachers or education majors in securing their teacher certification.
One of the biggest projects on the table is the Plaza Hotel attached to the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Watley said that the process is underway to get that property up and operational, but there is still work to be done, and citizens could possibly see work happening soon.
Watley stated that he is appreciative of all of the partners that are working with Go Forward Pine Bluff, and he hopes to end negative rhetoric that could harm the overall mission.
