“Welcome Home: Ward & Austin Community Guide”

*This would be a partnership with the city of Austin since the boundaries of our communities tend to be a bit blurred & we could create a guide that would be more affordable to produce, in addition to providing communication to new families in our areas. 

This is a project that:

*is visible*affordable*useful*bipartisan*community-centered*immediately improves communication.

People moving into small towns often WANT connection — they just don’t know where to start.

This gives them a starting point.  We would likely need to reproduce these on a 2 year basis with the growth that each of our communities are experiencing, but eventually it could be renewed every 4 years, with the election of the next Mayor.

OVERALL STRUCTURE

Section 1 — Welcome Message

One page from: *Mayor of Ward *Mayor of Austin

Tone: “We may be neighboring cities, but we share the same goal — creating safe, welcoming communities families are proud to call home.”

Include: short history*population* “what makes us unique” *community values

Could even include: photos of parks* parades *youth sports‍ ‍*community events

Section 2 — Getting Started Utilities Guide

Include:

Water/Sewer

• how to establish service

• office hours

• emergency numbers

• online payment links

• understanding your bill

• leak reporting

• trash day reminders

Trash & Recycling

• pickup days by area

• bulk pickup rules

• holiday schedule

• prohibited items

Electric / Gas / Internet

List providers clearly w/ website, phone numbers, etc.:

• Entergy

• First Electric

• Summit Utilities

• internet providers, etc.

Section 3 — “Things New Residents Ask All The Time”

Example FAQ:

• How do I pay my water bill?

• What day is trash pickup?

• Can I burn leaves?

• Do I need a permit for a fence?

• What are the pet ordinances?

• Where do I report potholes?

• How do I reserve a park or pavilion?

• Where are city council meetings held?

• What happens during severe weather warnings?

Section 4 — “Know Your City”

Include:

Parks & Recreation

• ball fields

• walking trails

• playgrounds

• community center (Ward Chamber Building)

• fishing areas

Community Organizations

• Ward Chamber of Commerce

• youth sports

• churches

• volunteer opportunities

• beautification committee

• equine therapy center

Schools & Daycares

• district information

• enrollment links

• important school events

Section 5 — Community Calendar

Include Annual Events:

For example:

Ward

• 4th of July Celebration

• Christmas Parade

• Harvest Festival

• Ward Nights / Second Saturdays

• Fishing Derby

• Meet the Machines

• Youth sports

• Eggstravaganza

• Spring Clean Up

Austin

• City festivals

• Movie night

• holiday events

• clean-up days

Could be:

• yearly overview calendar

• QR code linking to live updated calendars

Section 6 — Communication Hub

Include:

Official Communication Channels

• city websites

• Facebook pages

• emergency text alerts

• water outage notifications

• weather alerts

• council meeting livestreams

Section 7 — Business Spotlight Section

This could partially fund the project!  Everyone that has a city business license could automatically be listed, BUT for attention a business could become a sponsor.

Local Sponsors Could Buy:

• quarter-page ads

• business listings

• coupons

• “welcome offers”

Examples:

• local restaurants

• salons

• realtors

• lawn care

• pediatric therapy clinics

• donut shops

“Shop Local First”

with a small local business directory.

DISTRIBUTION PLAN

Phase 1 — Build Content

Create a joint committee:

• 2 Ward reps

• 2 Austin reps

• 1 chamber/business rep

• 1 school/community rep

Phase 2 — Pilot Version

Start with:

• 16–20 page booklet

• PDF version online

Phase 3 — Distribution

Provide at:

• city halls

• utility offices

• realtor offices

• apartment complexes

• school offices

• welcome packets for permits/accounts

LONG TERM IDEAS

Future Expansion

Could later include:

• coupon section

• newcomer scavenger hunt

• QR code video welcomes

• “meet your city” events

OTHER POSSIBLE NAMES

• Welcome Home: Ward & Austin

• Neighbor to Neighbor

• Welcome to the Neighborhood

• Small Towns. Strong Communities.

• Homegrown Arkansas

ADDITION

“How Local Government Works”

Simple explanations like:

• what city council does & who they are

• who handles water

• who to call for what

• how to attend meetings

• how residents can volunteer

That kind of transparency builds trust early.