Letter protests town description
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
GENTRY ó Council members, the city clerk and the director of the Gentry chamber sent a letter to the Architectural Record voicing concerns over its depiction of Gentry in the October issue which featured the Gentry Library project.
The October 28 letter was signed by the entire city council ó except for Jim Kooistra (who is also an architect ) ó by city clerk Jo Ellen Martin and by Bev Saunders, executive director of the Main Street Gentry Chamber of Commerce and also the drafter of the letter.
The letter was not signed by Gentryís mayor, Wes Hogue, because, he said, it was not his policy to scold the media unless it totally misrepresented the facts.
The letter, addressed to Robert A. Ivy, FAIA editor-inchief of the Architectural Record, states: ì As leaders in our town, we are very concerned about the image portrayed about Gentry, Arkansas in the recent article, ë Gentry Libraryí authored by Jane F. Kolleeny with some quotes by the libraryís architect Marlon Blackwell and published in Architectural Record, October issue.
ì Gentry is a peaceful rural town with 2, 500 residents. Its Main Street (or downtown area ) is far from being ëshutteredí as the article implies. Yes, there are some vacant buildings in the downtown district on Main Street (as there is in any town ) but there are many thriving businesses as well. To name some are two banks, dentistsí offices, five antique stores and
ì Yes, Arkansas as a whole is not a rich state, but the northwest Arkansas region was recently named sixth in the fastest growing areas in the nation. It has also been named as one of the best places to live and raise a family. Gentry is very much a part of the northwest Arkansas region. Within 25 miles of Gentry are the corporate offices of Wal Mart and Tyson Foods, global leaders in retail and meat / poultry processing, respectively; and J. B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., North Americaís largest publicly owned transportation and logistic company. Less than 10 miles from Gentry both ways (with plants in both Decatur and Siloam Springs, Arkansas ) is Simmons Foods that ranks 13 th in Arkansasí privately owned companies and 17 th nation-wide in the countryís leading poultry producers. Allen Canning Company, one of the largest private canners of food in the world, is also located in Siloam Springs, as is Gates Rubber Company, Lazy Boy and DaySpring Cards. Right here in the Gentry city limits is the company that produces the number one snack cake in the nation (Little Debbie ), McKee Foods, Inc. There are many other small business and manufacturing facilities such as Mid-America Cabinets and several divisions of Tufco Flooring. Located on the western edge of town is SWEPCO / AEP power plant, which produces electricity for the entire region and also provides one of the finest warm-water fishing lakes in the country. Also within the Gentry city limits is Cargill agricultural company. Cargill, Inc., based out of Minnesota, is the nationís second largest privately owned company. To say its citizens ëemployment opportunities are scarceí ó or to imply that Gentry is an underprivileged community ó is incorrect and misleading. Gentryís rating on the LMI (low to moderate income index ) is too high to qualify the city for any lowmoderate income grants.
ì Gentry is a community that prides itself for its annual Freedom Fest, a tradition that is nearly 100 years old; Fall Festival, Trick or Treat on Main Street, Easter Celebration, Christmas parade and heritage projects.
ì This past summer, the editor of large regional newspaper wrote an editorial that praised Gentry and its volunteer efforts. The editorial stated that while most of the area towns (including the large ones ) was either decreasing or doing away with their Fourth of July celebrations, Gentryís continued to get bigger and better with ìsomething for everyone. î Weíre proud of our schools, our churches and our town.
ì I was told that Ms. Kolleeny visited Gentry, but itís a mystery as to who she talked to collect the information that she reported. According to Mayor Wes Hogue, she didnít talk to him nor did she talk to me. Also, the city council was polled, and each and every member stated she didnít talk to them. If Mr. Blackwell sees Gentry as a ëhardscrabble, somewhat faded, rough around the edges place, í as he was quoted in the article ó that is his opinion. However it is also the opinion of someone who has only come to Gentry occasionally to do a job and collect a check. If he lived in Gentry or worked in Gentry daily ó or shopped here, attended school regularly here or dined here often ó he might see Gentry, its past, present and future differently. We can assure you that we do. î By Randy Moll randym @ nwanews. com
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