OnTuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, Searcy City Council hosted the presentation of two awards: one to the city of Searcy and one to Bliss Salon and Boutique in downtown Searcy.
Thecity of Searcy won a 2013 City of Distinction award inthe green/energy conservation initiatives category for cities with more than 50,000 people. Nathan Rutledge and Marshall Hughes of Crews & Associates, Inc, an investment banking company, presented the award. Rutledge said he and Hughes are part of the awards system and assist with judging.
Rutledge and Hughes are both from Searcy, and Rutledge said they were “excited to be home” to present the award. Rutledge said “Arkansas Business” created the award system for cities around the state in order to recognize and highlight best practices in city operation.
Searcy’s green initiative, called “Searcy Energy Smart,”was created with the help of Entergy Arkansas andCenterPointenergy. The program sought to raise awareness about energy consumption as well as inform citizens about how to save money and reduce their carbon footprint, according to the “Arkansas Business” article about the green initiative winners.
Mayor David Morris said the initiative will save Searcy a “tremendous amount of money for years to come.”According to the “Arkansas Business” article, the initiative resulted in $571,000 in one-time cash incentives, $409,600 in utility bill savings and the potential for annual savings of $4.1 million over 10 years.
This is the second year Searcy has won a City of Distinction award.
In addition to the award for the city of Searcy, Amy Burton of Main Street Searcy presentedthe2014 Main Street Arkansas award for best building renovation to Paige Norman, owner of Bliss Salon and Boutique in downtown Searcy.
Morris said the site, which is at the corner of Market and Gum Street, used to be an old warehouse and was an “eyesore.” Norman, along with the help of the Main Street Searcy program, renovated the area and created Bliss Salon and Boutique.
“It is unbelievable what you all have done to that old warehouse,” Morris said.
Burton said Norman’s shop has improved both the aesthetics and the overall retail footprint of the downtown area.
“This was truly a labor of love,” Burton said. “No one else saw the potential of that building.”
The presentations were part of the agenda at the Searcy City Council regular meeting on Tuesday night.
