Hurst returns to Van Buren to help with city planning

story by Marla Cantrell
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Meet Joe Hurst. He’s Van Buren’s new city planner. Or he soon will be. He’s made a verbal agreement with Mayor Bob Freeman and is tying up loose ends in El Dorado, Ark., where he holds the same position he’ll undertake in Van Buren.

“Joe will be starting in early summer as planning coordinator,” Freeman said. “This is long overdue for our city. This is a win, win, win all the way around.”

Hurst’s annual salary is listed at $50,000.

Freeman announced the hire at the April 19 city council meeting. The timing seemed apropos since more than a dozen residents had shown up to protest a rezoning ordinance that paved the way for a $4 million, 60-unit apartment complex for the elderly on one of the city’s busiest streets. The unified complaint was the logjam of traffic created by businesses on Pointer Trail, which causes headaches for drivers, particularly when the two nearby schools are in session. The new complex for elderly residents, they argued, would only make matters worse.

Responding to one of the critics, Mayor Bob Freeman explained that it’s an accepted frustration that public projects, such as road improvements, often fail to keep up with the growth. Freeman believes the addition of a city planner will pave the way for a more disciplined planning process.

Hurst is equally upbeat about the move.

He grew up in Van Buren, moving away after graduating high school in 1998 to attend college. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ouachita Baptist University, and in 2005, earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas.

Hurst, who interned with Fort Smith’s planning department while a graduate student, is impressed by the partnership between the two cities.

“The current spirit of regionalism in the area is already proving beneficial,” Hurst said. “The Oxane facility in our Industrial Park will be operating shortly, and, with Mitsubishi bringing a new wind turbine manufacturing facility to Fort Smith, you’re seeing the hard work pay off.”

Hurst’s first move will to become familiar with local codes and regulations. Then the real work begins.

“Whether it is comprehensive land use planning, park and recreation planning, grant writing, development codes, or zoning codes, I will be focused on how we can most effectively move Van Buren forward,” Hurst said.

He knows about parks. He spearheaded the development of El Dorado’s first master park plan. Hurst said he spent a great deal of time in public hearings, as well as commission and design meetings. He particularly enjoyed his work as a liaison between the city and its residents, making sure the architects and engineers were aware of the public’s wants and needs.

While Hurst looks to the future, he is aware it’s a hard time for local governments.

“Van Buren shares its biggest challenge with other cities across the country: distributing scarce resources to unlimited demands,” Hurst said. “With the current state of the economy, we have even scarcer resources with which to work. Whether it is widening a street, fixing potholes, or improving a park, city budgets run on scarce resources, and it is our job to spend those resources wisely.”

Hurst is moving from a south Arkansas town about the same size as Van Buren, and it also has a revitalized historic downtown. The town is the headquarters for Murphy Oil Corp., which set up a $50 million college scholarship program for El Dorado public school students in 2007. The town is also home to the corporate headquarters of Deltic Timber.

But for Hurst, the future is in his hometown and he is anxious to return. His parents and in-laws still live in Van Buren. He said the city’s greatest asset is the people who live here.