After serving the city of Prairie Grove for 10 years in various positions, Alderman Dale Reed is resigning from the Prairie Grove City Council and Planning Commission, effective Nov. 1, because he is moving out of the city limits.
Reed is moving to the family farm off Viney Grove Road.
Reed has served on the Planning Commission since 2005 and served as an alderman representing Ward 2 since 2010. He said he does not have any plans to run for another elected office.
Reed currently is chairman of the Planning Commission. He also has served as president of Prairie Grove Area Chamber of Commerce and received the Citizen of the Year award from the chamber in 2015. He is a member of Prairie Grove Lions Club.
Reed worked for PG Telco for 14 years before resigning in August 2015, to go to Waco Title Co. He left Waco to work for Preferred Poultry in Lincoln and last week started a new position as a commercial loan officer with Arvest Bank in Lincoln.
During his tenure, Reed has been a part of many accomplishments in the city of Prairie Grove.
He points to the housing market as one accomplishment of Prairie Grove during recent years. The community was left with a lot of empty residential lots when the real estate market crashed years ago and is seeing growth as houses are going up on these lots.
"Now we see that the city is to the point where we are in need of new places for subdivisions," Reed said.
The city has built a new sewer plant, is upgrading its water treatment plant and has improved streets and built new sidewalks.
"I've enjoyed being a part of the council," Reed said. "It's helped me to be more hooked into the community."
Serving as an elected official also has given him a new appreciation for the role that leaders play in a community, he said.
"I'd like to see more people attend meetings. A lot of decisions are left up to my opinion and I would like more input," he said. "A lot of times we hear from people after the fact."
He said he believes he will be a more "engaged citizen" because of his time on the Planning Commission and City Council.
Mayor Sonny Hudson said city officials will reach out to see if they can find someone in Ward 2 interested in serving as a City Council member. Ward 2 is in the northeast part of the city limits.
Hudson said Reed, like other Council members, has been an integral part of what the city has accomplished the last few years.
"He's done a very good job," Hudson said.
Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works, has worked with Reed through the Chamber, City Council and Planning Commission.
"He's always given a lot of consideration to every vote he's taken," Oelrich said. "He is willing to share his opinion. He's not one to sit back but offers his opinions and comments. That's always helpful when we're trying to make a decision."
General News on 10/25/2017