Paragould, AR– Following Jonesboro not receiving the RAISE Grant, a grant needed to help complete the project that would connect Northeast Arkansas, Brookland News spoke with Mayor of Paragould, Josh Agee.
He told us over the phone the RAISE grant is a very competitive grant, and cities at times have had to apply 7 to 8 times.
The next step is having an exit interview, which is scheduled for sometime in August, which will be when officials who decide who gets the grant tells them what they may need to improve on.
Mayor Agee said he excepts them to not to get asked to improve anything since they made it a regional wide application with Brookland, Jonesboro, Paragould, and surrounding counties applying for the grant.
He says if anything there should be little they need to change, as it’s just a luck type of thing when receiving the grant.
The grant would have allowed more money for trails to be connected, as both cities are slowly making their way to connect.
Once the exit interview is over, Mayor Agee says city and countie partners will get their “heads together” and begin writing next years RAISE grant.
If they were to eventually receive the grant they have 10 years to spend the money, which