Public money to fund the expansion of a private learning institution.

Another observation we would like to point out is the purpose for the roundabouts on Harkrider. It is not to solve a problem with traffic; it is to improve the look of Hendtrix and to solve the problem of lack of space on the campus. The ultimate goal on this project is to re-route Harkrider so the college can expand. They want to use our tax dollars to fund the college's expansion while disrupting the traffic patterns throughout the city of Conway.

Is this something we want or need our tax dollars spent on? To fund the expansion of a private, undergraduate institution so they can build more housing for alumni, student, and faculty? Last January Hilary Hilliard, an Arkansas Democrat reporter and Hendrix alumni, wrote,

At the heart of it is a complex center of alumni, student and faculty residences, as well as a range of stores, restaurants, cafes and even a charter or private elementary school. "What's happening now is that urban living is back," Duany said. "What used to be cool in 1970 is now part of the college experience again. Places like Brown [University], which used to have a problem with Providence, now uses their cities as a selling point. Students associate college with an urban experience."

More tax dollars going for the development of private entities while the city is supposedly broke and can't buy new equipment or hire more personnel for its police and fire departments. The writer also comments on one of the city's alderman's position, it should come as no surprise who that would be, our favorite Alderman Adam "I'll bend over backwards for developers" Weeks,

Also involved in the project will be Conway city officials. One Conway alderman, who likes the idea of working with the college, has some reservations about destroying the green space. "Any time you cut down such a large expanse of trees like that, you're going to have concerns, but what we get in return, I think, is a good trade," said Alderman Adam Weeks. "The community Hendrix is talking about building sounds wonderful."

In addition at a public meeting about this academic village proposal the question of how it would affect the city's development and layout was raised to wit the developer replied, "We haven't been asked to stir up that dog." So it seems that the only consideration in the planning of this village has been to the benefit of Hendrix College and not the average citizen. Hendrix College President Cloyd has even speculated on the possibility of re-routing Hwy 64 to the interstate.

Duany said his team will have suggestions in later meetings to make Harkrider, a U.S. highway, "pedestrian-friendly so you can cross that street as you would in a town." Cloyd said it possibly could be re-routed to go "out by the interstate."

Duany acknowledged there will be a conflict between people who "want to get through it fast and people who want to cross it."

Student Mark Hengel asked how the suggestions would affect the development of Conway and change how the city is laid out.

Duany said, "We haven't been asked to stir up that dog."

So what we really have here is a private entity using its political influence to spend our tax dollars to fund their expansion and a mayor along with several aldermen who would do anything, even sacrifice public safety, to accommodate this endeavor. Isn't it time for the average citizen to receive the attention of its government?