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Pulaski County leaders review $100M in projects from 2025 and declare 2026 the 'Year of Completion'
Summary
Pulaski County administration and department heads reviewed 2025 accomplishments — including broadband, adaptive‑reuse school projects, the Sportsplex and dozens of ribbon cuttings — and the county administrator declared 2026 the "Year of Completion," prioritizing finishing projects begun in 2025.
Pulaski County officials on Monday reviewed a year of major projects and set a new goal for 2026: finish what was started.
At a board meeting focused on brief department reports, county administrators and directors summarized more than $100 million in projects either announced, under construction or completed in 2025, including universal broadband initiatives, adaptive‑reuse projects at Pulaski Middle and Claremont schools, the Community Collaboration Center and work on the Pulaski County Sportsplex.
“The year 2025 was truly the year of the projects,” said the county administrator, addressing the board as leaders and staff presented highlights from each department. He told the board he wanted 2026 to be the “year of completion,” asking departments and partners to prioritize bringing projects to operational status and to align the FY‑27 budget with that objective.
Department heads gave concise overviews of their 2025 work. The general services director reported completion of 1,600 feet of new 6‑inch water main serving about 20 homes and multiple facility renovations. The tourism director flagged advertising and cooperative grants that produced large digital impressions and higher visitor counts; the director of economic development said the county had secured a $900,000 state grant to continue Commerce Park road work and referenced earlier private investment announcements tied to park expansion.
Public safety and service departments also cited measurable gains: the building official said the county issued a record 1,327 permits with an aggregate construction value around $67 million; parks and recreation reported 37,429 visits and roughly $126,976 in pool revenue during the season; and IT officials cited expanded device and network support after infrastructure upgrades.
Administrators noted cross‑departmental collaboration on long‑range projects such as the Sportsplex (finance staff oversaw debt issuance) and the Community Collaboration Center (multiple partners and MOUs). Several presenters highlighted grants and philanthropic work that helped recovery and resident assistance efforts.
The board accepted the reports and the county administration said it would weave the “Year of Completion” theme into budgeting and program priorities for 2026. No formal policy change was adopted at the meeting; the declaration was presented as an administrative planning theme to guide the coming fiscal year.
The board moved next to new business, including ratifying a local emergency declaration tied to recent storms and adopting a schedule to guide FY‑27 budget work. The meeting closed after board members thanked staff and volunteers for storm response and recovery work.
