History

Small Town and Rural Communities Planning Associates, Inc. was created in 2000 by Andrew L. Smith in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. While serving as the Director of City Planning for the City of Pine Bluff, Arkansas he saw a great need to provide technical assistance to underserved communities in southern states. Working in Pine Bluff allowed Mr. Smith to realize that not all rural communities were small towns. Additionally, he realized that planning education among a rural citizenry was necessary in order to begin to remove the many barriers that prohibited these communities from recognizing and capitalizing on resources that existed.

Because we provide multidiscipline services within the firm, we can serve our clients better and thus can continue to grow. Our office uses the most up-to-date technology which provides the firm's full range of expertise to each and every client.

Professional excellence has characterized STRC since its beginning. Substantial growth and an expanding list of clients are strong testimony to the firm's integrity and expertise. Our business and its reputation are built on four basic principles:

  • the services performed are of the highest professional quality
  • projects are produced and delivered on time
  • plans, specifications and reports are accurately prepared and presented in an organized and thoroughly understandable manner
  • senior staff members are personally involved in the services performed for each client

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Goals

Small Town and Rural Communities Planning Associates, Inc. (STRC) provides consultation, technical assistance, facilitation and leadership training. STRC staff has worked in communities and is familiar with both rural and urban issues. The hands-on, practical approach to organizational and community problem solving stems from the strong belief that present issues as well as visions of the future can be successfully addressed from the resources which already exist.

  • Plan for orderly and efficient growth
  • Gain perspective on their situations and analyze opportunities
  • Reorient and expand their economies and stimulate new jobs
  • Develop skilled elected and appointed leadership
  • Promote and encourage citizen involvement in planning
  • Develop "Quality of Life" ordinances that enhance living
  • Design structures needed to bring community visions into reality
  • Find additional financing resources
  • Comply with local, state, and federal regulations
  • Capitalize on technological changes
  • Protect rural and small-town character

20 Clues to Rural Community Survival (a PDF document)

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Mission

Small Town and Rural Communities Planning Associates, Inc. (STRC) seeks to serve clients through empowered project technical and professional assistance by providing unparalleled specialized services.

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Andrew L. Smith

With over fourteen years of experience in public contact positions, ten of which have been with various levels of government, Andrew Smith's commitment to the fields of City Planning, Community Empowerment, Citizen Participation, and Small Town and Rural Community issues is an asset to all organizations for which he works. A proven leader with the ability to work with diverse groups, he views his role as a consultant as an opportunity to position communities to accept a gamut of opportunities that are, and will be, available in the 21st century. Smith is responsible for managing and overseeing all projects for Small Town and Rural Communities Planning Associates, Inc. He also served as the State Director of the Mississippi ExplorNet Technology Learning Project. As director of this project, he was able to raise in excess of $4.2 million through fundraising. Through his involvement in this project, every public school classroom now has an Internet connected computer. His efforts and dedication to this project saved the State of Mississippi over $2 million.

Born and reared in the small town of Natchez, Mississippi, it comes as no surprise to many that Andrew made the decision to become a consultant to municipalities, counties, state departments, and other organizations seeking to improve the quality of life of those they serve. It was after participating in a U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana that he returned to his hometown to begin a career in planning. In his position as the Zoning Administrator and Code Compliance Official for the City of Natchez, he saw a need to not only improve the overall quality of life of the city through an active code enforcement program and updating of city regulations, but there was a greater need to "educate" the citizenry of the various codes and to entreat them to participate in the planning process.

His desire for professional growth led him to accept a challenging position with the City of Jackson, Mississippi's Department of Planning and Development where in the Zoning and Land Use divisions he worked primarily as a Planning Generalist preparing staff reports, implementing the district planning model, and working on special projects such as the Capital Improvement Program, Corridor Studies, and the Comprehensive Plan.

Motivated by challenges, Andrew accepted the position as Director of City Planning for the City of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a position that had been vacant for several years. It was in this rural community that he was challenged to make an unparalleled commitment to the planning profession. His successes in Pine Bluff included providing staff training to the planning commission, a community planning education program, and allowing the entire community to see that the City of Pine Bluff was "pregnant with possibilities".

Since returning to his home state of Mississippi, Andrew is continuing his passion for community planning, development, revitalization, citizen participation, providing technical assistance on special projects, and general land use planning. The educational training received at Tougaloo College, Ball State University, Jackson State University, and Mississippi State University coupled with various work experiences and great skills, allows Andrew Smith to lead his planning firm, Small Town and Rural Communities Planning Associates, Inc., "To Help You Fulfill Your Mission".

For additional information on Small Town and Rural Communities Planning Associates, Inc. please call 601.366.8818 or send your request via e-mail to strcplanning@aol.com.

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