Chamber of Commerce
Gentry,
479-736-2358 Phone
479-736-2877 Fax
Upcoming Events – Including July 4 Freedom Festival
Nestled
in the beautiful Ozarks, along Arkansas Highways 12 and 59, Gentry is a growing
and thriving community of more than 3,000 people.
Gentry boasts
more than 160 businesses, including restaurants, bed and breakfast
establishments, small industry/manufacturing plants, retail stores and
service-oriented businesses. Gentry's largest employer is McKee Foods
Corporation, maker of the famous Little DebbieTM
and SunbeltTM snacks. McKee foods
celebrated 20 years of manufacturing in Gentry and dedicated a 40,000
square-foot expansion to the existing plant in 2002. The company thrift store
is located on the corner of Arkansas Hwy 59 and
The
town is governed under a mayor-city council plan. Wes Hogue is the Mayor of
Gentry. The City Council members are Janice Arnold, Jason Barrett, Michael
Crawford, Clara Garrett, James Furgason, Kevin
Johnston, Kyle Jordan and Janie Parks. The City Clerk is Jo Ellen Martin and
the Water Department Finance Manager is Melissa Smith. All city officials can
be reached at (479) 736-2555. The City Council meets on the first Monday of
each month at
Gentry receives
its water via the
The
city also features 24-hour police and fire protection. The Police Department
consists of eight full-time officers under the direction of Police Chief Keith
Smith. The Fire Department (www.gentryfire.org) and First Responder program
is housed in a new facility under the direction of Fire Chief Vester Cripps. All firemen have extensive training and
the majority are EMT's.
Gentry is a
progressive city with an active plan for the future. The goal is to reduce
urban sprawl and preserve the local historic structures which Give Gentry its
unique character.
In
keeping with the city's design philosophy, an expansion for the city's
rapidly-growing public library grew into a project to not only provide the
library with the necessary room, but also construct a community center, museum
area and small park, all by renovating an historic structure at the town's
center. This unique project has provided modern facilities on the inside while
preserving the building's original facade. Residents of Gentry passed a half
cent sales tax in 2002 to fund the bond for the project. The Gentry Public
Library is operated by a host of volunteers under the direction of librarian
Darla Threet and the Library Board. The library
offers books for children, youth and adults. It also features free books on
tape, VCR and DVD movies, music CD's, and free wireless Internet. Faxes can be
sent and copies can be made for a small fee.
Gentry
is home of the Pioneers, the official mascot of the
Gentry
has an active religious community with churches of many different affiliations,
including Assembly of God, Baptist, Church of Christ, Mennonite, Seventh-day
Adventist, United Methodist and others. Most denominations offer programs for
youth and families as well as regular religious services.
For
youth, the community features an active youth sports league, with football,
basketball, baseball, softball and tee-ball teams. The