City of Neelyville

Neelyville City Hall

     The City of Neelyville is located on State Highway 142 and County Road EE in Butler County. City hall is at Hwy. 142 and Park Street in the downtown area. Fire protection is provided by three full-time firemen, backed by five volunteers. City policy is made by a four-member city council. The Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission helps to coordinate economic development for Neelyville.

     Mayor James W. Yandell reports that, according to the 2000 census, his city has seen a population increase since 1990 of 27.8 percent. In 2000, Neelyville had 487 residents. Per capita income for Butler County, in 1999, was $21,590.

     Ozark Border Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Poplar Bluff, MO, provides electric power for Neelyville, and United Cities is the city's natural gas provider. The City of Neelyville provides both sewer and water services for its residents. Alltell is the local telephone service provider, and internet service may be obtained through a local ISP in Poplar Bluff.

     The unemployment rate of Butler County in February, 2001, was 5.3 percent with an available workforce of 19,182. Only 1,019 people in Butler County are unemployed with 18,163 having gainful employment. The average hourly wage for the county, as of March, 2000, was $11.34 per hour in the manufacturing sector and $10.23 in non-manufacturing.

     The county's major employers are Three Rivers Healthcare with 1,500 employees; Briggs & Stratton Corporation which employs 1,100 to manufacture internal combustion engines; Rowe Furniture Company, with 918 employees; Gates Rubber Company, whose 518 employees manufacture radiator hoses; and Wal-Mart with 500 associates.

     Neelyville students stay in town for their education, from elementary to high school. The nearest public community college, Three Rivers Community College, is located in Poplar Bluff and boasts an enrollment of 2,824 (fall, 2001). Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center is a popular choice for area youngsters. Arkansas State University, a public four-year college located in Jonesboro, AR, is the nearest higher learning facility. Fall, 2001, enrollment for the university was 10,572 students.

     US Highway 67 passes just outside Neelyville, and Hwy. 142 dissects the community. The Union Pacific Railroad passes through Neelyville, and Amtrak service is available in Poplar Bluff.

     Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport, located just minutes away, is the nearest public airport. It has a 5,007-foot paved and lighted runway. Private aircraft storage and aviation fuel are available. The nearest commercial airport is Jonesboro Municipal Airport in Jonesboro, AR.

     Neelyville citizens enjoy two public parks and worship at one of the five churches in town. One of those churches is Catholic. The other four are Protestant.

    Lake Wappapello is the nearest public access lake and Black River is the nearest public access river. Visitors can camp, fish, hike, motor boat, swim and water ski. Average temperatures for the area range from 24 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 91 degrees Fahrenheit in July. The average annual precipitation is 46 inches.

     Neelyville residents are represented in the State House of Representatives by 163rd District Rep. Otto Bean, Jr. (R) and in the state senate by Sen. Rob Mayer (R) of the 25th District. U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R) represents Neelyville in the Eighth Congressional District.