MRPC News Release
Feb. 27, 2006
For more information, contact:
Richard Cavender or Bonnie J. Prigge, (573) 265-2993
MRPC ADOPTS FEDERAL PRIORITIES, PLANS VISIT TO WASHINGTON, DC
ST. JAMES—The board of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission officially adopted its list of federal legislative priorities during its February meeting. Through its list of federal priorities, MRPC supports more federal funding for transportation improvements, public infrastructure and education and encourages efforts to curtail rising health care costs, among other issues.
MRPC Chairman Gary Brown of Salem, Board Member Marcus Maggard of Dent County and MRPC Executive Director Richard Cavender will travel in March to Washington, DC, to share those ideas with the region's Congressional delegation. Over the course of three months, the board and MRPC's associate members identified and prioritized federal issues of local significance. The board met with Congressional staff members during its January meeting, and adopted the federal priorities list during its February meeting, as recommended by the board's External Relations Committee. Priorities are:
• Regarding transportation, the board supports more funding for the region's transportation priorities; asks that the Highway Trust Fund be adequately funded and recommends increased federal spending on highways.
• Regarding economic development, the MRPC board supports more federal assistance for public infrastructure, economic development and workforce development and asks Congressional leaders for continued support of the U.S. Economic Development Administration and USDA Rural Development by maintaining the missions and integrity of these agencies and by increasing funding.
• Regarding housing/health care/senior citizen issues, MRPC supports efforts to control health care costs and provide more affordable health care options; recommends that funding for Medicaid and Medicare be maintained and funding for housing assistance be increased.
• In the area of education, the MRPC board supports efforts to provide more federal support for education with more federal funding going directly to school districts.
• In regard to environmental issues, the board recommends that federal funding be provided to local governments who must comply with state and federal mandates, including water and sewer regulations handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency. The board also supports federal initiatives and funding to assist the state and local governments in planning, developing and maintaining necessary water and wastewater infrastructure and also recommends that the US Forest Service district offices be able to negotiate timber purchase contracts within their jurisdictions
• In regard to local government issues, the board opposes unfunded mandates, recommends the repeal of prevailing wage laws, encourages increased funding for communities affected by Base Realignment Commission decisions and supports assistance in fighting drug problems.
• In the area of homeland security, the MRPC board encourages the involvement of regional organizations in planning and implementing homeland security and emergency preparedness initiatives and supports additional funding for local governments to maintain police and security forces.
In other business at its February meeting, the MRPC board:
• Heard a report from Mark Riefer of AG Edwards on MRPC's employee pension programs; and
• Approved contracts with the Crawford County Foundation and the Irondale Fire Protection District for grant preparation work; with the Bank of America to provide homebuyer education counseling for its customers and the city of Houston for asbestos inspection services.
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Officers are Chairman Gary Brown of Salem, Vice Chairman Bob Reed of Washington County, Secretary Mary Heywood of Bourbon and Treasurer Laura Antolak of Rolla.
A professional staff of 23, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities upon request.
The MRPC board will meet March 9 at its office at 4 Industrial Drive in St. James. All meetings are open to the public.