MERAMEC REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
CEDS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING SUMMARY

Welcome and Introductions:
Connie Willman called the January 26, 2010 CEDS Advisory Committee meeting to order at 11:53 a.m.

Members Present:
Peter Herrington (Crawford), Mardy Leathers (Crawford), Sharon Tubbs (Dent), Ray Walden (Dent), Richard Huse (Maries), Ray Schwartze (Maries), Byron Baker (Osage), Donald Claycomb (Osage), Russell Scheulen (Osage), John Petersen (Phelps), Keith Strassner (Phelps), Dennis Wilson (Phelps), Carol Carson (Pulaski), Wayne Morgan (Pulaski), Linda Wilson (Pulaski) and Sandy Allison (Washington)

Staff:
Richard Cavender, Bonnie Prigge, Connie Willman and Lisa Warnke

Members introduced themselves and highlighted how the economic recession and recovery has affected their communities.

• John Petersen (Rolla): John stated that the sales tax is down a little but construction is picking up as well as city building permits are up.
• Wayne Morgan (PCGA): Wayne stated that FLW has an additional $111 million for new construction for barracks and classrooms. There are plans to put in a new power generation school with 25 – 30 permanent instructors. Waynesville will be creating a military museum. Building permits are up in Waynesville and sales tax is up in St. Robert and Waynesville. There is another hotel going in at Waynesville with existing hotel capacity averaging 80% occupancy. Industry is still stabile in Richland and there are plans for expansions for the light bulb factory. The Pulaski County EEZ is in the final stages of completion.
• Keith Strassner (Rolla): Stated that the EEZ for Rolla has been approved by the city council and has been presented to the state. The tech park construction will begin on a 25,000 square foot office building this spring and should be completed by the end of the year. The MS&T incubator is up and running. There are plans for a high school entrepreneur camp for 2011. There will be an $8 million bond issue in April for Rolla schools.
• Linda Wilson ( Crocker): Stated that the economy has not affected the community as much because of Fort Leonard Wood employment. The new Dollar General store is doing very well. Sidewalks are progressing. The park advisory board is working with MRPC on improvements.
• Carol Carson (Dixon): Stated that ATR business is looking into purchasing the empty industrial building. ATR builds goods to support military community i.e.: replacement parts for tanks/hummers, etc… The business could bring 100 jobs to the community. Dr. Burgher’s class from MS&T worked in Dixon last fall and the community is working on some of the projects.
• Richard Huse (Belle): Stated that Belle is a bedroom community and will probably continue being one for several years. The EEZ is in the final stages of completion. The county is partnering with two other counties to pool resources to hire an Economic Developer. The biggest problem in the community is that the human resources are being underutilized. There is a faith based group that is teaching life skills to area youth . They are letting the youth take home a computer as a reward for successfully completing the program.
• Sandy Allison (Washington County IDA): Stated that the area has 6-8 businesses that are expanding. Washington County IDA is working with a leadership group. There are farm tours scheduled this spring and next fall with 15 farms participating. It will be open to the public. This is a great way for the farmers to promote and sell their products. Washington County is currently working on establishing an EEZ. There have been 300 people laid off from the Chrysler plant that have been retrained and several are creating businesses in the area.
• Byron Baker (Linn): Stated that Linn is a small community and 60% of the population travels outside the county for employment. Farmers have been hurt financially by the high grain prices.
• Donald Claycomb (Linn Tech): Stated that there has been a 17% increase in students this year. The new students are mostly older. Most of these students already have a good work ethic. There has been a change in students; they are seeing that top students are being offered the available jobs. There are concerns regarding a jobless recovery and no retirement as people are working longer. There has been a noticeable increase in bidders for construction jobs.
• Ray Walden (Salem TCRC) and Sharon Tubbs (Salem ED): Community has worked with Dr. Burgher’s class from MS&T. They are currently working on one of the projects - a soccer complex. Salem applied for and received a DNR grant to help build the complex. They have also improved the farmer’s market and have applied for a grant to increase the parking lot where the market is held. Sales tax is higher. There have been challenges with unemployment rates. There are several new businesses and not many open places on Main Street, the challenge is keeping these businesses up and going. There is a new community project to clean up Salem.
• Mardy Leathers (Crawford County/ Cuba Chamber): Stated that Cuba has a development group that also serves the county as there is no economic development group in the community. There is a new website for the Cuba Development Group located at www.gocubamo.com. This website is a resource for economic development. It is important to create new jobs and retain the ones that are there and to build a solid foundation for the next decade. There are three industrial parks in Cuba. The south industrial park is full, the north industrial park is almost full and there is a newer Barnett Building and Technology Park that is developing.
• Russell Scheulen (Osage County): Stated that the courthouse renovation will be complete in June. The EEZ is in the final stages. The county is pushing to have Highways 50 & 63 4-laned. One of the goals for the EEZ is to increase available commercial property along the 4-lane highways. There are four new restaurants in Linn.
• Ray Schwartze (Maries County): The EEZ is in the final stages. There are two new companies considering on locating in Maries County. The county is currently maintaining, but there is no real growth.
• Peter Herrington (Sullivan): Stated that the manufacturing businesses will be one of the last things to recover during the recession. Sullivan competes with the St. Louis metro area for industry and pay and is about 25% less. Utility rates are up in Sullivan.
• Dennis Wilson (St. James): Stated that sales tax has stayed stabile. The biggest thing that has happened to the community is that the EEZ has passed. Tacony Manufacturing is reaping the benefits of the EEZ and has added another shift and orders are up. Tacony is also in the process of working with the city and MRPC to improve the lighting in the industrial park. Wal-Mart DC was not affected by the recession. The whole region benefits from the DC as it employs people from across the region. The community has passed a sales tax to take over the swimming pool and a school bond to upgrade security and expand the elementary school. St. James is currently working on a new comprehensive plan. They are currently upgrading the electrical system and are buying the transmission station and lines that are located near V Highway and have plans to expand and improve them. The city is also making some waste water improvements.

Review of the Current Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Goals and Objectives:
The committee resumed discussion of the Goals and Objectives:

Goal I: (continued)

Objective 4: Attract New Industry to the Region

Level 1 Action item:

• Maintain a highly competitive posture in economic development efforts in order to retain and expand existing businesses industries and attract new businesses industries.

Level 2 Action Items:

• Educate existing business on economic development incentives
• Promote quality of life aspects of the region
• Survey existing businesses to determine suppliers / vendors
• Encourage the state to become more aggressive in its incentives to attract out-of-state companies. (Constitutionally prohibited to build or equip buildings for private companies.)

The committee started on Objective 5: Encourage Job Development Level 1 action items:

• Promote available economic opportunities for young people in order to retain their talents within the region and encourage young people to return talents to the region.

Level 2 Action Items:

• Identify skill needs and work with schools and college to meet training needs.
• Promote high technology businesses
• Promote life skill trainings – consider incentives to encourage students (Belle used computer for successful class completion)
• Create a YELL program – young leadership program – develop professionally; leadership opportunity (Leadership NW MO is an example)

Next Meeting
The next CEDS Advisory Committee meeting will be at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Adjournment
Being no further business the Tuesday, January 26, 2010 CEDS Advisory Committee meeting ended at 1:11 p.m.