List of Services

Services provided to local governments by the Meramec Regional Planning Commission from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.

The Meramec Region

Provided $2,608,397.52 in housing assistance to an average of 743 very low-income households per month in the Meramec Region through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program. This also includes the participants who have utilized their portability rights and have transferred out of our area and are still being assisted with our agency’s funds. The MRPC also performed 1,660 unit inspections for the rental assistance programs and conducted 20 group housing briefing sessions at MRPC.
Provided information on Community Development Block Grant competition and grant alerts for William T. Kempter Foundation, Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, Ameren Charitable Trust, Bikes Belong Coalition, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Kresge Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2009 National Trails Fund, Dale and Edna Walsh Foundation, F.B. Heron Foundation, Tony Hawk Foundation, Rosie’s for All Kids, Tourism Cares, National Trust Preservation Funds, State Farm Insurance, Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, John Q. Hammons Foundation, Inc., Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, The 1772 Foundation, Louis L. & Julia Dorothy Coover Charitable Foundation Grants, Local Law Enforcement Block Grant/JAG Program, Coca-Cola/NRC Recycling Bin Grant, Land and Water Conservation Fund, Save America’s Treasures Program, Operation Ranger, Alibris Collection Award, J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, Toyota Tapestry Grants for Science Teachers, Captain Planet Foundation, The Libri Foundation, CDBG Program Other Public Needs, CDBG Program Community Facilities, Missouri Foundation for Health, MetLife Foundation: Community-Police Partnerships, Meacham Foundation Memorial Grant, Delta Regional Authority 2009 Federal Grant Program, Department of Education (Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Competition), ING Unsung Heroes, Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance Cost-Share Program (T.R.I.M.); Bowerman Track Renovation Program, Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation, Fire Prevention and Safety Grants, Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, Economic Development Administration: America Recovery Program, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Assisted Housing Stability and Energy and Green Retrofit Investments Stimulus Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture: Rural Energy for America Program, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Enterprise Grant, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Head Start Expansion, U.S. Department of Education: Impact Aid Discretionary Construction Program, Anheuser-Busch Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, Inc., Kodak American Greenways Awards Program, Recreational Trails Programs Grant, Union Pacific Foundation Community–Based Grant Program, Bernice Barbour Foundation, Allen P. & Josephine B. Green Foundation, Patagonia Grants Program and U.S. Bancorp Foundation.

Maintained an organizational website with information on MRPC and is part of a network of regional planning commissions across the state.

Completed the annual update to the Meramec Region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

Provided a forum for local review for federal and state funded programs and projects in the region.

Obtained industrial building and site information from communities and listed them on the web on Missouri LocationOne.

Provided staff services for the Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee and assisted in the updating of the region’s emergency management plan for the Missouri Emergency Response Commission.

Assisted with the continued development of a computerized database for emergency responders through the MREPC, which included technical assistance for a CAMEO program for the committee. All counties have had demonstrations.

Maintained an 800 line for reported illegal dumping activities.

Arranged to have a waste tire pick up for local governments in five of the Meramec Region’s counties—one each in Crawford, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps and Washington.
Coordinated illegal dump clean-up for the U.S. Forest Service.

Prepared and administered Tier II and HMTA grants for the MREPC.

Fielded numerous solid waste calls.
Coordinated three Certified Emergency Response Training (CERT) sessions—one in Salem, Waynesville and Lebanon.
Worked with MS&T in Rolla to coordinate an Earth Day event on campus, which was held on April 22, at the Havener Center, and provided a booth with information on solid waste issues. Winning entries were displayed at Fort Leonard Wood on April 26.
Provided solid waste education information to schools and civic groups in the region.
Continued to serve as administrative staff for the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District and continued to be active at the local and state level. MRPC developed the plan to reduce waste in the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District by 40 percent and was awarded the contract to carry out implementation of the plan.
Administered 32 Ozark Rivers district grant projects.

Coordinated and set agendas for monthly solid waste planners meetings at the state level.

Provided press releases on recycling and solid waste for the Missouri Recycling Information Campaign.

Maintained portfolio of 12 Revolving Loan Fund projects, totaling $669,576 leveraging more than an additional $2,602,529 million in private investment and creating more than 813 jobs in our region with the entire program.

Maintained portfolio of 26 Small Business Administration 504 loans, totaling $9,484,000 leveraging more than an additional $21,382,254 million in private investment and creating more than 968 jobs in our region with the entire program.

Maintained portfolio of nine Intermediary Relending Projects (IRP), totaling $642,524, leveraging more than an additional $3,537,175 million in private investment and creating/retaining more than 75 jobs in our region

Fielded numerous calls for assistance for SBA, RLF and IRP loans.

Referred numerous loan requests to the appropriate resources for help.

Advised hundreds of persons on what information they needed to prepare to seek financing from local banks and other funding sources.

Coordinated and provided meeting room for six Meramec Regional Development Corporation (MRDC) meetings.

Continually updated the Meramec Region factbook, which is sent to industries and individuals inquiring about the region, and updated the web-based version.

Provided demographic and statistical data and other information for numerous requests.

Held annual dinner at the Community Center in St. Robert. Outstanding citizens were recognized at the annual dinner and later in the region’s news media and MRPC publications. Joseph Driskill, executive director of Leonard Wood Institute, was guest speaker.

Provided photos to volunteer award winners.

Prepared Federal Priorities report and made annual trip to Washington, D.C. to carry regional concerns to our U.S. representatives and senators.

Prepared State Priorities report and made annual trip to Jefferson City to carry regional concerns to our state representatives and senators. The trip to Jefferson City also celebrated MRPC’s 40th anniversary.
Served on the boards of the Missouri Association of Councils of Government, the Missouri Rural Development Policy Committee, the Missouri Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation, the National Association of Development Organizations, Missouri Employment Committee, the state Solid Waste Advisory Board, Missouri Association of Rural Public Housing Agencies, University Transportation Center Advisory Board, Missouri Recycling Association, Leadership Phelps County and ex-officio board members of Rolla Regional Economic Commission and Regional Commerce and Growth Association.
Provided industrial leads to communities and economic development organizations in the region.

Provided trouble-shooting, technical information and general public administration upon short-term request.

Published news releases and newsletters on MRPC activity and information valuable to the area.

Maintained memberships in the Missouri Association of Councils of Government, Missouri Economic Development Council, National Association of Housing Redevelopment Officials, National Association of Development Organizations, Missouri Municipal League, Delta Regional Authority, Missouri Press Association, American Planning Association, Missouri Recycling Association, National Recycling Coalition, Conservation Federation of Missouri, National Groundwater Foundation, Missouri Association of Counties, St. James Chamber of Commerce, Owensville Chamber of Commerce, Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce, Cuba Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Transportation and Development Council, National Association of Development Companies and NADO Economic Development Finance Services.

Renewed federal planning grant with EDA and state planning grant with Office of Administration.

Operated Family Self-Sufficiency (FFS) program for Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps and Washington counties.

Coordinated and hosted Viewpoint, a 50-minute monthly call-in radio program on KMST in Rolla.

Prerecords, on KJPW, a 20-minute recap of MRPC’s monthly meeting and reports on information pertinent to Pulaski County from time to time.
Served as administrator for the Gasconade Valley Enterprise Zone, a state designated zone including Maries, Gasconade and Osage counties, and assisted with fund raising.

Continued to work with the Missouri Department of Transportation to gather local input on transportation needs and issues and provide staff support to the Transportation Advisory Committee, an advisory group serving as a liaison between local citizens and MRPC, including the coordination of six meetings.

Administer a homeownership program through MCEC with funds from the Missouri Housing Trust Fund to purchase, rehab and sell homes to first-time homebuyers who meet certain eligibility guidelines.

Conducted group housing briefing sessions twice monthly at MRPC.

Continued to offer associate memberships to businesses and organizations in the region. As of June 30, 2009, 44 businesses and organizations held associate memberships.

Provided traffic counters, which may be used by member communities and organizations.

Sent out flyers to market the homes available through MRPC’s homeownership program.

Provided information on funding sources or project development to numerous callers.

Invited the Meramec Region’s state legislators to MRPC’s December board meeting for an idea exchange. Four state legislators participated.

Invited the Meramec Region’s federal legislators to MRPC’s February board meeting for an idea exchange. Staff from all five of the region’s congressional offices participated.

Coordinated and provided meeting room for four Meramec Regional Emergency Response Committee (MREPC) meetings, four Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District meetings and seven Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings.
Awarded six satellite phones through Homeland Security—one each in Crawford, Dent, Maries, Pulaski, Phelps and Laclede.

Continued to update MRPC’s websites to include events, pictures, meetings, press releases, associate members list, job openings, Phelps County Public Housing application forms and St. James codes.

Responded to numerous requests for information via MRPC’s website.

Adopted two needy families from the Meramec Region for Christmas. From funds collected from staff and board, gifts and food were purchased for the families.

Prepared four Assistance to Firefighters Grant applications—Doolittle Fire for hose/nozzles/thermo imaging/training; Doolittle Fire —for new brush truck; Meta Fire & Rescue—narrative report for used brush truck; and Freeburg Fire for stabilizer kit/compressor/cascade fill system.

Prepared three Assistance to Firefighters grant application for firehouse construction—Belle, Bland and St. James.

Prepared four Federal Home Loan Bank applications, which were funded for almost $1.6 million.

Contracted with the Delta Regional Authority to provide services to the four MRPC counties located in the Delta Region, which includes Crawford, Dent, Phelps and Washington.

Participated in the statewide meeting on allocation of transportation stimulus funds, representing Districts 5 and 9. Both the executive director and assistant director participated.

Served on District 5 and 9 enhancement grant review teams.

Continued partnership with the Missouri Association of Councils of Government and the University of Missouri Spatial Data Information Systems on the national map project.

Served as a HUD Housing Counseling Agency for people wanting to buy their first home or are housing rehab clients. Provide housing counseling to the Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) program.

With the assistance of the county health departments, staff cross-checked the addresses of children with elevated blood levels with the housing units involved in the PHA program to determine if subsidized homes may be contributing to the EBL.

Prepared 95 press releases for media in the region, keeping them informed about the projects and activities of MRPC and its member governments.

Providing administration of a grant from the Department of Health and Social Services for lead abatement.

Updated the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan for MRPC’s counties as required by Missouri Emergency Response Commission (MERC).

Hosted a workshop for newly elected officials in the Meramec Region on June 24, 2009. Staff from the Missouri Municipal League gave the training.

Held four homeownership training sessions—two at MRPC and one each in Leasburg and Cuba.

Provided stencils and paint to anyone interested in MoDOT’s “Buckle Up Program.”

Providing administration of a grant from the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) to rehabilitate owner-occupied housing in the eight-county Meramec Region.

Hosted MERIS training at MRPC office in St. James on August 12, 2009.

Continue to be a Primary Safety Belt Partner at the invitation of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety and the recommendation of the Meramec Transportation Advisory Committee, Hosted two sub-district coalition meetings and attended primary safety belt rally in Jefferson City.

Provided updated information for the Meramec Regional Transportation Plan, which includes local investments and plans.

Sent out letters to potential Family Self-Sufficiency participants.

Assisted four Phelps County Public Housing Agency clients purchase their own homes by allowing them to use their monthly rental assistance as part of the mortgage payment. This service is provided through the Section 8 Homeownership Program. The clients were from Phelps County, Sullivan and Laclede County. From 2006 to 2009, nine clients have been assisted. Provided homeownership training and counseling to buyers of the homes.

Coordinated quarterly meetings of Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee (HSOC).

Represented Region I at Homeland Security Advisory Committee meetings at the state level.

Provided administration of six Region I Homeland Security Grants.

Provided environmental education assemblies in the following schools: Potosi Intermediary, Kingston-Cadet, Vienna, St. James, North Wood Elementary-Salem and Waynesville.

Submitted six Federal Home Loan Bank applications: Sullivan Homes; Newburg Housing; Autumn Age, Bourbon; St. Clair Homes, St. Clair; MCEC and Steelville Homes.

Accepted offer of Missouri Community Betterment (MCB) director to present information at the May 2009 meeting of the MRPC board on the services offered by MCB to enhance their communities and neighborhoods.

Entered into individual contracts with Maries, Dent, Crawford and Phelps counties to assist them with the Census Bureau’s Statistical Area Program to ensure that statistical areas within those counties are verified prior to the 2010 Census.

Provided lead abatement services to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to reduce lead hazards in residential units occupied by children.

Administered a Homeland Security Oversight Committee grant in the amount of $40,895 to purchase communication equipment for emergency responders in Region I.

Administered a Homeland Security Oversight Committee grant awarded to Region I Emergency Management Services (EMS) in the amount of $86,230 for patient tracking software, scanner and laptops.

Provided meeting room for Census Bureau training on September 10, 2008.

Submitted USDA Energy Audit Grant for funds in the approximate amount of $98,169 to help pay for energy audits for agricultural producers or small businesses in the region.

Provided information to individuals asking for things to see and do in the Meramec region.

Received $133,750 in CDBG funding for a micro-enterprise loan program for the region’s small businesses on behalf of Meramec Regional Development Corporation. The application was sponsored by Maries County.

Coordinated, in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Conservation, MACOG and Mid-America Regional Council, a Mo. Department of Conservation a meeting—Distinguishing Your Community By Its Natural Resources on Feb. 19, 2009, at the Centre in Rolla.

Prepared a grant application to the state of Missouri for a Homeland Security grant that will impact all six counties in Region I —Crawford, Dent, Maries, Pulaski, Phelps and Laclede. The grant was awarded in the amount of $314,560. Eight mini grants were awarded from those funds to the following agencies:
- • Rolla Homeland Security Response Team, $22,500 for equipment.
- • Sullivan Fire District, $5,549.24 for equipment.
- • Region I EMS, $86,230 for triage tags for ten ambulance districts.
- • Laclede County Office of Emergency Management, $50,000 for a prime mover truck.
- • Region I Public Health, $13,050 for special needs trailers for Phelps/Maries Health Department.
- • Ozark Central Ambulance, $20,000 for a generator.
- • Dent County Commission, $46,003 for a shelter generator.
- •MRPC, $59,832 for staff coordination and support.
Introduced Dr. Karl Burgher from MS&T and his engineering management classes identify appropriate communities to work on the preparation of work plans for community development projects. Each class spent a semester in a selected community. MRPC helped evaluate the class and helped the community identify funding sources for the projects. Communities assisted in the 2008/2009 fiscal year included: Vienna, Potosi, Salem and Crocker.

Held Strategic Advance for MRPC board members at Holiday Inn Express in Salem on May 27, 2009.

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