Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Crocker Mayor James Morgan began a new leadership role on the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) board at the June 9 meeting.

Morgan was elected to serve as the organization’s secretary during the board’s May 12 meeting. He replaces former board secretary Mary Heywood, who assumed the duties of treasurer.

Morgan has been involved with MRPC for 13 years, beginning with his first term as Crocker mayor in 2001, and is currently involved in a number of other boards and committees within the organization. These include serving as chairman of the MRPC Planning Committee, board member of Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee (HSOC) and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) as well as participation in the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Advisory Board.

The MRPC board elected Maries County Presiding Commissioner Ray Schwartze as the new chairman, replacing former chairman and Potosi Mayor T.R. Dudley, who had served two terms as chairman, the maximum allowed by MRPC’s by-laws.

As chair, Schwartze will lead board meetings and represent the board at events such as the annual conference of the National Association of Development Organizations in Washington D.C. and the annual MRPC Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City.

Schwartze has previously served on the board as treasurer and vice chairman.

In other leadership changes, Washington County Presiding Commissioner Marvin Wright stepped into the vice chair, filling the seat Schwartze vacated.

Former secretary Heywood will be moving to the treasurer position, recently vacated by Morgan. Heywood is an alderman for the city of Bourbon and executive director of MidOzark CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). She represents the unemployed on MRPC’s board.

Officer terms are one-year terms that correspond to the organization’s fiscal year, which begins in July.

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. A professional staff of 21, 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.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.