Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Mike Scott with BPJ Insurance presented on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) board meeting Aug. 14, 2025. Scott shared that significant changes were scheduled for Jan. 1, 2025, but they have been temporarily halted by a Texas federal judge, but Scott suggests employers should still prepare for several key considerations.  

The FLSA requires employers to pay overtime for any hours worked over 40 in a week for any non-exempt employees or exempt employees who do not meet the salary threshold or do not fall into seven common exemptions categories. (Public employers can provide comp time instead of paying overtime.) Those positions that fall into an overtime exemption include executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, computer professionals, teachers and certain motion picture industry employees. The Department of Labor’s final ruling was to increase the salary threshold for exempt employees from $35,568 to $43,888 in July of 2024 and then again to $58,006 in January of 2025. Implementation of this final rule was blocked by the Texas judge, causing no changes to be made at this time. He advised board members to review current employee classifications, consider the financial impact of potential changes, update internal policies and communicate with employees as developments unfold, stating that changes are coming; it’s just uncertain as to when. 

The board also heard an update from MRPC Assistant Director and Environmental Manager Tammy Snodgrass and Community Development Specialist Orin Pogue on the Military Installation Readiness Review (MIRR). The MIRR was funded by the Department of Defense Local Office of Defense Community Cooperation and included three main components – the readiness review, a housing study and an emergency tabletop exercise. A MIRR is a community-led review to enhance the sustainability and security of a military installation and surrounding communities by identifying and mitigating natural and man-made threats and hazards.

Consultant Benchmark Planning is in the final stretch of the readiness review. With stakeholder input, 28 potential hazards to infrastructure and support systems were identified with eight of those being high risk. Some 72 recommendations have been identified to address those needs, and 15 of those are high priority recommendations.

Snodgrass discussed the tabletop exercise, completed on June 18, 2025, that simulated a tornado scenario that resulted in 60 injuries and 10 fatalities, including one military member. The exercise involved 68 participants from federal, state and local agencies, including Fort Leonard Wood, and highlighted strengths such as school emergency plans, redundant dispatch systems and the county coroner’s preparedness. Areas identified needing improvement included developing a contingency communication plan, establishing pre-event liaisons between Fort Leonard Wood and civilian emergency services and enhancing plans for debris management and volunteer coordination. The tabletop exercise allowed for collaboration, partnerships and relationships to be formed prior to a need for them in an emergency. The group can now take steps to enhance communications, continue joint planning and look for additional opportunities for training and exercise between Fort Leonard Wood and emergency response agencies in the Fort Leonard Wood Region.

Pogue presented an overview of the housing study for Fort Leonard Wood, explaining its purpose to support the military installation’s mission while meeting community needs. The housing study’s goal is to analyze the current housing market, identify gaps in quality and affordability and provide recommendations for policy and strategy. The study looks at both housing needs for enlisted service members and civilian homeowners around the Fort Leonard Wood base, in the four-county FLW region of Pulaski, Phelps, Laclede and Texas. Consultant PGAV is finalizing a housing survey and residents in the four-counties were asked to complete it. Several focus group meetings are planned after the survey results are compiled.

In other business, the MRPC board:

• Approved the prioritization of five Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) applications ranked by the MRPC Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and Multimodal TAC at a joint meeting earlier in the evening. The groups recommended the following priority order for funding on the Meramec Region projects – city of Belle sidewalks, city of Waynesville crosswalks, city of Owensville Rock Island Trail Expansion, Washington County sidewalks around the courthouse square and the city of Rolla ADA improvements at sidewalk/street connections. This prioritized list will be shared with MoDOT;
• Heard an update on the MRPC Annual Dinner and Volunteer Awards Banquet to be held Oct. 23, 2025, at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Tickets will be $40 and include a reception starting at 5:30 with silent auction and live music, dinner at 6:30 catered by Vintage Apron and the volunteer awards program to follow. To RSVP, contact Linda Carroll at 573-265-2993;
• Approved the nomination of Aimee Campbell of Rolla to be the at-large commissioner representing tourism on the MRPC board;
• Approved, at the recommendation of the Operations Committee, an Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) loan, in partnership with Phelps County Bank, for Bookmark This Bar, a bookstore bar in Rolla; and
• Approved an update to the region’s CARES RLF Plan, as recommended by the Operations Committee.

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. Osage County Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 24 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/.

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