Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

MRPC offers fiscal services to counties, cities

Adopts budget, approves new dues structure

ST. JAMES—Did you know that Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) offers human resources, financial and policy development services to cities and counties? Fiscal Officer Linda Loughridge informed the MRPC board about these services that MRPC can offer at the board meeting on June 14.

“We perform these tasks for our own organization, and we can share that expertise with our cities and counties, if needed,” said Executive Director Bonnie Prigge.

Human resources, financial services and policy development are the building blocks of any business, and MRPC staff have a wealth of expertise in those areas. MRPC provide human resource services, and can develop employee benefit comparisons, personnel policy development, personnel file maintenance, job description development, salary comparison for your region and competitive compensation plans. By ensuring that this done on a regular basis, it helps in hiring and maintaining qualified employees for one’s business.

With financial services, MPRC can help set-up financial books in accounting software, help with budget development, training on financial preparations, assist with asset inventory listing and a depreciation schedule or assist with audit fieldwork preparation.

Policy is the basis for employee expectation, and without proper policy development, some issues can arise. MRPC can help local governments develop needed policies and procedures, including procurement policies and teach best purchasing practices, develop internal control procedures, check signing policies, shared cost allocation plans, accounts payable process, billing and receivable tracking, an efficient payroll process and month-end process.

In other business, the MRPC board:

• Adopted the 2018-19 budget with projected revenue of $2,031,259 and expenses of $2,015,230;
• Approved a new dues structure, which increased MRPC membership dues for cities and counties based on per capita figured annually based on census or published population estimate adjustments. The new dues structure increases counties to 50 cents per capita with 18 free service hours and cities to 65 cents per capita with a $275 minimum with 15 free service hours (a three-hour increase). There will also be a three percent increase for the next three years to be re-evaluated at the end of the fourth year. Local governments would also have the option to “buy up” for 25 cents per capita gaining six additional service hours. The previous dues had not been increased in 15 years. The dues increase was included in the 2018-19 budget;
• Set the 2018 annual dinner date ticket price at $25. This year’s event will be held at Hermann Hill Wedding and Conference Center on Oct. 25 in Hermann. Volunteers from around the region will be honored at this event;
• Welcomed new board member Kyle Hofstetter serving as the for-profit representative for Crawford County; and
• Presented a plaque of appreciation to outgoing president, Ray Schwartze, who completed two terms as president. Marvin Wright, newly elected president, thanked Schwartze for his leadership and service.

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 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.

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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Cutline: Washington County Presiding Commissioner and newly elected MRPC chairman Marvin Wright (left) presents out-going chairman and Maries County Presiding Commissioner Ray Schwartze with a plaque for his years of dedication and service to the organization while Mayor of Potosi TR Dudley applauds. Schwartze served as chairman for MRPC for two terms.