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National Association Recognizes Missouri SEMA, Homeland Security For Innovative Regionalization Plan

John Murrell, executive director of the South Central Ozarks Council of Governments and Doug Hermes, statewide planner for the Missouri Association of Councils of Government present the NADO Innovation Award to Mark James, director of the Division of Public Safety and Adam Gresham of the Governor's Office.

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) has awarded a 2007 Innovation Award to the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, the Missouri Office of Homeland Security and the Missouri Association of Councils of Government for their regionalization of homeland security planning. 

MACOG, the Missouri association of regional planning commissions and councils of governments along with the SEMA and the Department of Homeland Security were honored for establishing a statewide network of regional committees, comprised of local representatives, who provide input into local, regional and statewide homeland security planning efforts. Each region recruits volunteer representatives to serve on a regional homeland security committee (HSOC). These HSOCs review and select projects to be funded by federal homeland security grants and provide input to the governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Committee on statewide planning and implementation activities. The regionalization of homeland security planning provides an opportunity for grassroots involvement in homeland security planning, funding and implementation.

Missouri’s program is modeled after the Missouri Department of Transportation’s planning program, which seeks grassroots input in making transportation decisions. The MODOT program has also been recognized at the national as an innovative approach to the delivery of transportation projects.

NADO is a Washington, DC-based association that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery and comprehensive strategies.

Each year, NADO’s Innovation Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and partnering organizations for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities. Award winners were showcased during NADO’s 2007 Annual Training Conference, August 25-28, 2007 in Austin, Texas.

The Missouri Association of Councils of Government officially presented the plaques to SEMA and Office of Homeland Security on Nov. 9 during a meeting of the governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Committee.

John Murrell, executive director of the South Central Ozarks Council of Governments (left), presents the NADO Innovation Award to SEMA officials and staff: Duane Nichols, deputy director of SEMA; Paul Fennewald, Missouri Homeland Security coordinator; Zada Farris, regionalization grant manager; Ron Reynolds, director of SEMA, and Mark James, director of the Department of Public Safety and Governor's Homeland Security advisor.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission of St. James, MO, a NADO member, nominated the Missouri homeland security initiative for recognition.

According to NADO President Dan Bollinger, Executive Director of Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center in Camilla, Georgia, “Each year, Innovation Awards showcase the creativity and significant, long-term impact of numerous regional programs and projects like the Regionalization of Homeland Security Planning, that are key to sustaining and preserving the environmental, economic and cultural heritage of our nation’s regions and local communities.” 

Since 1986, some 1,100 projects have been recognized nationally for their creative approaches to regional community and economic development.

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