Jan 18, 2008

For more information, contact:          

Richard Cavender or Bonnie J. Prigge, (573) 265-2993

MRPC ADOPTS FEDERAL PRIORITIES
Hears reports from congressional offices

ST. JAMES—Improving Highway 50 and 63, fully funding federal community and economic development programs and making high speed internet available and affordable in rural Missouri were among the federal priorities approved by the board of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission at its meeting Jan. 10 in St. James.

Each year, the board identifies state and federal issues impacting the region and then establishes priorities that are delivered to state and federal congressional leaders.

MRPC Chairman Robert Reed of Washington County and Executive Director Richard Cavender will travel to Washington, DC, in late February to deliver MRPC’s “It is a good opportunity for us to remind our congressional delegation what issues are important back home, and that ranges from transportation to economic development to health care to alternative fuels to education and unfunded mandates,” said Cavender. The Federal Priorities report will be available on MRPC’s website after Feb. 27, Cavender said.

Congressional staff representing Sen. Kit Bond and Sen. Claire McCaskill as well as Rep. Ike Skeleton, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and Rep. Kenny Hulshof also attended the meeting to give MRPC board members an update on legislation in Washington, DC. They also answered questions. In attendance were Jordan Clothier of Sen. Bond’s office, Katy Disinger of Sen. McCaskill’s office, Ann Kutscherof Rep. Skeleton’s office, Darren Lingle of Rep. Emerson’s office and Jenni Riegel of Rep. Hulshoff’s office.

In other business, the board

• Approved contracts with Missouri University of Science and Technology, Missouri Department of Heath and Human Services, the City of Bland, First Bank of Gerald and the U.S. Economic Development Administration;

• Heard reports from MRPC’s committees on external relations, operations and planning;

• Learned that MRPC and the Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee will host a NIMS 400 training for first responders on Jan.  30-31;

• Learned that MRPC staff are available to help schools and communities with the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School grants; and

• Heard a report on the Region I Homeland Security grant process where the committee is recommending nine applications for partial funding, totaling some $305,000.

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 26, 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.

The MRPC board will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at its office at 4 Industrial Drive in St. James. The Transportation Advisory Committee will meet at 4 p.m. that same day. All meetings are open to the public.

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