Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

Shannon Birdsong of Phelps County Bank accepts a plaque from MCEC Chairman Marvin Wright.

ST. JAMES­­—Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation’s (MCEC) Chairman Marvin Wright presented a certificate of appreciation to Phelps County Bank employee-owner Shannon Birdsong at MCEC’s quarterly meeting on Sept. 8 for the bank’s support and sponsorship of MCEC’s participation in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB-DM) Affordable Housing Program. In order to apply for a FHLB-DM grants, applicants must have the support of a member bank.

With the PCB’s help, MCEC has secured three FLHB-DM grants, nearly $360,000 since 2009, which has resulted in renovation work on 63 homes in the Meramec Region. Birdsong accepted the certificate on behalf of PCB.

“It is truly our pleasure,” Birdsong said. “One of the things we strive for is to help our community, and we are so glad we have been able to partner with MCEC.”

MCEC currently has 14 homes under contract region-wide with five more grants still available. Kelly Sink-Blair, Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) project manager, said there are two go-to items for the grant.

“The biggest needs are roofs and windows,” Sink-Blair said. “However, heating and cooling modifications are also big ticket items.”

There is a pre-application available on MRPC’s website at meramecregion.org for homeowners to find out if they meet requirements. For more information, contact Lyle Thomas at 573-265-2993 or lthomas@meramecregion.org.

MCEC is a 501(c)3 non-profit that works closely with MRPC to address issues in the region and secure funding that can only be accomplished through a non-profit. The board, which meets quarterly, contracts with MRPC to deliver its programs.

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 24, 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.