Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—The city of Belle will host Meramec Regional Planning Commission’s (MRPC) 2016 Annual Dinner and award ceremony on Oct. 20 at the Belle/Bland Community Center in Belle.

Each year, MRPC requests proposals from cities and counties in the Meramec Region to host the annual dinner event, where volunteers from across the region are honored for their contributions to their communities and the region. Award recipients will be announced soon. The MRPC board evaluates proposals and selects the location.

MRPC will begin taking reservations for the event in September.

Residents in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties may purchase $25 tickets to attend the dinner and ceremonies.

The city of Belle last hosted MRPC’s Annual Dinner in 1999, and U.S. Rep. JoAnn Emerson was the guest speaker. Current mayor Steve Vogt was also mayor in 1999.

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 21, 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/.