After a two-week hiatus for training and the Columbus Day holiday, I am back at the keyboard.
A few items of interest that the Commission has been working on are below.
• I am excited and humbled to announce that I have been chosen as one of the five new members of MoDOT’s Statewide LPA Advisory Committee. The 15-member Local Public Agency (LPA) Advisory Committee contributes to the development of policies, improves communication, and influences the direction of Missouri’s local program. MAP-21 (Federal Transportation Bill) directs that certain percentages of funding categories within the state’s apportionment must be sub-allocated towards the Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (BRO), the STP Urban Attribute Program, the Transportation Alternatives Program and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program. It will be an honor to represent the Northeast Region in this endeavor. Look for a press release in the Lincoln County Journal for additional information.
• The Division of Workforce Development and Missouri Job Center/ Boonslick Regional Planning Commission, along with Veterans Resources and Vocational Rehabilitation, have organized a job fair which will take place on Thursday, October 26, in Lincoln County. The job fair will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Fairgrounds Road in Troy, Missouri. If you know someone looking for a job, please let them know about this event.
• Contracts for 911 services have begun to trickle in leading up to the December 1, 2017, deadline. I am aware of a number of municipalities that are looking elsewhere in search of cheaper services. If you are a resident of a municipality, I encourage you to contact your alderman to make sure that, prior to voting on anything, they consider not only the financial aspect, but also the time lost on emergency calls due to the corresponding additional transfers that accompany de-centralized dispatch. Public safety needs to be everyone’s focus, and de-centralizing dispatch is not in the best interest of the people.
That’s all I have time for now. As always, call, e-mail or stop by the Courthouse if you have questions. Until next week…
Dan Colbert
Presiding Commissioner
