The Moniteau County Regional Economic Development Council (MRED) board of directors met Wednesday, April 8, at Willow Fork Restaurant, Tipton.
MRED Chairman Mike Kelley reported that in the future, the minutes and financials will be submitted to the board members via electronic methods. Due to everyone's work schedule, it has been hard to get a quorum on the regular scheduled meeting dates.
After discussing several items and visits involving the Missouri Work Ready Communities program and possible funding available through Rural Development, the group discussed the strategic planning meeting results of March 11.
Ed Siegmund, of the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission (MMRPC), said that the organization has many strengths, and that at the beginning the founding members were willing to put their own efforts into the project of economic development for the county. After several years, the MRED felt confident to hire a part-time economic development specialist, but more or less stepped back and let the specialist take on the work.
The problem, Siegmund said, was the board and general members became a little disconnected as far as the organizational structure was concerned. The challenge now is to take the organization to another level, regain the initiative, move forward and be prepared to go with opportunities. The discussion involved taking advantages of the strengths and to build on them, being able to meet the challenges, follow the opportunities and overcome the weaknesses and threats.
Although many times, the economic developers look at economic growth as successful if a large employer comes in. In reality, Siegmund said recruitment of that type is difficult and rare. "Ninety percent of all jobs are from expansion and entrepreneurship," he said.
He recommended a restructuring, with four committees each with its own chairperson. The recommendation was a Business Retention Team, a Workforce Development Team, a New Business Development and Entrepreneurship Team, and a Communications Team. This system reduces the workload on the Economic Development Coordinator or the organization's chairperson.
The new structure will be discussed at future meetings as well as by the board members via email.