The Moniteau County Regional Economic Development Council discussed its ongoing Startup Moniteau/LaunchU and Central Missouri Business Leaders projects at its January 2020 meeting.
For Startup Moniteau/LaunchU, MRED spent the last few months of 2019 hosting informational mixers for individuals interested in signing up for the course, which produced notable alumni in Moniteau County business such as Grind owner Chelsea McGill. MRED President Mike Kelley said there are nine total signed on for this year's edition. The first class took place last Tuesday, and participants got to share their business ideas with the group at their following meeting last Thursday. Kelley said the class will meet twice per week, each Tuesday and Thursday, until the program is complete.
Central Missouri Business Leaders will continue to meet monthly on the third Wednesday of the month, with the latest edition taking place today. This week, attendees will hear from Stephanie Stokes, of Something Sassy Beauty Salon.
Kelley also discussed MRED's upcoming annual meeting, which is set to take place later this year in April. Kelley said the plan is to invite not only the Area Chambers of Commerce of California and Tipton but also the city councils in surrouding communities - Jamestown, Clarksburg, Tipton and California - and California Progress, Inc.
"We just want to get people there and try to get them energized for economic development, because I think we're starting to get on the right track here," Kelley said.
In other business, the MRED board of directors plans to organize a time for the group to meet outside of MRED's regular monthly meeting to talk about any goals the group may have moving forward into the new year.