Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission Announces Community Meetings

Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission (PTRPC) is beginning their new five year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) economic development planning process with a series of local community outreach meetings.

The CEDS plan covers the four-county region of the Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission’s Economic Development District which includes Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, and Saline counties. Every 5 years PTRPC undertakes a full economic analysis and planning process. The CEDS plan is a grass-roots level planning effort that brings together citizens, business, government, and community interests to identify the economic issues of the region. The group then begins to craft strategies to address issues by building opportunities for sustainable and resilient economic growth and development.

The plan will identify local projects important to each community along with regional projects that impact multiple communities. These projects will address critical economic issues including business development, transportation, homeland security, GIS projects, and waste and recycling. Development of this plan enables regional projects to be reviewed and prioritized to best position these projects for state and federal funding opportunities.

The CEDS community outreach meetings are one of the preliminary steps in the eight-month planning process. These initial meetings will be held in a number of communities during October. Meetings are scheduled on the following dates and locations:

October 6, 2016 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Economic Development Office
Conference Room
3615 W. Broadway Blvd. 3rd Floor
Sedalia, Missouri 65301

October 6, 2016 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Smithton Community Center
200 Chestnut
Smithton, Missouri 65350

Information about these meetings will be posted on PTRPC’s website at www.trailsrpc.org

During the eight month process, there will be other opportunities for community input. Check our website at www.trailsrpc.org for links to surveys and additional information. Every household is urged to participate in person. Once the plan is complete, another round of meetings will be held to ensure the plan reflects the results of these meetings. Watch for meeting announcements in April.

If your organization is interested in participating in the CEDS outreach meeting in your community or have any questions about the CEDS planning process, please contact, Ruth Anne Parrott, CEDS Planner at ruthanne@trailsrpc.org or 660-463-7934.