Perry County Missouri Republic Monitor

Published on Friday, October 3, 2003 4:06 PM CDT

RPC celebrates 35 years

The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission celebrated Tom Tucker (left), executive its 35th year in business this month. director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and "I was the first employee of the Regional Economic Development Planning Commission (RPC)," said Executive Commission, visits with guests Director Tom Tucker. "I started Oct. 15, 1970." Sept. 23 during the commission's 35th anniversary RPC was established in 1968 to serve seven celebration. (staff photo by Kate counties including Perry, Madison, Iron, St. Martin) Francois, Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Ste. Genevieve.

On Sept. 23, Tucker and his staff celebrated the 35th anniversary with a dinner with invited guests at the Colonnade Room.

"I'm really proud of the longevity of our staff," he said. "A lot of us have been around a long, long time."

Chauncey Buchheit is the deputy director and director of economic development programs. He's been with RPC since 1980. Kathleen Hall, the executive secretary, joined the staff in 1973. Fiscal Officer Marilyn Hennemann has been with RPC since 1977. Director of Graphic Services Stan Balsman began working for RPC in 1974, as did Director Of Planning Brian Balsman.

Ron Steele, the regional economic development planner, joined the staff in 1982.

Margaret Yates is the grant administrator and Jeremy Tanz is the CAD technician. Mindy Hudson is a part-time secretary/receptionist.

"So we have several people who have been with us between 20 and 30 years," Tucker said.

"Our first office was upstairs at City Hall and Hudson's Furniture was downstairs.

"They had the space rented before they hired me, so it's just a coincidence that I'm from here and the office is located in Perryville."

In April 1971, Tucker hired Dennis Winkler as a draftsman. "Dennis now works at Citizen's Electric," Tucker said. "I hired him because we needed maps and we didn't have any at all."

SEMO Regional Planning and Economic Development is well-known for its mapping services.

The commission initiated the drafting program in 1971 because it needed maps, but it also provided maps to member counties and communities.

"We update storm drainage, utility and gas line maps for the City of Perryville each year," Tucker said.

The staff has also prepared maps that show general geology, school locations and health care facilities.

"When I think of one of the highlights of the commission, I have to go back to our very first project," Tucker said. "I say that because that project proved that we could be effective and laid the groundwork for all the projects that have come

"The City of Elvins had been trying for 13 years to get a sewer system and couldn't get it done. Eighteen months after I first talked to one of their aldermen, they had a sewer system in the ground. We helped line up funding, and helped with the engineering.

"We got HUD to fund it as part of the larger Park Hills urban complete. Ultimately, we were coordinator among the nine cities in that area that formed a central water treatment facility."

The RPC has designed over 50 parks and recreation sites in the seven-county service area.

"We're pretty proud of that," Tucker said.

In Perryville, the SEMO Regional Planning Commission helped form the first sewer treatment facility in 1975.

"We've worked with economic development grant-writing for several extensions on the Perryville Municipal Airport runway," Tucker said.

"We did the layout for the mini-parks that are scattered throughout the city, and have administered community block grant programs in different neighborhoods to upgrade housing for low-income families and senior citizens."

The RPC developed a sign-making program when some of the member communities were struggling to afford new signs for streets and traffic control. "We have college and high school students make the signs at the minimum wage," Tucker said, "so that helps the cities save some money."

Marilyn Dobbelare, acting Perryville City Administrator, said the Regional Planning Commission has been helpful to the city.

"We contract with Regional Planning to do our utility mapping and keep our zoning maps up-to-date," Dobbelare said. "They administer grants for us, too.

"We've worked with Regional Planning since I've been with the city, over 30 years, and they've been very helpful over the years.

"Even before that, I worked with Regional Planning when I worked at the extension center and they were always very helpful."

Tucker said the RPC's mission is to serve as a subsidiary to county and municipal governments.

"We try to share our staff to handle things they don't have time or expertise to handle," he said. "We don't do legal interpretation or architecture.

"But, besides those two things, we've been willing for the last 35 years to try just about anything else.

"And a lot of it has worked out."