Executive Director Steve Duke told the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission (BRPC) that a sidewalk assessment was underway in the six-county area, starting with the county seats in Stoddard, New Madrid, Scott, Pemiscot, Mississippi and Dunking Counties. The sidewalk assessment is being funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) alternative transportation program. The 2013-14 budget was also approved at the recent meeting.
Scott Perry, BRPC transportation planner, and Michael Dumey, regional planner, are going to each city to do the assessment. Perry said they have already been to four of the six cities. The assessment will include looking at the number of linear feet of sidewalks in each city and then rating the condition of the sidewalks as good, fair or poor.
Duke submitted the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year to the commission. The budget shows $369,090 in projected revenues with $400,527.21 in projected expenditures.
Projected revenues by category were $57,750 in fiscal administration and dues, $23,615 from the Delta Regional Authority, $69,600 from economic development grants and revolving funds, $58,825 from MoDOT, $34,00 from solid waste fees, $124,300 from community development grants, $500 for mapping services and $500 from interest/other income.
The projected expenditures were $314,882.21 for salaries and benefits and $85,645 for expenses.
Duke said comments had been sought throughout the BRPC district, and no negative comments had been received.
"The budget shows a $31,000 deficit," noted Duke. "We are lucky that we have enough reserves to off-set that."
Duke said both Executive Committee Chairman Dave Wilkerson and the full executive committee recommended passing the budget.
A motion was made and seconded, and the 2013-14 budget passed unanimously.
Duke said he had visited with Rep. Dennis Fowler (R-Dist. 151). Fowler would like to meet with the commission about services offered by BRPC. Duke said he would work with Fowler to set a date for that meeting.
Duke said BRPC is "closing out 26 projects" in this fiscal year. He also noted that BRPC is working with the Sikeston Public School District on the purchase of laptops for students in the district to replace conventional text books. He said Delta Regional Authority Co-Chair Mike Marshall supports the project.
Duke also informed the commission that the annual Southeast Missouri Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Symposium will be held June 20 at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. The symposium is entitled, "Making GIS work in Southeast Missouri." The one day symposium will address the issues faced by cities, counties, businesses, emergency management and others in making GIS work.
BRPC is also doing a survey of the types of broad band services in the six-county area. He said 480 facilities have been identified in the area, and all those would have to be cataloged as part of the project.