Workforce development initiative is planned

One of the items high on the Missouri Economic Development Council's legislative agenda for the next year is the development and promotion of legislation that would enable workforce development programs.

And Roy Hunter, executive director of the Marshall-Saline Development Corporation, has been asked by the council to head the effort.

Hunter told the MSDC Board of Directors Tuesday, Sept. 12, that he was tapped to get the ball rolling. If the legislation can be developed quickly enough and is successful, he hopes to see new opportunities for flexible training programs specifically tailored to the needs of companies moving into Missouri, something that MSDC could develop for Saline County.

Currently, most funding for training programs goes through community colleges, Hunter said. And that system works well in areas that have adequate access to community colleges, he said.

The new legislation would create funding mechanisms for creating training programs that could be developed quickly. Community college curriculum changes take more time to respond to specific company needs, Hunter said.

The programs would be available only to companies that had committed to locate in the state, he said.

The concept Hunter hopes to explore would also include community investment in the programs, probably providing training facilities, equipment, maintenance and employee screening.

The project would help make Missouri competitive with other states. Hunter said in some states, workforce development programs are a "cash cow" for development projects.

"We don't want to write them a check," he said. "But we can train people specifically for jobs that are coming in."

That means companies would have skilled, productive workers available on start-up, rather than having to endure initial periods of lower productivity as workers learn their jobs well, according to Hunter.

Also high on the council's agenda is the passage of the Missouri Economic Development Code, legislation the council developed last year that did not make it through the process.

Hunter said the code would replace and improve upon the current Tax Increment Financing (TIF) law. The new law would remove the blight requirement, which Hunter said is very difficult to obtain in rural areas.

"It's hard to say a piece of farm land is blighted," he said. "Especially with the value of farm land these days."

The MEDC also hopes to see the legislature increase enhanced enterprise zone and quality jobs program tax credit caps. Hunter said the quality jobs program is already out of money for several upcoming funding cycles.

Contact Eric Crump at

marshallfaith@socket.net