Tourism, agriculture have great potential but face challenges

Editor's note: This story is the second in a series on issues raised during the 2007 State of Saline County forum.

At the State of Saline County forum on Tuesday, April 24, small groups were given an hour to discuss key areas in their niches and report them back to the entire group of about 160 people.

The tourism discussion group decided the two major areas of progress in the past year are the Martin Civic Center/Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum -- the groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held April 5 -- and the accomplishments the Marshall Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee has made with its affiliate program.

Bill Orendorff, president of the chamber, showed the group the points-of-interest brochure and visitors guide produced by the committee.

Three pressing problems identified by this group are education about tourism, volunteer availability and funding. Participants suggested four groups that could be key to solving those problems: MFA, Marshall Tourism Commission, Missouri Department of Tourism with matching grants, and the community as a whole.

The parks and recreation discussion group noticed many areas of progress. Indian Foothills Park baseball fields have new dugouts, a lot of painting has been done on park facilities, the skateboard park is finished and in use, and the Parks and Recreation Web site is up and looking nice, according to Jack Harvey, director of Salt Fork YMCA and a member of the Parks and Recreation Board of Directors.

Needs remain, however, including new playground improvements, trail development and improvements to Lyon Bowl ball fields. Groups that may help accomplish this are civic organizations, churches and other organizations that use the park.

Karl "Bub" Caldwell was chosen the spokesperson for the agriculture discussion group.

"This is an industry that needs to be protected," Caldwell said, noting that Saline County produces $160 million in agricultural business, including the value of crops, poultry, pork and beef.

The main problem for agriculture is financing the next generation of farmers and ranchers, Caldwell said.

The group expressed a desire to keep young people here in the Saline County agriculture industry.

"There was only one person under the age of 50 in our group," Caldwell observed.

Other pressing problems include government regulations because they are not only tough on agriculture and farmers but city people as well, said Charlie Eidson, Lions club member.

Concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, have been causing problems in the county as well, Eidson continued.

One main suggestion from the group was more effort needs to be made to educate people about the effects of government regulations on agriculture.

Real estate has seen several areas of progress in the county over the past year, including new construction, good markets, new agents, investors coming in from outside the area and continuing good interest rates.

According to Robert Ashford, owner of Ashford Agency Inc., the three most pressing problems identified by the real estate discussion group were foreclosure rates increasing, affordable housing versus the income rates and the lack of work force.

Three ways to help solve problems are affordable education for new home buyers, government housing programs such as grants with lower interest rates and economic development.

Jim Simmerman represented the public safety group. He said they have seen great progress in the past year which includes a new municipal court building in Marshall, new hand-held radios for the Slater police department, a low crime rate for Marshall and Saline County that is below national average, a county-wide 9-1-1 system to be in operation soon and the new health department which will include an outreach facility.

The three most pressing problems that public safety faces are funding, additional overtime costs caused by the state's new minimum wage law and drugs and alcohol.

John Rieves, Marshall fire chief, said the new wage law is costing the cities a lot of money. Since the fire department's average work week is 72 hours, it will cost up to $3,000 a week. "It has become a wonderful political football," Rieves said.

The group decided more available treatment centers, more parental involvement and better legislation efforts would be ways of working towards solving the problems. Other suggestions included more drug education and promoting drug-free workplaces.

The demographics discussion group found four areas of progress in the past year including merging of collective groups, Odell Street project completed, Community Reinvestment Act for home loans and small business loans have increased, and the growth on the west side of U.S. 65.

The five most pressing problems demographics face are interpreters at schools, utilities and other areas of business, housing for large families, retaining people and businesses, job opportunities, and a high poverty level.

Ways of working toward solving the problems are the availability of a landlord list at the chamber office, realtors with properties for rent or purchase and groups that teach classes in Spanish.

According to Karen Mullins-Lamb, other suggestions the group came up with included encouraging students to learn Spanish as a second language, recruiting of minorities and building enhancements to the down town square.

Marie Fowler said the municipal services group discussion led to several areas of progress over the past year. Some areas are the 90 percent completion of rebuilding Washington Street, resurfacing of the courthouse square, severance of ties with KCP&L, joining MoPEP, the approval of the master plan for the airport, and many more.

The most pressing problems this group faces are the lack of funds, the aging workforce and finding qualified replacements, reliable workers, workers passing drug screens and more.

Ways of improving the area include job shadowing, getting more groups involved, having good jobs available, and increasing available municipal job opportunities. Other suggestions included mentoring programs, better retirement plans, advertising good jobs for those not thinking of college, breaking the welfare cycle, and more.

Contact Rachel Harper at

marshallcity@socket.net