SEMO REDI updates highlight Jackson Board of Aldermen meeting

Shad Burner, chief executive officer for the Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development Inc. (SEMO REDI) organization, updated the Jackson Board of Aldermen and mayor about his group’s plans at the Monday, Dec. 16, aldermanic meeting.

SEMO REDI serves as a public-private partnership working on four strategic planning areas: business growth, workforce attraction, marketing and regional cooperation.

To help enact these goals, SEMO REDI will hire a director of business growth and innovation.

“We want to be a world-class economic development organization. It’s not a one-person operation,” Burner said.

This new director will be in charge of facilitating business growth and development, meeting with local businesses to discuss plans in that endeavor. Burner said the new director will be announced in January.

“That’s the kind of activity that will lead to the bulk of our job creation. It will come from the businesses that are already here,” he said.

Burner told Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs and aldermen how he is creating a business-starting road map for different regional communities. He already acquired suitable information, he said, and he plans to compile it in a printed format first, before creating a digital version in the future.

He also announced plans to get Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe to visit the SEMO Industrial Park in Scott City next year.

During the meeting, the aldermen extended a contract agreement with SEMO REDI for one year relative to the solicitation of business, industry and commerce. They also appointed Hahs to serve as Jackson’s representative on the SEMO REDI Board of Directors, beginning Wednesday, Jan. 1, and lasting for one year.

Other business

The aldermen also approved a number of bids during their meeting.

One, from MDR Construction Inc. of Columbia, was for $577,864.86 for an electric distribution circuit upgrade. Another was from Zoellner Construction of Perryville in the amount of $383,795 for splash pad construction at the city’s swimming pool.

They also approved a task order authorization giving $37,500 to Burns & McDonnell of Kansas City for landfill post-closure assessment engineering services.

In other decisions, the aldermen extended the Jackson-based Penzel Construction Co.’s contract to renovate Jackson Fire Station No. 1 by 33 days. They also approved an ordinance authorizing a SafeAcross services contract with the City of Springfield regarding a pedestrian safety initiative.

Utility bill change

​After the aldermen approved the city’s 2025 utility service rate schedule in the regular meeting, assistant city administrator Liza Walker addressed planned changes to automatic withdrawal for utility bill payment in a study session.

Instead of different withdrawal options for the 5th, 10th and 20th of every month, all withdrawals will move to the 20th starting Thursday, March 20.

“Everybody will be automatically moved to the 20th unless they sign a form in the letter terminating the auto-drops,” Walker said.

She said letters would be sent to residents with automatic withdrawal plans on the 5th and 10th of a month informing them of the change. The Wednesday, March 5, and Monday, March 10, withdrawals will instead take place March 20.