Last September, after being appointed by President Donald J. Trump, I was sworn in as alternate federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority, a federal-state partnership focused on economic development throughout the Lower Mississippi Valley. I will always be immensely grateful to the President for this opportunity and to Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, whose support and hard work made all the difference in securing the appointment. On March 14, when Mr. Trump visited Boeing in St. Louis, it was an honor to greet the President, and thank him.

Upon taking office in September, I found a bloated administrative budget at the DRA. Upon my request, staff brought me over $400,000 in cuts to the administrative budget. In my first weeks on the job, I presented these reductions to the board and won unanimous approval of the savings. Every dime saved is now going to the poor and distressed communities that need help -- the DRA's very reason for being.

My federal co-chair, Christopher Caldwell of Little Rock, won Senate confirmation and joined us in January.

When I joined the DRA I found an agency with 18 employees. After months of working with Chris Caldwell, we made further reductions in DRA staff.

I believe further savings can be found, starting with my position.

On June 1, I resigned from the DRA, leaving the agency in Chairman Caldwell's capable hands. The decision won't be mine, but I am recommending that my position as alternate co-chair go unfilled, with the chance to achieve still another round of savings for taxpayers.

It has been a great honor to work with the governors of the eight states, and with citizens and community leaders throughout the Lower Mississippi Valley. I wish all these good folks well as they work to better lives in our 252 counties and parishes with a leaner, more efficient DRA.

Peter Kinder, of Cape Girardeau, is the former Missouri lt. governor and alternate federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority.