Sikeston reaps benefits from community’s collaborative efforts

The City of Sikeston's water tower is seen from this aerial view.

City of Sikeston

When it comes to achieving success in Sikeston, Missouri, collaboration is key. The city, community, school, business leaders and residents have proven time and again they can accomplish more when they work together. This includes collaborating to find and allocate funding.

This year the Sikeston community received $9.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

The newly renovated Carson’s by Chef Adam Glenn is pictured in Historic Downtown Sikeston.

City of Sikeston

“That $9.3 million was matched by local dollars, so that’s a $20-million investment into our community over the next three years,” said Marcie Lawson, president and chief executive officer of the Sikeston Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development Corporation.

Allocating funds

Sikeston community projects funded by ARPA grants include the expansion of Sikeston Public Schools' Sikeston Career and Technology Center by renovating a vacant building at 1401 E. Malone Ave.

The newly renovated Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. building is pictured in Historic Downtown Sikeston.

City of Sikeston

Grace Community Center will also utilize funds to build the Grace Youth Center at the corner of Compress and Petty. Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (DAEOC) will receive funds for a community and cultural center Malone Park Academy to serve residents in its six-county area. The City of Sikeston will expand Legion Park. Sikeston Regional Chamber and Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) will renovate the former post office building into a visitor center and rodeo museum.

Lawson said the ARPA grants were transformative in a way that will give Sikeston new opportunities.

Marcie Lawson, president and CEO of the Sikeston Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development Corporation

“It wasn’t just our office, or just the city or just DAEOC or Sikeston Public Schools; it was everyone working together to get that funding,” Lawson said. “When you talk about growing, those are ways we are going to grow and improve the quality of life here in Sikeston.”

Kathy Medley, executive vice president of the Chamber and CVB, said it is important for others to know that different entities were strategic in the grant application process.

“When the ARPA grants came out, we met with the city, and the different organizations met. We asked who’s doing what and what can we do?” Medley recalled.

Lawson agreed the many entities took a collective approach to improving the city through ARPA grants. Instead of each entity “going after” their own grants, they collaborated with each other, and asked what the priorities were for each entity, figuring out how to apply to grants collectively. This way they could support each other, not compete with each other.

Past and present students and teachers along with community members gathered Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of Bulldog Hall on the campus of Sikeston High School.

Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat

New opportunities for economic growth

In addition to the ARPA grants, bringing in Sikeston's newest industry, Carlisle Construction Materials, is another example of a collaborative effort, Lawson said. The new hot air balloon festival held in June also involved teamwork.

“If you wonder how does tourism affect a small, rural community, you can look at the hot air balloon festival,” Lawson said. “You've got people who are not just spending money at the festival, but in the hotels, buying gas, going out to dinner, shopping at our downtown merchants.”

The Sikeston Honors Veterans Banner Project, Fall Wine Festival and upcoming Total Eclipse of the Park event are also efforts by many entities in Sikeston, she said.

Carlisle Construction Materials in Sikeston held its ribbon cutting June 29, 2023. The new industry employs more than 100 people.

Gina Williams/Standard Democrat

“You see that when we collaborate and work together, it's success after success after success,” Lawson said.

Southeast Missouri Food Bank, YMCA of Southeast Missouri, Spread Hope Now, Sikeston Jaycees and other organizations have proven to be great partners in the community, Lawson and Medley both noted.

The city's economic development department has also been collaborating with industry roundtables.

“We're not only developing and recruiting industry but also retaining businesses and expanding them by giving them the tools they need to be happy in Sikeston,” Lawson said.

Medley pointed out how Sikeston's location is very desirable to new industries and residents due to it being in the middle of the country with a low cost of living and proximity to St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. The city is also close to the regional airport in Cape Girardeau.

Sikeston's largest employers are Missouri Delta Medical Center, Sikeston Public Schools and the City of Sikeston followed by Unilever, Orgill, Alan Wire, Do It Best and Birch Foods, which continue to expand in their own ways.

In terms of new development, the Fairfield Inn and TownePlace Suites dual-brand hotel is currently under construction in Sikeston and expected to be completed in the spring.

Jason Schrumpf, CEO of Missouri Delta Medical Center

Medical care

improvements

Jason Schrumpf, CEO for Missouri Delta Medical Center, said since moving to Sikeston in 2008, he has seen many positive changes in the community that have brought about renewed optimism and confidence for the city’s future.

Attendees of the annual Historic Downtown Sikeston's Wine Festival are seen along Center Street Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.

City of Sikeston

“[The community members and organizations have] added community events helping improve quality of life. And there’s a reinvigorated collaborate spirit to align business, industry and tourism in our region,” Schrumpf said. “It is exciting to be part of the progress Sikeston is making to ensure it remains a resilient and prosperous community where people desire to live and work.”

Missouri Delta has made its own improvements over the past few years, including expanding its emergency room (funded by community donations) and opening Southeast Missouri's first Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit. This year Missouri Delta's new ReStart outpatient rehabilitation center and clinic opened.

Schrumpf said Missouri Delta has worked with the community in many ways. Recently, the Missouri Delta Foundation received a matching grant from the Lions Club International Foundation to acquire an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) machine, which enables early detection and staging of lung cancer. The Sikeston Lions District 26-M1 along with local area Lions clubs in Sikeston, Malden and Essex led the way in applying for the grant.

“We are also working to create more awareness by bringing these resources to the community we serve,” Schrumpf said. “A great example is our collaboration with the YMCA. We are hosting monthly speaking engagements on various health/wellness topics and offering free screenings.”

Lawson said all aspects of the community are connected — and all are needed — when looking at bringing in an industry.

Jonathan “J.D.” Douglass, city manager of Sikeston

“You can't bring in new jobs if you don't have a thriving health care system, if you don't have a good public school system, if you don't have a higher education system,” Lawson said.

She added that she also can't do her job without the support of the city.

Investments in education

In the past few years, with voters' approval of bond issues, Sikeston Public Schools have constructed Wing Elementary, Lee Hunter Elementary; Bulldog Hall on the high school campus; and a FEMA safe space/multipurpose building at the Kindergarten Center.

“Sikeston Public Schools and SCTC [Sikeston Career and Technology Center] are so open to new programs,” Lawson said. “They're listening to what our industries need and are asking what the students need coming out of school. They're offering both trade and soft skills.”

Lawson discussed the importance of a city having a good education system in place.

“When people are looking to relocate or expand a business here, they are likely coming here without us even noticing,” Lawson said. “They're just going to drive around, check it out before they even pop into our office. So, think about what they looked at seven to 10 years ago just driving around. And then think about what they're looking at now.”

Lawson said those potential investors would see two new schools and a new building at the high school. It would be evident that the community has invested in itself.

“You can't build public schools without investing in yourself. That's not a private investment,” Lawson said.

It’s not just the community that is investing in itself, there are also countless private investments being made — specifically with Sikeston’s downtown. The city, the community and its residents are doing what it takes to improve quality-of-life in Sikeston.

“This is a community that is actively wanting to grow, actively wanting to make lives for their citizens better, actively trying to get new people to come into their community,” Lawson said. “I think that is something that has been in the process for a while, but it's also been several leaders that have come in and who snowballed with each other. It's a really cool time to be here.”

The two higher education institutions in Sikeston — Three Rivers College and Southeast Missouri State University — also aim to meet workforce development needs while working with local high schools to provide dual college credit courses to students, Lawson said.

The inaugural Sikeston Hot Air Balloon Festival was held June 16-18, 2023, at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo grounds.

Rod Anderson/Standard Democrat

Downtown revitalization

Sikeston city manager Jonathan “J.D.” Douglass recalled his family's decision to move with his wife and their five children — all under 10 years old — from Kansas to Sikeston 10 years ago this December.

“A mentor told me: 'You really want to go somewhere where people are interested in investing, improving, progressing and fighting for their community,'” Douglass said. “That's what I saw here.”

In that time, Douglass said he's seen many positive changes in Sikeston.

“There has been a lot of investment by city government but also private entities and private citizens growing their businesses, bringing their businesses here, building hotels,” he said. “The downtown has had lots of renovations.”

In fact, Douglass said one of the most exciting things happening in Sikeston is the current investments being made downtown.

“The Powers That Be are all pulling in the same direction,” Douglass said. “They're not fighting between each other. Everyone is working together and has the same overall goals, which helps get things done.”

Douglass said the Stallcup building is one of the downtown buildings recently developed, which is now known as Carson's restaurant.

“It started out with the city purchasing that building from a private owner who didn't have the money to repair it,” Douglass said. “The city made emergency repairs to that building, and we were able to save the building from immediate collapse but then put it back on the market and get a private investor to take it all the rest of the way through — invest in it, rehab it and put activity back in. It worked out exactly as we hoped.”

Douglass said Alan Keenan, CEO of Alan Wire, is renovating the former US Bank location in downtown Sikeston and preparing to open Center Street Station, which will serve as a shared office space.

Jason A. Davis, executive director of Historic Downtown Sikeston, agreed the revitalization of the downtown has been great to witness, especially in the past 10 years.

“There has been a resurgence of downtown events drawing great crowds,” Davis said. “From the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in the spring, eight weeks of the 'Music in the Park' summer concert series, Wine Festival in the fall, and, of course, the holiday open house, city tree lighting and Parade of Lights to celebrate the Christmas season. There are activities for people of all ages.”

Davis said downtown Sikeston has seen a resurgence of great businesses in recent years. He says there are plans in the near future for more historic building renovations.

“We are making great strides to see the heart of our city continue to grow with new opportunity, while keeping the history of our great downtown at the forefront,” Davis said.

All-around growth

Douglass said there has also been exciting development with the city's parks.

“A lot of that is only possible because voters passed the capital improvement sales tax a few years back,” he said.

Some recent park projects include adding a fountain in Legion Park, splash pad in Lincoln Park, Dancler Field renovation and pickle ball court conversions at the Sports Complex.

Major improvements have also been made at the Sikeston Municipal Airport, the city manager said. The terminal building was built and finishing touches are being made to a new fuel system.

He also noted a much needed new fire station is to be built on Main Street in Sikeston.

As he reflected on Sikeston's positive changes in the past 10 years, Douglass said the city provides many opportunities.

“You need two things if considering moving somewhere,” Douglass said. “You need a job available to you. And you're looking for a good quality of life, and I think we provide both of those in Sikeston.”

Leonna Heuring is the editor of the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Missouri.