GROWTH OFFICE OPENED; SIKESTON HOPING DEVELOPMENT UNIT YIELDS DIVIDENDS

SIKESTON -- The city of Sikeston hopes to realize big dividends from a new economic development department.

The new office, created late last year, is a joint effort between the city-owned utilities and city government.

Dan Ward, Sikeston's city manager, said the joint effort is designed to "expand the financing and scope of economic development" activities in the city.

The department replaces the Sikeston Development Council, a venture that involved the city, its citizens, and the local Chamber of Commerce, Ward said.

The Sikeston Development Council was set up about a decade ago, but funding was always a major concern, he said.

"The ability of the Board of Utilities to participate in such things is severely limited by law," the city manager pointed out. As a result, the city-owned utilities could not participate in the development council operation. But it can participate in the new effort because the city has set up a department of economic development, Ward explained.

The economic development department will be housed in the Board of Utilities building.

Ward said the participation of the city utilities provides greater funding for Sikeston's economic development efforts and the recruitment of new businesses and industries to the area.

The new department will operate with a $150,000 budget, about four times the budget of the Sikeston Development Council.

"We have high expectations," said Ward, adding that the economic development department will be "very aggressive" in its efforts.

Such efforts are important at a time when cities are competing for new industries and jobs. "The competition is just tremendous," said Ward.

Sikeston, with a population of 17,600, has experienced some economic downturns in these recessionary times, as have many other cities. "We are seeing some downturns, and people are a little more cautious," said Ward.

Still, city sales tax revenue has remained fairly constant, bringing in about $1.5 million annually.

"Revenue-wise, we are not doing too badly," said Ward. "Of course, a lot of businesses are hurting."

Through it all, Sikeston has managed to maintain an extensive street construction and maintenance program.

"We have a real aggressive program," the city manager said. "Last year we put nearly $1.2 million into street construction and overlays."

Situated on flat land, storm drainage is a problem in Sikeston. "Being flat, it is hard to get the water off," he said. "We have done a lot of ditch cleaning."

The city this year plans to develop a new, residential park of about five acres in the southeastern part of the community.

Ward said the city's sports complex, featuring ball fields, tennis courts and soccer fields, will be expanded with the addition of about 42 acres of park land.

The park improvements should be completed by this fall, he said.