Legislators set to tour river ports in Southeast Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Some members of the Missouri House of Representatives will get a closer look at the roles of river ports.

Members of the House Issue Development Committee on Missouri Ports next week will visit seven ports in Southeast Missouri and the St. Louis region.

State Rep. Paul Wieland, chairman of the committee, said the goal of the tour is to take a closer look at the role Missouri's ports play in moving $4.1 billion of cargo each year. He said the committee will look at the things the state can do to help develop the port system to better meet current and future transportation needs of the state.

Timmie Lynn Hunter, director of the New Madrid County Port, said the tour will enable state leaders to see the diversity of the state's ports and learn why they all are needed.

"It is very important just for the members of the committee to be educated about what the ports do on such a small budget for capitol improvements," Hunter said. "We will explain to them about the infrastructure and its funding through the state and federal government along with private investment. We will explain to them about the role we play in job placement and economic growth."

Dan Overbey, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority in Scott City, pointed out not all legislators are familiar with the port system because they don't live close to a major river. This trip, he said, will provide a lot of information.

According to Overbey, through the series of stops they will visit ports that are just getting up and running. The stop at Scott City will introduce them to a port that has grown to the point at which it can pay its own way, but now needs money to continue to grow.

He said he wants the committee to understand how ports operate, funding needs and that it takes a commitment on behalf of the Legislature to ensure the ports' success.

"With that long-term commitment then we have jobs and investment and can keep growing," Overbey said.

"It will be a good thing to get the legislators from all over the state here, to get them involved and to let them see what is going on," he said. "We want them to see what is needed to keep ports going and growing."

The trip will begin July 30 with tours of the Jefferson County Port at Herculaneum and the city of St. Louis Port followed by a stop at the New Bourbon Port at Ste. Genevieve. The Southeast Missouri Regional Port will be toured from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. July 30.

On July 31, the officials will visit the Pemiscot County Port from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. and the New Madrid County Port from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. The tour will end with a stop at the Mississippi County Port from 1:45 to 2:30 p.m.