LT. GOV. WILSON HEARS CITIZENS' CONCERNS HERE

Flood cleanup, a Regional Youth Council meeting and listening to concerns at a Regional Commerce and Growth Association gathering were all part of the lieutenant governor's daylong tour Thursday of Southeast Missouri.

Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson was at Ste. Genevieve, Commerce, Trail of Tears State Park and Cape Girardeau participating in a variety of activities.

Wilson aided volunteers at cleanup programs in Commerce and Ste. Genevieve Thursday afternoon. He also attended a Regional Youth Council at Trail of Tears State Park before sitting down with 16 attendees of the RCGA meeting in Cape Girardeau to discuss their concerns.

"Don't let anyone drive you off of this," Wilson told the RCGA. "Ideas come from groups like this and we need plenty of them. If you really wanted to collapse government, just eliminate the volunteer effort. Because it's that kind of effort -- like this -- that keeps everything going."

Wilson said he wanted to hear concerns and suggestions from RCGA members about state government -- and he did. From dealing with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to improving the infrastructure in Southeast Missouri, he answered many of the questions and vowed to pass along concerns to other members of state government when he returned to Jefferson City.

The lieutenant governor touted his commitment to allow more processing of agricultural products before being shipped out of Missouri but asked for area help.

"I'm not from here. I don't know what would help you agriculturally," he said. "Tell me, and we'll get it done. You be the gun, and I'll be the bullet."

In addition to agricultural growth, he also said state government hopefully would free up about $75 million in desegregation payments soon. He said that money could go towards other programs in the state which receive federal funding that might be in jeopardy. Programs in education and job training might need the funding if the federal money gets cut.

RCGA members complained to Wilson about the shuffling of the highway department's priority list of construction projects on the 15-year plan.

"We see things happening in Kansas City and St. Louis," Walt Wildman said, "Things seem to be shuffled around every three years and we're always the ones taking a step backward."

Wilson said the highway department has been embarrassed about the funding shortfall for the plan. But he expressed confidence in the current leadership in the department.

He also vowed to pass along the concerns regarding the time it takes for builders and developers to deal with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

"We can work a couple of years on the right permit from DNR," one man said, "and the bridge we're building would only take a couple of months. Building the bridge doesn't seem like a big deal after dealing with DNR."

Wilson said, on a whole, state employees were doing a good job, and he encourages and promotes employees with the right attitude: "I like to see the 'how can I help you' attitude, not 'how can I fine you.'"