REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION RECEIVES AWARDS

PERRYVILLE -- The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission has been recognized with four awards for economic development.

Ron Steele, a regional planner with the commission has received an Excellence in Planning Award for the "Redevelopment Plan for Downtown Perryville" from the Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Two awards were given to Chauncy Buchheit, director of economic development and Tom Tucker, executive director, at the recent Governor's Economic Development Conference. Eddy awards, the highest award granted, were received for "An Economic Development Strategy for Perry County" and "A Redevelopment Plan for Downtown Perryville."

The print ad campaign that accompanied the redevelopment plan also captured an Eddy. It has been run in national economic development publications in order to attract business and industry to the seven-county southeast Missouri region.

The ad is reads: "Our Board of Directors Said We Should Be Honest and List All of the Problems Industry Face in Southeast Missouri So We Did." The ad follows with just blank space. The commission's address and phone number is included at the bottom of the ad.

Tucker said the marketing campaign is operated by the commission in cooperation with the Southeast Missouri Private Industry Council, which has provided a portion of the funding.

The reports on the downtown redevelopment of Perryville and the redevelopment strategy for Perry County were funded in part by the city of Perryville, the Perry County Commission, the Perry County Industrial Development Authority, the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission and a special grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

Tucker said a portion of these plans are already being implemented by agencies in Perry County and Perryville.