Volunteerism counts

In the early years of schooling, most of us learned that government was an institution created "by, of and for the people." Nowhere is that phrase more applicable today than in the local governments of Missouri.

Without any great fanfare, people in communities throughout our state not only count on their local governments to provide municipal services that enable them to carry on the ordinary aspects of daily life -- from driving on snowplowed streets to chatting with other families at a park's ball field to waving at the police officers who ensure safe and secure neighborhoods -- but are active and involved participants. While the face of local government is the body of friends and neighbors who serve as the local elected officials, it is the massive amount of volunteerism that takes place in local governments across the state that helps to make our municipalities great places to live.

From city boards and commissions to individuals who organize community events or help out at the local library, Missouri's municipalities thrive on the efforts of thousands of volunteers. In 2009, when our economy faced the worst recession our nation has seen in decades, many cities reported higher numbers of volunteer hours than ever recorded. People who sincerely care about the quality of life in their communities are dedicating their time, energy and resources to making their communities better places to live.

The wide range of municipal-related activities and responsibilities that are carried out solely by volunteers might surprise many people. Citizens serve on the many boards and commissions that advise local government including planning and zoning commissions, library boards, parks and recreation commissions, arts councils and economic development and business improvement boards. They serve on task forces that tackle specific problems and recommend solutions. Volunteers support public works efforts, help to turn their cities green through trees and gardens, advise on traffic policies and recycling and get involved in preserving the city's history. People throughout Missouri are pouring their knowledge, experiences and resources into improving city services, generating policy guidance, and creating new initiatives for local government.

In addition to these roles, there are various service projects regularly taking place in our cities and towns throughout the state. Often sponsored by community organizations, they might focus on activities like city cleanup or honeysuckle removal, assisting seniors or tutoring children, and creating public awareness of various issues. These projects are another key element in building healthy, well-functioning local communities, and often result from an individual or group that has identified a need and takes it upon themselves to affect change.

It's difficult to exact the true measure of a dedicated volunteer or any organization. However, a conversion formula, based upon information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the UPS Foundation and the U.S. Census and Volunteers Impact Prosperity, shed some light on how much these services would cost cities, if these volunteers were paid employees.

For example, an estimated 6,000 volunteers in Columbia, Mo., gave 47,387 hours of their time in service to their community. To pay hourly for those services would have cost the city nearly $1 million. In Wentzville, Mo., the cost to the city for volunteer hours would have been more than $15 million, and in St. Charles, Mo., more than $38 million. For a metropolitan area like St. Louis, with a population of more than 2.5 million residents, municipal services provided by volunteers would total more than $200 million.

Staggering numbers like these put the tremendous value of volunteerism into perspective for Missouri cities. But these numbers cannot measure the priceless part of volunteerism -- the impact that dedication, energy and passion brings to the quality of life in a community. Elected officials, city staff and volunteers working together at the local level truly represent government by, of and for the people.

Gerry Welch is the mayor of Webster Groves, Mo., and president of the Missouri Municipal League, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. www.mocities.com.