2008 Annual Report Executive
Summary
City of Salem Champion Community
Salem and the surrounding community continues to work together to address priority issues. These include tourism development, enhancing the appearance of the area, downtown revitalization, establishment of soccer fields and leadership development for youth. Town Hall meetings were held to address downtown revitalization efforts. Missouri University Science and Technology students worked with local leaders to address ten top community issues. A new emergency services center was created by the Ministerial Alliance to help serve local individual needs. The local fitness center continues to grow. It initially was a cardiovascular wellness program for seniors. It now serves all ages of adults and has increased the membership. The Farmers Market is very successful and has more vendors than the facility will accommodate. Marketing efforts continue to grow to attract people to the area and to invite tourists to do things in the community that will increase the number of days they spend here.
Ten student teams from Missouri University of Science and Technology worked with local leaders on economic development plans for Salem, Mo. The students enrolled in a Project Management class were assigned to help develop a vision and subsequent work plans for projects requested by the city of Salem to help with infrastructure, service and organization. The students evaluated several proposed projects including the construction of a community civic center, a downtown revitalization, increasing the availability of an existing public pool, additional parking, a trail for hiking and biking, a cardiovascular wellness program, and a soccer park complex, an increase in the capacity of the farmer’s market, a recycling center, and the development of city parks.
Eighteen local leaders, business people and interested individuals continued to develop plans for Revitalization. The Revitalization group addressed ways to improve the appearance of the area and create momentum. The group received an update on the DREAM application to the State of Missouri and reviewed results of previous town hall meetings. Options for improving the area were presented. Committees started the process of writing plans to revitalize the area. One sub-committee addressed infrastructure, buildings and beautification and the other group discussed ways to attract and maintain businesses. In previous meetings, the geographic area for revitalization was designated. It includes 4th Street from McArthur to Pershing and the commercial areas adjoining this on 3rd St. from McArthur to Iron and 5th St from McArthur to Hickory. In addition, Hwy 19 from Spring Creek North to the new soccer fields was designated as an area for improvement.