Welcome to the Green Hills Regional Planning Commission.

The Green Hills Regional Planning Commission is one of nineteen organizations operating as a sub-state planning and development agency serving the State of Missouri. The Commission is organized as a voluntary association of local governments, and retains a staff of professionals who work on projects intended to foster improved quality of life throughout the 11 county "Green Hills" region.

GHRPC News

• Amendment Completed for the Environmental Review Record on the City of Hamilton's Water Project.
  
  
• Amendment Completed for the Environmental Review Record on the Sullivan County Bridge Proejct 2007-PF-745
  
  
• ARRA Funds used for methane conversion project
  Across America, projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are underway. From road and bridge projects to waste management and wastewater treatment, ARRA money is being employed to strengthen America's infrastructure.
  
  One particular unique and interesting proposal that received federal funding caught our attention here at the RPC, and we thought we would pass it along to anyone who might be interested.
  
  In the City of Struthers, Ohio, enterprising officials have proposed the construction of a system to collect the methane emmissions from their wastewater plant and use that methane to fuel a generator and power the plant itself. See the City's press release on the subject.
  
  
• MODOT News Release:07-01-10
  MHTC Commission Approves Five-Year Highway Construction Program
  Lack of Funding Presents Bleak Future
  
  JEFFERSON CITY - Though a dark rain cloud hovers over Missouri's transportation funding, the state's new five-year highway construction program was approved [July 1st, 2010] by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Only one-third the size of the 2009 program, it barely has enough funds to take care of the existing system.
  
  Missourians will see very few new projects during the next few years that expand the system and make it safer. Stagnant state revenues, uncertain federal funding and no more money from Amendment 3 voter-required bonds is causing highway and bridge construction in Missouri to dramatically decrease - resulting in a program containing construction projects averaging only $500 million per year. Read more....
  
  The complete list of transportation projects, as well as maps showing all highway and bridge projects and corridors to be completed, can be found at http://www.modot.org/.
  
  
  
• Planning Commission Employees Awarded Certified Workforce Development (CWDP) by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (Washington, D.C. 07-01-10)
  
  Becky McAtee and Cheryl Campbell have been awarded the Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) credential by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.
  
  
  Becky McAtee          Cheryl Campbell
  
  Workforce Development Professionals facilitate the process by which individuals identify, prepare for, obtain and maintain employment and self-sufficiency, and assist businesses with accessing and retaining a quality workforce. They may work directly with the customer or may work as support personnel for and with staff who do work directly with the customer. The CWDP recognizes the training, experience and expertise of professionals in the field in 10 areas of competency:
  
  
• • History and Structure of Workforce Development System
  • Career Development Process
  • Labor Market Information
  • Diversity
  • Customer Service
  • Program Management
  • Communication " Technology
  • Collaboration and Problem Solving
  • Business and Employer Knowledge
  
  The CWDP program is administered and endorsed by the National Association for Workforce Development Professionals. NAWDP is a national association for individual practitioners in the workforce development profession, with approximately 4,000 members. Its mission is to be the national voice for the profession and to meet the individual professional development needs of the membership.
  
  
• Northwest RPCs hold Joint TAC Training (06-18-10)
  Members of northwest Missouri's Transportation Advisory Committees (TACs) recently spent a day with local elected officials, MoDOT personnel, and regional planning commission staff learning about roadway safety and hearing regional and statewide transportation updates at the fifth annual TAC training, held in Savannah, Missouri on June 17th.
  
  The training, held by the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, and Mo-Kan Regional Council, is an annual event designed to give local transportation decision-makers insight into the transportation planning process, and create more effective partnerships between local TACs and MoDOT.
  
  David Gach, Vice Chairman of the Missouri Transportation and Highway Commission, began the day with words of welcome and later updated the group on the department's search for a new director. Gach said MoDOT was not expecting to have a new director in place until the end of the year.
  
  Other presenters included Health Pickerill, Director of the Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program, who spoke on various resources around the state for analyzing and improving safety on Missouri's roadways, and Jose Rodriguez, who described regional safety audit teams and safety considerations at roadway intersections.
  
  Don Wichern, MoDOT District 1 Engineer, presided over an interactive discussion covering a range of topics, including an update on MoDOT's Safe and Sound Bridges program and the impact that declining transportation revenues will have on the department in the short term.
  
  State Representatives Jim Guest and Mike Thomson, and Josh Hulbert, Field Representative for Congressman Sam Graves, wrapped up the day with a question and answer session regarding state and federal transportation funding and policy changes.
  

• Sullivan County Hazard Mitigation Plan (16-11-10) Now Available for Public Comment.

• The US Census Bureau recently unveiled a new tool which allows you to see the return (of census forms) rate for your area.

• Never let it be said the Missouri Department of Transportation has failed to embrace communications technology in the 21st Century! You can now subscribe to their electronic newsletter, MoDot Express Lane. You can respond to their postings on the MoDot Blog, connect with them online via Facebook or Twitter - you can even catch their weekly Monday podcasts, or check them out on YouTube.