El Dorado Springs group continues revitalization effort

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

A group in El Dorado Springs has garnered a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant from the state of Missouri to help revitalize the city.

The Spring City Revital-ization Group organized in January 2005 to help direct funds to improvement projects in the city.

Rachel Parker-Healy, board member, said the group was started by concerned citizens who learned about the CDBGs from El Dorado Springs City Manager Bruce Rogers.

"The grant proposal was prepared by the group," Parker-Healy said. "Bruce Rogers helped us learn how the process works."

The group plans to spend the money on new sidewalks, crosswalks, vintage lighting, storm water improvements, public seating, trash receptacles, and ADA accessibility improvements.

The grant was a matching grant and the group found a unique way to raise the money to match the grant.

"We went around and spoke to local businesses and building owners about the projects they were planning on doing anyway and the state matched it," Parker-Healy said. "$400,000 is the maximum grant you can get and we were surprised to get the whole amount, there were a lot of communities vying for it. We hand carried the application to Jefferson City and waited to hear back. It was hard waiting."

Parker-Healy said the group isn't a member of Main Street but does use ideas similar to those followed by that organization.

"We aren't members of Main Street but we are following the four points they use -- organization, economic restructuring, design, and promotion," Parker-Healy said.

The group has plans to continue the effort they started and are trying for other grants.

"We're now pursuing other grants," Parker-Healy said. "We're trying to work with (the Missouri Department of Transportation and the community betterment organization."

The SCRG Second Annual Chili Cook-Off is planned for Oct. 14 with entertainers, "The Band."

The group also has an active speaker's bureau with participants willing to speak to clubs, organizations and businesses.

The cook-off chairman and the speakers bureau can be reached at (417) 876-7720.