Happy New Year from Show Me! We hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Christmas vacation, and with that, a fresh start to the new year. January has arrived once more, and so now we must get back in the saddle again.

Already we’ve got plenty of projects on the docket. We’re certainly hitting the ground running this year; in addition to working with several developers on local business and tourism projects, we are also preparing for our upcoming board meeting and beginning to flex team responsibilities as Anna prepares for maternity leave. We’ve also been working closely with our government relations committee and are preparing to meet with state lawmakers later this month regarding advocacy and legislative priorities for the year.

In the fallout of the building collapse on Ozark Square last week, we are especially focusing on promoting local businesses in our county. What happened to Adventure Coffee Co. and the tenants renting the second floor apartment is devastating, and it affects not only them, but the adjacent businesses that have closed or restricted their hours as crews clean the site. That in mind, we encourage everyone to support our local businesses and #ShopLocal. Already we are amazed by the outpouring of love and support from our residents and partners.

Again, we wish you a happy new year and a blessed 2023. Great things are coming!

Kristen Haseltine

President/CEO - Show Me Christian County

417-496-5987 (cell)

Brian Grace, our legislative liaison for economic development via the Missouri Economic Development Council, will be joining us for a legislative update via Zoom on February 2nd at 10am. All partners and investors are invited to join us through the Zoom link posted below; to save the meeting, you may also star this email or bookmark the link. Be sure to come ready with questions!

Board Meeting Location Update!

The next Show Me Christian County full board meeting will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at Christian County Planning and Zoning, located at 1106 W Jackson St, Ozark, MO. Be sure to mark your calendars!

Also, Anna Evans, VP of Business Retention & Expansion, is planning to be out on maternity leave beginning January 11 through March 22, with wiggle-room should Baby Evans arrive earlier or later than expected. Anna and her husband, Dustin, are expecting a baby boy.

We are inviting our partners and investors to bring packages of diapers of all sizes to our board meeting for an impromptu Diaper Shower for Anna.

The Show Me team will be having a "Christian County Day" as we travel to Jefferson City to meet with elected officials on behalf of our partners and businesses. We are inviting members of our Government Relations Committee as well as interested partners to join us in a day trip to the state capitol tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 9th as we coordinate schedules with representatives and government officials. Please contact Rachel Campbell, Office Coordinator, if you are interested in joining us!

The City of Nixa is planning to open bids as they seek proposals for a comprehensive plan and a downtown masterplan for the city. Details are yet to follow; keep an eye on Nixa's Website for future updates regarding these projects.

Christian County Emergency Management will be hosting CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) training in February at the Christian County Planning and Resource Management Office. Those interested in taking part in the three teaching sessions required for the training, please contact cert@christiancountymo.gov.

More info available here.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development received funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to assist with economic recovery efforts. The following grant applications are open or will open soon. Please follow the link for more information about these grants.

• Entertainment Industry
• Nonprofit
• Cell Tower

OTC Manufacturing Center Tour - Springfield, MO

Christian County partners and SMCC staff had the opportunity to tour the new Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the OTC Springfield campus. Eleven community leaders joined SMCC to see the new building, innovative classroom environments and the state-of-the-art manufacturing floor.

SMCC and partners viewing the manufacturing floor at OTC

HRD Business Survey - Ozark, MO

The Historic River District partnered with SMCC to create and conduct a survey to gauge interested in a potential Ozark CID. Members of SMCC's Strong Business Council assisted as the group visited several Ozark businesses.

Hospitality Study Site Visit - Christian County

Consultants from Hunden Strategic Partners visited Springfield, Branson, and Christian County as part of a site visit day hosted by SMCC. We'd like to extend a big thank-you to our partners that helped make this huge day possible!

SMCC, HSP and community partners touring the Aetos Center at Nixa High School

SMCOG December Meeting - Springfield, MO

Anna and Kristen attended the December SMCOG meeting in Springfield, where details of the long term comprehensive plan were given. SMCOG has worked with Christian County to update the plan and it was approved by the commission in December. The comprehensive plan outlines county priorities for housing, land use, economic development, infrastructure, and more.