Christian County takes off

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They came, they saw and they built. And people continue to do so in Christian County.|ret||ret||tab|

About 59,117 people call Christian County home, an 81 percent population increase (26,743) since the 1990 Census' 32,644. Between 2000 and 2002, the county population grew by 8.9 percent a year, making it the fastest-growing county in Missouri percentage-wise.|ret||ret||tab|

Tom Chudomelka, Christian County's eastern commissioner, said the reasons new residents are drawn to the area are clear available property, resources for residents, the atmosphere of the small communities, good school systems and proximity to Springfield's medical mile.|ret||ret||tab|

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Funding the growth|ret||ret||tab|

Christian County's Planning and Zoning Department has a comprehensive plan, outlining where and how the county should grow, Chudomelka said. Christian County has not imposed a property tax for the last seven years, however county residents do pay various taxes, including those for fire, ambulance and school districts. "We have operated solely on a quarter-cent sales tax and other fees that are brought into the county," he said. Those other fees include recorder's fees, background checks on child-care workers, gun permits and renting bed space in the jail to other counties.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition, Chudomelka said that two quarter-cent sales taxes are collected for county law enforcement. Those monies go to pay off the bonds for the new judicial center and to fund not quite half of the sheriff's office budget.|ret||ret||tab|

Christian County's Sheriff's Department has grown to accommodate the influx of population, now employing about 65. "In the last 10 years, we have gone from six patrol cars to a total of 23 sheriff's vehicles," Chudomelka said. When he came into office 11 years ago, Chudomelka said, the department's budget was between $700,000 and $800,000. "In this past year, after their budget was cut, they still got $2.4 million."|ret||ret||tab|

Calls to 911 have increased, and a third operator was hired, he said, and more staff members were required in the courthouse to handle land transfers. |ret||ret||tab|

"In 2002, we took 8,629 case reports out, and that is double from 1998," said Christian County Sheriff Joey Matlock. Prior to 1998, Matlock said, the department's busiest year was 1996, with more 4,000 calls. Illegal drugs and domestic violence have had the most significant impact on calls for service. |ret||ret||tab|

Another challenge Chudomelka notes is acclimating newcomers to the way the county operates. For example, limited resources prevent the county from upgrading roads as quickly as families move in.|ret||ret||tab|

And a lot of families are moving in.|ret||ret||tab|

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Growing up|ret||ret||tab|

Ozark's current population is about 11,600 according to Collin Quigley, city administrator, jumping from 9,665 at the 2000 Census. "From the 1990 Census to the (2000) Census, we grew 119 percent in that 10-year period," Quigley said.|ret||ret||tab|

Sharon Whitehill Gray, executive director of Nixa's Chamber of Commerce, said Nixa's population experienced a 158 percent change from 1990 to 2000, with the current total estimated at 14,000. "In 1990, our population was around 4,600. Today our school population is approximately 4,600. That just astounds me," she said.|ret||ret||tab|

Nixa has added four school facilities and 600 students in the last three years, said Stephen Kleinsmith, Nixa superintendent of schools.|ret||ret||tab|

Ozark's student population has grown an average of 5.5 percent per year for the last 21 years, Snelling said. Enrollment for the 2002-2003 school year totaled 3,925 students, compared to 2,400 students in 1990. |ret||ret||tab|

Ozark has added new facilities to accommodate the growing student population, including a new high school, which is scheduled to open about Dec. 1; new elementary schools in 1999 and 1995; and a new wing on the junior high in 1998.|ret||ret||tab|

The growth, coupled with state budget cutbacks, has increased student-to-teacher ratios.|ret||ret||tab|

"That's a concern because when you have that many kids with one teacher, core areas like communication arts, science, math and social studies, it becomes very difficult," Kleinsmith said. Nixa has an overall 22-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Some cases, such as special education, are much lower ratios, while some junior high and high school classes are at more than 30-to-1, Kleinsmith said.|ret||ret||tab|

Ozark Superintendent Leo Snelling said a higher student-teacher ratio may mean teachers must devote less attention to each student. "At the junior high and secondary level, it would probably affect our students more in terms of what elective classes simply aren't there," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

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Quality of life|ret||ret||tab|

Even with these issues, Gray credits the quality of housing and schools for Nixa's continued growth. |ret||ret||tab|

Brian Bingle, Nixa's city administrator, agrees. "The big issue is quality of life. If we can sustain the quality of life, that in and of itself is attractive to more residential growth." |ret||ret||tab|

He said Nixa has averaged 336 new single-family homes per year for the last decade. "We're growing currently at about 8 percent per year."|ret||ret||tab|

In 2002, the city of Ozark issued 245 single-family building permits, and has averaged 200 single-family building permits a year for the last decade. Quigley expects to issue about 300 in 2003. |ret||ret||tab|

"It may not sound like a lot from a larger city's perspective, but from our perspective that's 1,000 new people a year. When your population is around 11,000, you're talking about 10-plus percent growth a year, and that is substantial."|ret||ret||tab|

Quality of life has also helped Ozark grow, according to Mayor Donna McQuay. "It's a family-oriented community, and we're becoming a growing retirement area also."|ret||ret||tab|

Sparta's growth is primarily residential, with 742 residents in the 1990 census compared to 1,144 residents in 2000. Mayor Andy Jenkins said three subdivisions are under construction, creating about 150 new homes. The industrial park is taking shape, with about 20 lots platted.|ret||ret||tab|

Future needs are in the discussion stages in Sparta, including the possibility of a new high school. "The only other infrastructure change, as far as the city, would be expanding the sewer treatment plant and also the water services," Jenkins said, stressing that nothing is definite at this point.|ret||ret||tab|

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Infrastructure|ret||ret||tab|

Keeping up with infrastructure is vital, Quigley said.|ret||ret||tab|

"There really is a lot of forethought that goes into it," and such as the water master plan to establish locations of future mains. "To work with different businesses in terms of ways to get utilities and public improvements in the ground and paid for, as well as road improvements paid for: Those are challenges that probably most people don't realize are going on, really on a daily basis."|ret||ret||tab|

Nixa's comprehensive master plan deals with five areas growth management, land use, socioeconomics, parks and recreation, and streets. |ret||ret||tab|

"Each of the enterprises electric, water and sewer has a master plan in and of itself that tries to utilize the comprehensive plan's land use projections and population growth to establish capital improvement programs so that investments can be made in the over sizing of those systems," Bingle said. |ret||ret||tab|

He said it costs about $1 million per mile for new road construction. Nixa citizens recently authorized $10.5 million to expand the wastewater treatment plant. "We have just recently entered into a 15-year contract with a five-year evergreen with City Utilities to provide the city of Nixa its electrical demand," Bingle said.|ret||ret||tab|

Discussions are ongoing between Christian County and Greene County regarding the possible extension of Kansas Expressway (State Highway 13) to create an intersection with Nicholas Road, which is the western-most corridor of the city of Nixa. Also being discussed is the possibility of widening Highway 160 to six lanes to accommodate traffic. Bingle said the intersection of highways 14 and 160 experiences approximately 62,000 vehicles per day.|ret||ret||tab|

South of Nixa, Highlandville has established a police department and is putting in a new sewer system and treatment plant. "I think probably they're the ones poised to really take off," Chudomelka said.|ret||ret||tab|

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Growth means business|ret||ret||tab|

Christian County officials expect the growth to continue, bringing new residents, new businesses and new services to the area, including a general aviation runway near Ozark, St. John's "super clinic" in Nixa and a satellite campus for Ozarks Technical Community College.|ret||ret||tab|

Quigley said the general aviation runway will be a "shot in the arm" benefiting area businesses that need parts flown in for manufacturing or executives who need to fly in and out.|ret||ret||tab|

St. John's 60,000-square-foot clinic near Nixa's Espy Elementary School will join St. John's other Christian County facilities St. John's Clinic-Pediatric Medicine in Nixa, St. John's Clinic-Ozark and a St. John's fitness center in the Nixa Community & Aquatics Center. |ret||ret||tab|

Sue Moore, dean of industry and extension services for OTC, said that the school owns 78 acres on Highway 14 in Ozark, and adult education classes are currently being held for students working toward high school equivalency certification. Classes are held in an existing home on the property. |ret||ret||tab|

Moore said that a tax levy would be required to fund new facilities, so plans to build are on hold for now.|ret||ret||tab|

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