Leaving a legacy

The day looms large on Dick Largent’s calendar.

That’s the day Largent, the manager of planning and community development for the city of Joplin, will retire after working for the city since March 1970.

Largent left a mark on Joplin’s geography and the city’s business community during his career. He planned infrastructure, but also built networks and connections that led the city to participate in state and federal programs intended to encourage economic development. Those programs are credited with attracting new businesses to Joplin and allowing existing firms to expand.

City officials say Largent assisted or led efforts that resulted in creating 10,000 jobs in the past 15 years, winning awards for providing affordable housing for low and moderate income families, restoring several historic buildings, implementing the city’s geographic information system, and increasing commercial activity along Range Line Road and in downtown Joplin.

Jeff Ungerer, the chief financial officer and general counsel for Northpark Crossing LLC, said Largent is partially responsible for his company’s decision to develop a shopping center in Joplin.

“There was a lot of conversation about how we were going to make this happen,” Ungerer said. “Dick was very practical and down-to-earth and helped make Joplin one of the best places we’ve found to work with. We had a few problems and missed a few dates that delayed a few things but through it all Dick just kept talking honestly about what we could do and focused us all on solutions.”

Rob O’Brian, President, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, said he has appreciated Largent’s dedication to economic development.

“A core belief of Dick’s, which I think is so important and which people often forget, is that a city is much like any living thing – either it is growing or it is dying,” O’Brian said. “If you don’t seek the opportunities to better serve the citizens and make the city a better place to live, including the support of businesses which provide good job opportunities, then the city eventually dies away. Dick was very strong in that belief.”

O’Brian said he appreciated Largent’s commitment to local businesses first.

“Dick has always been an advocate of the growth of local firms first, then of the attraction of new business opportunities that will provide good jobs for residents in the area,” O’Brian said. “He gets the job done, despite the obstacles, and with good humor and dedication.”

Planning for the unexpected

Largent didn’t intend to become a fixture in City Hall.

“I had been working part-time and finishing a degree in sociology when my wife announced that we were going to have a baby,” Largent said. “It occurred to me that I needed a real job. We had hired a city planner who left after six months for another opportunity so the then director of public works, Mike Salmon, asked me if I thought I could do the job. It was a good fit and in November of 1971 I was appointed the new city planner.”

Since then, Largent has juggled developing a long-term vision for the city with immediate demands. Largent became manager of the department in 2000.

“If you want immediate gratification in your job, then planning is not for you,” he said. “The east bypass was recommended in a plan we did in 1970 and it is just becoming a reality. The trick is to develop the plan and then implement it and the realization of the vision almost always comes in baby steps.”

Many of those steps involved hours of meetings and planning sessions.

“I’m going to miss most of the job but not the meetings,” he said. “In government, no matter what the level, we have meetings to plan the strategy of our next meetings.”

Largent also puts deadlines on the list of things he will not miss.

“We have multiple projects up in the air and all deserve our undivided attention, but one always surfaces with a deadline that is way to near to be comfortable.”

Largent said his decision to retire was based on two factors.

“I think at some point my health and the toll on my family finally told me it was time,” he said. “The horizon for community planning and development is changing and I would rather the kids, who tend to be a lot smarter, take over and let the city have the benefit of their energy.”

Troy Bolander will assume Largent’s position on Oct. 1.

Tough times

Despite his career successes, Largent has experienced a share of tough times.

“When I have had to make an unpopular decision in the interest of the community as opposed to a few, it’s been tough,” he said. “Obviously we try to make decisions that will encourage people to succeed and prosper, but at the same time we have to analyze the problems to mitigate negative impacts and we’ve had to recommend denying a project to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. That is never easy because we are very much aware of the time, energy and money that have been spent on the project that will probably not be approved.”

Largent’s duty to recommend that city panels accept or deny some plans has placed him in controversial positions at times throughout his tenure.

Largent said he takes it in stride.

“When we analyze an issue, we need to be completely honest with all persons concerned,” he said. “If we see problems with a development, rezoning, subdivision, program or whatever, we need to be able to sit down with all concerned and discuss the reasons that we will or will not recommend a certain outcome. Not being dead honest with someone early in a process can cost the client millions of dollars.”

City Manager Mark Rohr acknowledged Largent’s reputation when asked to comment on his retirement.

“Dick is someone who has very strong opinions on how things should be done,” Rohr said in an e-mail. “His institutional knowledge and vast contacts in the community enabled the city greater opportunities to get things done.”

Unfinished business

Largent said he leaves his position with an unresolved issue.

“I would have liked to upgrade the quality of our aging housing stock,” he said. “Joplin is a community that is just as old as most in this region, but we have enclaves of older housing that really needs a lot of work.”

Though programs have been initiated to assist in these efforts, Largent said there is still work to do.

“Several people in the community own quite a few rental units that have not been improved until required by the city,” he said. “It would have been nice to have been able to convince these landlords to voluntarily upgrade the quality of their homes and to have

had a more overall and comprehensive program would have been nice.”

Though Largent is leaving his position, he is not leaving the field.

“I have a new company and have partnered with a couple of gentlemen in Jefferson City,” he said.

“We will be working with small communities and the folks in them to enhance their towns as much as possible. I have a much smaller overhead and I think I can provide the same level of expertise and direction at a very reduced cost over some of the larger planning firms.”

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