On the Edges

Nixa

Digi-Com opens cellular, paging company

A new cellular and paging company has opened at 474 W. Tracker Road in the new building partially occupied by Knight Heating and Air Conditioning.

Hyongjin Oh is the owner of Digi-Com, which offers cellular and paging equipment and accessories. The store is open 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m-4 p.m. Saturday. The phone number is 724-8760

Carl Junction

Council approves antennae agreement

The Carl Junction City Council has approved a preliminary agreement with a St. Louis cellular company to install antennae and equipment at a city water tower. Roberts Wireless plans to use the tower to build a cell-phone network for Sprint. Roberts Wireless is to pay the city $700 a month. The company will also pay a 15 percent increase every five years.

Ozark

1999 building permit report released

The city of Ozark has released figures on building permits issued during the year 1999.

For commercial projects, there were two infills, six additions, eight alterations, 13 signs, 20 commercial and two industrial permits issued. Residential housing permits were issued for three duplexes, seven multifamily homes and 277 single-family residences, according to Al Gonzales, building code inspector. In the first two months of 2000, permits are up about 10 percent compared to the same period in 1999, he said. For example, 58 permits have been issued for single-family homes so far this year, compared to 277 for all of last year, according to Gonzales. The north side of Ozark is receiving the majority of the permits.

Regional

Regional economic partnership expands

Allen Kunkel of the Ozarks Regional Economic Partnership has been signing up new members to the group, which includes cities, counties and chambers of commerce in southwest Missouri. He expects the partnership to have 50 members by the time of its first regional summit, to be held April 28 at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar.

The meeting will feature speakers who specialize in regional cooperation as well as a time for member partners to discuss regional issues and priorities and develop a consensus on projects for 2000, according to Kunkel.

In the last few months, Kunkel has worked with the city of Mt. Vernon to launch a committee to examine work force shortages and survey local industries. He has also worked with the city of Buffalo on a job fair after approximately 200 jobs were lost there at Petit Jean Poultry Inc. In Greenfield, Kunkel assisted the city and chamber of commerce in a survey of people who lost jobs at Dunbrook Sportswear.

In addition, the city of Crane has sought Kunkel's help in recruiting new businesses to occupy available buildings in an industrial park.

The Regional Economic Partnership will publish a newsletter in March and will launch a new Web site in April, according to Kunkel, who works for the regional council but is an employee of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

Republic

Residential building permit report

The city of Republic issued 186 residential building permits for the year 1999. That compares to 171 in 1998, 130 in 1997 and 100 in 1996, according to figures provided by Randall Whitman, city planner. So far this year, an estimated 13 residential permits have been issued.