Ozark’s Childers charts course for city

Childers was the featured guest at this month’s 12 People You Need to Know breakfast event, hosted by Springfield Business Journal. SBJ Editor Eric Olson interviewed Childers on the career turns that brought him back to his native southwest Missouri and the myriad roles he plays at the city.

After owning several small businesses, backpacking through Europe and holding a handful of public positions throughout the Midwest, Childers is now leading the charge in Ozark, where population since 1990 has quadrupled to about 17,000. The challenge, Childers says, is keeping those residents in Ozark to work and play.

It is not an insurmountable task, however. Childers pointed to the city’s greatest recent accomplishment: the creation of a 20-year plan.

Also part of meeting that challenge is working with other entities throughout the region, Childers said in response to an audience member’s question about cooperation between cities, counties and agencies.

“We’re working together more than we ever have,” Childers said. “We are thinking regionally.”

Other topics of discussion at today’s event were the looming city audit in Ozark – something Childers is ready to face head-on later this year – and managing the city’s budget in a time of economic downturn and slowing sales tax revenue. A major element in hopes of boosting retail sales is the planned Finley River Neighborhood Redevelopment District, to be located between the river and the city’s downtown. Requests for proposals for that development were due on Friday, and Childers expects to name a developer and begin laying out plans in 60 to 90 days.

The next 12 People You Need to Know event will feature Dianna Parker, director of research, assessment and planning for Ozarks Technical Community College. The question-and-answer breakfast will be 7:30–9 a.m. May 13 at the Clarion’s Newsroom Café. Tickets are available at sbj.net.