Tackling complex county challenges calls for teamwork

We can remember when a county commission’s main responsibility was to fill potholes in farm roads and keep the lights on in the courthouse. While the basic structure of county government is essentially unchanged from the days courthouses had to be within a day’s ride by horseback from anywhere in the county, the commission’s role is constantly evolving because our county is changing.

The last 25 years in particular have brought about enormous change in Greene County. Economic opportunities have ushered in unprecedented population growth, presenting new challenges to our community’s roadways, public safety services, schools and the environment.

More and more, we find ourselves forming partnerships with community groups and institutions that can help find the best solutions.

The spirit of collaboration isn’t new. It’s become almost second nature for local government officials to approach new projects by asking, “Who can we partner with to make this work better, to share their expertise and, ultimately, get more bang for the taxpayers’ bucks?”

For example, voters’ overwhelming approval of the V-cent 911 Sales Tax, which goes into effect Jan. 1, will allow the Springfield-Greene County E-911 Center to expand its staff for the first time since the early 1990s.

In early December, Greene County joined a new initiative designed to help local businesses and institutions lead the community toward environmental and economic sustainability. The Partnership for Sustainability will help coordinate these organizations’ efforts and serve as a clearinghouse for projects that conserve energy and resources.

One of our largest projects in 2008 is updating Greene County’s comprehensive land-use plan. Our current plan was adopted in 1981 to guide county growth and development. Since then, Greene County’s population has grown by nearly 90,000 to 277,000 new residents, a 48 percent increase since 1980.

To accommodate growth, Springfield, Republic, Willard, Rogersville and other municipalities have annexed large portions of land. Greene County loses an average of nearly 800 acres of farmland each year to urban development.

The 1980 plan has served the county well, but we believe it’s time for revisions. Growth trends indicate the county’s population could reach 300,000 people by 2010, and some estimates show 500,000 county residents within 25 to 40 years.

Chief among the many challenges of updating the comprehensive plan is finding a balance between individual property rights and accommodating responsible long-term growth. We have held four public meetings to discuss our proposed new plan, and at all of them, we collected plenty of helpful input. We are now having discussions with those who have a vested interest in the plan – farmers, builders, developers and school superintendents – to find solutions to benefit all.

As our community grows, so does the number of vehicles traveling our roadways. For the past several years, Greene County has pooled resources with the city of Springfield and the Missouri Department of Transportation to make expensive road improvements. In 2008, we hope to work with the city to find funding to speed up roadway improvements.

A growing population also increases pressure on criminal justice system.

The Greene County Commission is particularly troubled by growing pains within our Juvenile Justice Center, a 17-year-old building in need of expansion to serve Greene County youth. A 2006 grand jury report noted the building “was in the worst shape” of all county buildings, adding that caseloads were “overwhelming” and working conditions were “poor.”

We have a plan to expand the Juvenile Justice Center that would allow Greene County to establish a comprehensive program for handling family and juvenile cases, modeled on a “one judge, one family” system. This expansion would also free up much-needed space within our Judicial Courts Facility, giving Greene County the ability to house more circuit court judges. This proposal would require a partnership with the state, and it is Greene County’s No. 1 legislative priority for the 2008 legislative session.

Greene County, in conjunction with the city of Springfield, has formed a citizens’ committee tasked with studying our community’s criminal justice system needs and making recommendations to address them. The Safety & Justice Roundtable began meeting in December, and will continue to meet as long as needed to fully understand the system and recommend workable solutions.

We are working every day with our community partners to make the wisest decisions for county residents.

Dave Coonrod is Greene County Presiding Commissioner. Harold Bengsh, associate commissioner for District 1, and Roseann Bentley, associate commissioner for District 2, also contributed to this column. The commissioners may be reached through www.greenecountymo.org.