Missouri: Commissioners say 'no' to Sustainable Development Consortium
Dwayne McClellan | Posted: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 11:00 am
The Salem News Online
Salem, Missouri - Dent County commissioners Monday voted 3-0 not to sign a Memorandum Agreement for the Sustainable Development Consortium as requested by the Meramec Regional Planning Commission.
The Sustainable Development Plan of HUD, EPA and the Department of Transportation, according to the Dent County Commission, is a joint effort to "reinvent" government using guidelines outlined in the United Nations Agenda 21.
MRPC will be seeking grant funding from these agencies to pay for its work on the project and is asking local cities and counties to support it.
Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles says the proposal would undermine private property rights and propose extreme environmental, social, economic and educational policies. These polices would be implemented worldwide by national, state and local governmental bodies through the use of Sustainable Development planning, programs and policies.
"The Dent County Commission is strongly opposed to the Socialist and Capitalist agenda of this UN program and is very disappointed that MRPC is willing to participate in it," according to a letter that will be sent to MRPC officials.
Skiles said he was disappointed in the process MRPC staff used to move the proposal forward. He said the proposal has not been placed on any printed MRPC agenda to be discussed. It was put in the consent agenda at the August board meeting, and the board passed the consent agenda.
"The placement of an issue like this at the last minute on the Consent Agenda is a terrible misuse of Consent Agenda, and several of the MRPC board members in attendance at the August 11 meeting don't recall any discussion or vote on this issue at all," according to the county's letter.
Skiles said at the Sept. 13 meeting of the MCEC board the issue once again, without being on the agenda, was sprung on the board as a last-minute item asking for MCEC's support.
"It is obvious that MRPC staff has worked diligently to keep MRPC board members in the dark as much as possible concerning this proposal, and this commission finds that just as troublesome as the proposal itself," according to the commission's letter.
The commission has asked MRPC to put this issue on the printed agenda for a future meeting and to allow someone knowledgeable about the subject to address the board and better educate all the board members.
Other news
• Skiles said Interoperable Solutions have agreed to proceed with installation of the project in Dent County. This is after the commissioner's approval of a $12,000 payment with the balance of $23,000 due when the system is installed and operational. The city of Salem and Salem Memorial District Hospital have agreed to pay $10,000 each toward the total $35,000 cost.
• County road crews are grading on roads 5170, 5220, 5600, 3090, 2380, 2390, 4283, 4285, 4287, repairing various chip and seal roads, hauling materials to roads 6200, 4380 and 3090, cutting brush on roads 4330 and 2400.
• Voter registration cards have been sent out to registered voters. Cards that need to be corrected should be sent back to the county clerk's office. For more information call the clerk's office at 729-4144.
• Commissioners Thursday accepted design drawings for a new bridge on Dent County Road 5680 near Bunker, formerly known as the Swiney Bridge. The designs were submitted by Great Rivers Associates. Designs were also sent to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
• Dave Southards and commissioners Thursday discussed road 5100.
• The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District received 16 grant applications for waste reduction and recycling totaling $228,407, according to Skiles. Fourteen applications were approved with full funding.