By Melissa Dunson
mdunson@joplinglobe.com
SARCOXIE, Mo. — It took something falling apart to make things start to happen.
A couple years ago, one of the oldest and tallest buildings in Sarcoxie’s downtown collapsed. Others would follow if something wasn’t done soon.
Two years later, Gary Turner, Sarcoxie’s new director of economic development, said something is finally happening.
“I think we’re finally moving in a good direction here,” Turner said.
Along with help from Dick Largent, recently retired city of Joplin planner, and his consulting firm, Community Development Solutions, Sarcoxie just finished a master plan for the city’s future. The council should vote on a final draft of the plan soon during one of its upcoming meetings.
The preliminary plan for Sarcoxie’s future focuses on its history, Turner said, and specifically the downtown area. For years, Sarcoxie has touted itself as the oldest town in Jasper County and highlighted its Civil War history, especially the fact it is supposedly the first Missouri site to fly a Confederate flag.
Turner said the plan includes getting a historic designation for the city’s downtown, and hopefully, providing some funding for renovation projects to buildings on the square. He said it would also include streetscaping projects to improve sidewalks and street lighting that would go along with the historic theme.
The city recently formed the Sarcoxie Foundation, a nonprofit organization to help fund the renovation project. Turner said several individuals have already donated money to the fund, as well as the Sarcoxie Chamber of Commerce and the city of Sarcoxie.
The city is working to make Sarcoxie more marketable in the world of economic development. Turner said the city is voluntarily annexing some land to the east and west of the city, and a site north of Interstate 44.
Sarcoxie also is setting up a large enhanced enterprise zone. If the zone is approved, Turner said he would like to see more light manufacturing move into the area.
“At this point, we are preparing our infrastructure, so when we go out to market the community, we can say we have these places,” he said.
Turner said the city is also looking to play up its location near two major highways and three surrounding states. The hope is to attract logistical and transportation-related companies that will put smaller satellite offices in Sarcoxie.
“We don’t want to bring in one large industry,” Turner said. “Our objective is to bring in four to five smaller companies with 25 to 50 employees each.”
While Turner’s title with the city may be a volunteer position for now, the title shows a change in the way city leaders are thinking about the town’s future.
“Sarcoxie identified that they needed economic development,” Largent said. “They’re getting things stirred up now.”
Background
Gary Turner is an employee of New Directions Behavioral Health, an Overland Park-based company that sets up employee assistance programs. His wife was born and raised in Sarcoxie and the couple moved to Sarcoxie four and a half years ago. Turner served as the president of the Sarcoxie Chamber of Commerce for two years. He officially began acting as the city’s economic development director at the beginning of this year.
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