Carthage to be ‘Capital for a Day'
For one day, the busy department heads and politicians that run Missouri from Jefferson City will be at the beck and call of Carthage and Jasper County residents.
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt's "Capital for a Day" program is a unique opportunity for people outside Jefferson City to bend the ear of officials that would normally be hard to contact even for capital insiders.
"They were here all afternoon," said Greg Beavers, city administrator in Farmington, which was Capital for a Day in February.
"It was a great opportunity and we took advantage of it," Beavers said. "We took Mr. (Gregory) Steinhoff (Director of the Department of Economic Development) and the Governor to tour some local businesses and Doyle Childers (Director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources) to see our treatment plant and water wells.
"I would advise Carthage to embrace this opportunity and really make the most of it."
In an e-mail release, Blunt's office said the Governor along with many of his department heads and cabinet members will set up shop in the Jasper County Courthouse starting at 1 p.m. Friday and lasting the rest of the afternoon.
A press conference, set for 1 p.m., Friday at the Courthouse, will kick off the event.
"Officials from all the different offices will hold 'office hours,' at the courthouse from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.," said Nancy Gonder, a spokeswoman for Blunt. "The Governor and the different department heads may leave to tour their various regional offices and to see businesses and locations of concern to local officials."
Carthage is Blunt's fourth Capital for a Day.
Local officials said they had not been contacted by the Governor's office before the announcement of the event was made public on Monday, so no plans had been made for tours or presentations as of Monday afternoon.
Eastern District County Commissioner Jim Honey said the state departments will have tables set up for them in the first-floor lobby of the Jasper County Courthouse from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. on Friday.
He said the Governor and other officials can use the Commissioners office for any interviews or discussions that require privacy.
Gonder said many details are still being worked out on the state's end as well, so more announcements will be made later this week.
Beavers said the event was a unique opportunity for his community and a success despite some foul weather.
"I would encourage the people of Carthage to recognize the opportunity and get out to see these people," Beavers said. "Someone in Carthage has business before one of the state departments, whether it be the Department of Agriculture, Department of Revenue, Department of Health and Senior Services, Department of Transportation or any of them. This is a chance to get to see someone from each of these departments."
Carthage Press