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City economic developer briefs council: childcare and housing constrain workforce; Kemper Place activity continues
Summary
The city’s economic developer briefed the council on retention and housing projects, workforce and childcare constraints, and plans to report after BCDC meetings; the developer cited Kemper Place RFI work, housing projects and the importance of childcare to manufacturers.
At the Feb. 3 Booneville City Council meeting the city’s economic developer provided a briefing on ongoing retention, workforce, housing and development activities and outlined a plan to routinely report after Booneville Community Development Corporation (BCDC) meetings.
The developer said they intend to present a summary to the council after each BCDC meeting (the board meets the fourth Thursday of each month) and that detailed materials used for BCDC deliberations are available in the meeting packet. The developer described recent activity at Kemper Place, including a request for information (RFI) tied to a project named “Magneto,” and said several site inquiries came from the Missouri Partnership but that no qualifying sites were identified for some projects.
On housing, the developer referenced a “$3.53 project” and said follow-up is needed; the developer said the developer for that project owes the city a plan. The briefing emphasized workforce-development work, noting that manufacturers consistently cite childcare availability and affordable housing as top constraints on hiring and retention.
The economic developer said staff has reconnected with local stakeholders and entrepreneurs and has pursued retention activities and workforce development as scaffolding for broader economic development. The developer described community activities and said they will continue coordinating with stakeholders and the council.
Council members did not make formal motions tied to this briefing; the developer sought direction only on the cadence of reporting to the council after BCDC meetings.
