County praises work of OFRPC

To the Editor:

As the end of my first year as the Presiding Commissioner of Butler County approaches, I along with the Butler County Commission would like to take this time to give some special recognition to a team of people whose efforts help make Butler County a better place to live for our families.

Under expert leadership of Executive Director Felicity Ray, the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission works tirelessly to solve problems and plan for future development for the people that live in the communities of the five counties of the Ozark Foothills region. Over the past five years, OFRPC has helped return almost $25 million of our state and federal tax dollars to the region. Felicity and her staff of Matt Winters, Michelle Allbritton, Camille Donnell and Andrew Murphy are true professionals that have succeeded in returning our federal tax dollars to much needed projects here in Butler County. This year, they have made the dream of the Butler County Industrial Park Railroad Overpass project a reality. There were three grants sought out and won totaling approximately $2 million. This project will kick off soon and we are expecting a completion date in 2016.

It is great having so many community partners that share the goal of improving Butler County. The Butler County Commission are thankful to have a resource like OFRPC that not only shares that vision but consistently produces results for the people of Butler County as well as the surrounding counties.

Vince Lampe,

Presiding Commissioner

Jeff Darnell,

Western District Commissioner

Don Anderson

Eastern District

Commissioner

Butler County