City Administrator Leeann DeMouche addressed St. James City Council on Jan. 11 about a plan and vision for the city.

“If you’ll remember, in our budget, we started our theme, which was rooted in heritage growing toward tomorrow,” said DeMouche. “I’d like to use that.” 

She highlighted bullet points about the plan in her address, such as strengthening the local economy, housing, population growth, tourism, infrastructure investments, workforce, smart fiscal planning and small and regional corporations.

DeMouche started off by talking about strengthening the local economy.

“I’ve been talking to Kelly (Money) and the Chamber about doing a local business survey and talking to the local businesses around here about what constraints you have in growing your business here,” said DeMouche. “Still trying to attract new business into the city, but at the same time what can we do to build the businesses that we already have here, some of the time we don’t really know what their concerns are and they don’t sometimes come to us because they may not want to or whatever, but we’re here as a team, and we’re here to help them.”

She mentioned hypothetically that if one of the survey results was workforce, the city could help businesses partner together on workforce development. The city and the businesses could partner together, finding partnerships with the Missouri Institute of Science and Technology and local two-year schools (Rolla Technical Institute & Center).

“We can work with them and bring in these partnerships and hubs to work with them on building this workforce development for them,” said DeMouche. “In some cities, I’m gonna tell you where I came from, Las Cruces, there was a lack of nurses, and so you know we worked with the local college, and they built three different programs for nursing programs.”

She mentioned that the college in Las Cruces set up a six-month program, a two-year program, and a four-year program, and helped to support three hospitals in that area.

DeMouche transitioned into talking about housing and population growth.

“We really need to update our zoning codes; they just need a look through, and I’m not really, probably, the right person to do that,” said DeMouche. 

She mentioned that the city may want to reach out to local developers for rentals and starter homes.

“My neighbor across the street from me works at S&T, but they moved here instead of being in Rolla because they liked the small town,” said DeMouche. “They just really love living over here, and then they drive to Rolla for their job.”

She transitioned into tourism and branding. 

“St. James already has an asset that many towns probably envy, we do, we have the wineries and the public house brewing, the restaurants that are here, whenever my family comes down from New Mexico we always visit most of, you know we go to Spencer Manor, we got Sybill’s, we go to Country Bob’s,” said DeMouche. “I think Maramec Spring Park is the best-kept secret in the state.”

She mentioned that she’s talked to Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kelly Money about getting advertisements from out of state. 

DeMouche mentioned that Mayor David Lafferty has talked to her about bringing in more tech-oriented businesses.

“I am working and talking to Rolla Regional Economic (Commission),” said DeMouche. 

She said the council could send her questions about her vision via email.