Forum Flashbacks: June 15-21
FORUM FILE PHOTO
25 YEARS AGO: Library 2000 – Jason, 6, and Eric Barmann, 8, display books checked out for the children’s section of the Maryville Public Library. The youngsters, sons of Rob and Camellia Barmann, are excited about the prospects of a bigger and better children’s section in the Library that will result from the improvements planned as a result of the current Library 2000 campaign.
5 years ago
While it may be something of a mystery to residents in the five-county region, the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments plays a major role in channeling state and federal dollars to rural communities — small towns that often lack the expertise and resources to deal effectively with distant bureaucracies in Jefferson City and Washington, D.C.
On Friday, the agency, which began life in 1968 following the legislative creation of the Northwest Missouri Regional Planning Commission, marked its 50th anniversary during a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce.
One of 20 such organizations in Missouri, the Regional Council serves about 40 member governments across Atchison, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway and Worth counties.
For those unfamiliar with the council, the organization consists (of) seven full-time and two part-time employees who bring decades of experience to the complicated, detail-driven and sometimes arcane craft of making sure government programs do what they’re supposed to do and help the people they’re supposed to help.
It is exacting and thankless work, but over the decades has yielded impressive results throughout the five-county area.
According (to) Regional Council Executive Director Todd Spencer, the agency, since its inception, has pulled in $111 million in local investment and $40 million in grant funding for its 40 member communities.
That aid has paid for everything from municipal infrastructure to disaster mitigation, economic development projects, job-creation programs, solid waste disposal and transportation planning.
25 years ago
It’s an aggravation. It’s destructive. There’s no reason for it.
That’s county officials’ opinions about the most recent vandalism on the courthouse lawn.
Commissioner Bob Westfall said he doesn’t understand why someone would choose to do something destructive for no apparent reason.
There have been other acts of vandalism around the courthouse in past months. Commissioners reported a light cover from one of the decorative lamps around the courthouse had been broken when someone apparently threw a beer bottle at it. The cost for replacing the light covers is more than $300.
Last fall Christmas lights were torn off the courthouse and an electric meter was pulled, leaving it uncovered and dangerous.
Commissioners examined the damage Friday morning and agreed they would have emergency repairs to replace the top cap to prevent further damage.
“We don’t want someone to come along and take off with the top cap,” Westfall said. “Or worse yet, drop it and break it.”
Presiding Commissioner Joe Baumli said a great deal of effort has been made by many dedicated people to beautify Maryville’s downtown square for future generations. He added it’s a shame when vandals destroy their work.
“This is public property,” he said. “It belongs to the citizens of the county. We do not take vandalism and destruction of public property lightly.”
100 years ago
Half Minute Interviews
Today’s question was:
“Should Maryville start a move to pave additional streets?”
C. W. Yehle, department store owner: “I feel that we must keep abreast of the times with all improvements. No town can be at a standstill. We either must go forward or backward at this time. The time to do anything is now. Nobody ever gained much by delaying.”
Bruce Montgomery, shoe merchant: “I should say it should. Nothing in the world would do more to advertise Maryville as more paved streets.”
Roy Hanna, cashier, First National Bank: “I believe we should. Maryville is really short of five and six room cottages and I believe it would be an incentive to build on the new streets. I doubt if there will be a material reduction in labor costs.”
Harry A. Miller, College professor: “I should say we should, for we certainly need it. I don’t know of any town as good or as large as Maryville that has dirt roads so close to the square. We ought to have more paved streets.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 100-year flashback is courtesy of the Missouri Digital Newspaper Project from the State Historical Society of Missouri, viewable at shsmo.newspapers.com. The original article ran in the June 16, 1923, edition of The Maryville Daily Democrat-Forum, which later would become the The Maryville Forum.
