Our History
The Truman Council was created in 1962 and was originally named the Ozark Gateway Council of Government. In the 1970s, our name changed and we became the Harry S Truman Coordinating Council. Beginning with only four communities, the Truman Council grew to encompass four counties and sixty-seven municipalities within those counties. The original Truman Council building was on Stones Corner in Airport Drive. We then moved to Carl Junction, to Joplin, and now most recently to downtown Neosho.
What We Do
There are nineteen regional planning commissions (RPCs) in Missouri, all operating under the Missouri Association of Councils of Government (MACOG). All RPCs in Missouri operate on a not-for-profit basis.
Each RPC is assigned to different jurisdictions within the state with the goal of serving their respective counties and municipalities. The Truman Council is available to assist our members by coordinating the needs of their area with other state and federal agencies, offering a technical staff capable of sharing expertise, and providing aid for various planning needs.
RPCs conduct a considerable amount of research in their day-to-day operations and often have a large amount of data and information available for use by our communities. Please contact us and we will help in any way that we can to provide assistance.
Services
We have numerous ways to assist our communities. When we apply for or write a grant on a community's behalf, we also manage all administration of the grant, including communication with the governmental agencies that fund the project. We know all of the ins and outs of grant writing which allow us to help the cities within our counties as much as possible. All projects are completed with the desire of creating growth for the community. Example projects for community and economic development include upgrading waste water facilities, recycling, composting, infrastructure projects, community parks or trails, and downtown revitalization—just to name a few.
We offer Comprehension Plans, which are designed to guide the future actions of a community. They explain the future vision of a community with long-term goals and objectives for all activities that affect the local government and residents. We write Hazard Mitigation plans, which reduce loss of life and property by minimizing the impact of disasters. The local municipalities identify natural disaster risks and vulnerabilities that are common within their area and we help create a plan to mitigate the risks of those disasters.
We also provide an array of environmental services, such as water testing and environmental reviews. Reviews are required for federally funded projects and allow our communities to make sure that their natural resources are protected from damage.
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