FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
 

Blunt Announces Designation for DREAM City Kirksville

      KIRKSVILLE - Gov. Matt Blunt today visited his DREAM Initiative’s newest designee, Kirksville, to discuss how his revitalization program will help the community create new growth and economic development opportunities.

            “I created the DREAM initiative to ensure that our small and medium-sized communities have their fair share of state support to help meet their full potential.  My DREAM program makes a long term investment in the heart of Missouri’s economy that works to revitalize and re-build vibrant downtowns across our state,” Gov. Blunt said. “Kirksville’s DREAM designation will provide them the tools they need to effectively revitalize their city center.”

     “Our community is right on the cusp of either making improvements that will enhance its vitality, or having everyone throw up their hands and walk away from a promising future.  We are confident that the DREAM Initiative will be the boost we need to reenergize our downtown initiative.  With the expert help of the staff of the State of Missouri available to us, we will be able to send a message to our community that our downtown is worth investing in.  It will do wonders to re-energize our downtown efforts,” Mayor Jeffrey Newton said.

     Kirksville feels that it is at a make or break point for its downtown and hopes the DREAM designation will facilitate state and private expertise that will keep the downtown moving forward and lead to further development and viability. The historic Traveler’s Hotel in downtown is being planned for redevelopment as an apartment building, maintaining it as a viable part of Kirksville’s downtown. Connecting downtown to Truman State University and A.T. Still University by means of a pedestrian walkway is a high priority for Kirksville. 

     Governor Blunt unveiled the DREAM Initiative last year to provide Missouri’s  small and mid-sized towns the same access to economic development tools as larger communities.  Selected communities become active members of the DREAM Initiative for three-years and gain prioritized access to state supported programs through ongoing cooperation among several unique agencies and funding sources.  Programs include technical and financial assistance for infrastructure improvements, historic preservation, affordable housing, community services, business development and job creation.

     “When I tasked the Department of Economic Development to evaluate our economic incentives, they found these tools were underutilized by small and medium communities because of their complexity,” Blunt said.  “With the DREAM initiative, we leveled the playing field to give our small and medium sized communities the same access to downtown development tools as our largest cities.”

     The governor’s DREAM Initiative supports a comprehensive approach to concentrate resources and available tools to allow communities to accomplish their broad-based and long term revitalization and redevelopment goals more quickly than ever before. 

     Applications were evaluated by representatives from the three DREAM Initiative partners, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Missouri Development Finance Board and the Missouri Housing Development Commission. The evaluation process included confirming applications were complete and attention to community capacity, vision, opportunity for private investment, broad community support and a comprehensive approach.

            Gov. Blunt introduced the first ten DREAM cities last year.  Since then, DREAM communities have received more than $30 million in state grants to rebuild, revitalize, and rejuvenate their downtowns.

     Aurora, Caruthersville, Chillicothe, Clinton, Maryville, Mexico, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston and Trenton join Kirksville as the second annual DREAM communities. Visit the DREAM Initiative Internet site at www.dream.mo.gov for more details.