Volume 17Issue 11

December 25, 2010

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21CBT Conversation: Andrew SchneiderColumbia Regional Airport’s new manager has a packed agenda that includes runway improvements, construction of a US 63 interchange and service to a second hub city.

SPECIAL SECTION

Year in ReviewSee Page 16

Hinkson Dispute Intensiies City, county and university oficials make a inal plea to EPA staff to modify a proposed regulation affecting Hinkson Creek watershed, and the mayor asks for Council resolution.15

23Film Industry ForumWith a growing pool of resources and projects underway, the city’s ilm industry could be on the brink of something big.

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By Jacob Barker

This was the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac calendar, and perhaps that’s the best way to sum up the top news of 2010 in Columbia.

The biggest happening was no doubt the successful effort — dubbed Project Tiger — to lure IBM to the city. After the initial fanfare over Big Blue’s promise to provide 800 jobs, the May announcement colored the news through the remainder of the year.

This was also the year in which Columbia ofi-cially reached the 100,000 population threshold, which put the city on the map for many business executives.

And the business community let its roar be heard to great effect. The April election victories of business-backed candidates shifted the bal-ance of power on the City Council. Development interests campaigned hard to get their favored candidates into City Hall, and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce visibly entered local poli-tics by endorsing candidates for the irst time.

MU’s Tigers made themselves heard nation-wide again this year, too. The basketball and foot-ball teams will inish 2010 ranked in the top 20, which fuels enrollment for Columbia’s main eco-nomic engine. MU has continued to grow physi-cally and in overall payroll, as does its research spending and business incubation efforts.

The Year of the Tiger comes to a close soon, but its roar was loud enough to make many look toward mid-Missouri and take notice.

Year in Review:Tiger roars in 2010

(continued on Page 16)

By Dianna Borsi O’Brien

Russ Potterield, CEO of Battenfeld Technologies, acknowledged that his move to southern China with his wife and three young sons to establish a satellite ofice is quite unconventional.

The Chinese seem to ind their presence even more odd and often ask if they can take a picture of the unusually tall couple (both are more than 6 feet tall) as they walk around Shenzhen with their blond 2-year-old twins and 7-year-old son.

Potterield, however, said during an interview in his conference room on the 27th loor of a skyscraper that the move was “not a crazy thing to do.”

He looked out his window at the growing city of more than 9 million people and said: “This is where the opportunities are. It’s the second largest economy, and it’s exploding in front of us.”

It’s even a good thing for his children, who are learning Mandarin, a language of growing importance in the world of commerce.

They’ve taken to the new language like “ducks to water,” Potterield said, calling their growing language skills a gift he and his wife are giving to their children so they’ll be able to speak the language of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

Potterield is so convinced of the importance of Columbia irms connecting to China that though the company policy of Battenfeld Technologies, a spinoff of MidwayUSA, is to never talk to the media, he agreed to talk to a reporter in the ofice he opened seven months ago.

His hope is that the publicity will spur other Columbia business people to consider opening an office in China, a country he’s clearly smitten with — and with good reason.

(continued on Page 12)

Russ Potterfield’s China presence proving profitableBattenfeld improves logistics with satellite ofice

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Becket Taylor Insurance ....................................22

Boone County National Bank ............................32

Business Conference & Showcase Booth .........19

Caledon Virtual ..................................................25

City Of Columbia Water & Light ........................14

Columbia Regional Airport ................................23

Columbia Turf & Landscape ..............................27

Courtyard By Marriott ........................................24

Delta Systems ...................................................13

GFI Digital ............................................................3

Huber And Associates .........................................7

Information Management Securities .................26

Landmark Bank ...................................................2

Magic Service ..................................................... 8

Midwest Computech .........................................28

Moresource Inc ..................................................30

Providence Bank ...............................................21

Savant Business Development Systems ...........20

Socket ...............................................................31

Sycamore ..........................................................23

Tech 2 ..................................................................9

The Columbia Special Business District .............8

The Insurance Group ...........................................4

Triangle Blueprints .............................................13

Whiskey Wild Saloon .........................................15

Wine Cellar & Bistro ...........................................29

3M ...................................................................................................18AT&T ..................................................................................................5Axiom ..............................................................................................25Baker Productions ...........................................................................25Bass Pro Shops ...............................................................................12Battenfeld Technologies ..................................................1, 12, 13, 14Better Business Bureau .....................................................................5Big Brothers Big Sisters ....................................................................5BlueBird Media ............................................................................4, 17Boone County National Bank ........................................................4, 5Boone Hospital Cente .....................................................................10Boster Castle Studios................................................................23, 25Boxcar Films ..............................................................................23, 25Central Missouri Humane Society .....................................................5Central Trust & Investment Co. .........................................................4Citizen Jane Film Festival ................................................................24Clear Vision Development Group ....................................................27Columbia Access Television ............................................................25Columbia Board of Realtors ..............................................................5Columbia College ..................................................................5, 10, 18Columbia Daily Tribune ...............................................................8, 18Columbia Regional Airport ................................................1, 5, 21, 22Delta Air Lines ...........................................................................21, 22D.J. Case & Associates .....................................................................5First State Community Bank .......................................................4, 16Forum Development Group .............................................................17Goodwill ..........................................................................................17H3 Studio.........................................................................................18Hampton Inn and Suites ..................................................................18Holiday Inn.......................................................................................17IBM ..................................................................................1, 10, 16, 17Job Point ...........................................................................................5Joe Machens Dealerships ...............................................................18JW Broadcasting ...............................................................................4Landmark Bank ...........................................................................4, 13Leawood Plaza ................................................................................26Linen King ........................................................................................17LookOut Crew .................................................................................25Marshalls .........................................................................................18MidwayUSA ................................................................1, 8, 12, 13, 14Missouri Association of Realtors .......................................................5Missouri CORE Partnership...............................................................5Missouri Employers Mutual ...............................................................4Missouri Innovation Center .............................................................13Missouri Motion Media Association ................................................23Missouri Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs ..............30Missouri Research and Education Network ......................................4Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts ...............................................17Nanoparticle Biochem .....................................................................18NanoTechnology Enterprise Consortium ...........................................5Newsy.com ........................................................................................4N.H. Scheppers Distributing Company .............................................5Oxford HealthCare .............................................................................4Parkade Center ...............................................................................18PenguinSpark.com ..........................................................................20Primaris ...........................................................................................19Pure Cinematica ..................................................................23, 24, 25Regional Economic Development Inc. ........................................8, 10Rio Grande ......................................................................................13Shakespeare’s Pizza .................................................................20, 23Simon Oswald Associates .................................................................4Socket Telecom ...............................................................................17Spectrum Studios ...............................................................23, 24, 25Starbucks ........................................................................................13State Farm Insurance .......................................................................5Stephens College ...........................................................................10Steve Twitchell Production .............................................................25Toys”R”Us ......................................................................................18Trittenbach Development ...............................................................26True/False Film Festival ..................................................................24True Media-USA ...............................................................................4Truman VA Hospital ........................................................................10UMB Bank ........................................................................................5University Children’s Hospital .........................................................20University Hospital .....................................................................4, 10VA Mortgage Center .........................................................................4VANGEL ............................................................................................5Vest-Fiber ..........................................................................................8Walmart ...........................................................................................13William Woods University ..................................................................5

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9Year in Review: City Finances City Manager Bill Watkins says city’s inancial picture is better than expected, but conservative action is still necessary.

Year in Review: Social NetworkingScott Wendling explains how team CoMO is embracing the power of Facebook and Twitter and bringing national attention to the local level.

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usinessTimes.comThe Columbia Business Times is published every other Saturday by

The Business Times Co. 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100, Columbia, Mo 65202.

Copyright The Business Times Co., 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Third-class postage paid at Columbia, Mo. The annual subscription rate is $39.95 for 26 issues.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT:The Columbia Business Times strives to be Columbia’s leading source for timely and comprehensive news coverage of the local business community. This publication is dedicated to being the most relevant and useful vehicle for the exchange of information and ideas among Columbia’s business professionals.

Writers in this issue: Jacob Barker, Dianna Borsi O'Brien, David ReedColumnists in this issue: Kit Bond, Al Germond, Joseph Haslag, Tony Richards, Richard Royer, Bill Watkins, Scott Wendling

Chris Harrison | General Manager | Ext.1010David Reed | Group Editor | Ext.1013Jacob Barker | Assistant Editor | Ext.1009Katrina Tauchen | Copy Editor Alisha Moreland | Art DirectorKristin Branscom | Graphic DesignerBetsy Bell | Creative Marketing DirectorCindy Sheridan | Operations ManagerAnnie Jarrett | Marketing RepresentativeJoe Schmitter | Marketing RepresentativeAshley Meyer | Creative Services

(573) 499-1830 | (573) 499-1831 faxeditor@businesstimescompany.comAdvertising information: info@businesstimescompany.com

EDITOR’S WElCOME

Who really reads CBT? Along with the Christmas cards from readers and busi-ness associates, the good tidings brought into the ofice this holiday season included a report that even Scrooge would appreciate: the annual Publication Audit Report.

The Columbia Business Times and its sister pub-lications, Columbia Home & Lifestyle and Jefferson City Magazine, pay the independent Circulation

Veriication Council to conduct the audits.Much of the report is dry stuff, such as verifying

that the CBT, a controlled and paid circulation biweekly, has a circulation of 6,133 and growing subscription rate.

The more interesting material is in the back, the survey of CBT readers. The council randomly inter-viewed 293 people from the mailing list, which is nearly 5 percent of the total circulation and a much larger percentage than most national surveys.

The council said the interviews revealed that more than 94 percent regularly read the Columbia Business Times. The survey determined that nearly all of you not only read the CBT, but you also tend to pass it around the ofice for other people to read.

The typical multiplier in the magazine industry — average readers per edition during the audit period — is about 2.5. The audit and readership survey found that the multiplier for the CBT is 4.55. That means about 26,350 people read

the CBT. The multiplier has gone up more than a point since the last audit, which indicates the magazine is becoming more popular and is par-ticularly gratifying.

People often say when I ask them about the CBT that they read it “cover to cover,” and I’m glad to learn that they aren’t just telling me what they think I want to hear.

Other highlights from the survey: • Asked how long they keep the CBT before dis-

carding it, 34 percent said one to two days, 10 percent said three to four days, 8 percent said ive to six days and an incredible 48 percent said a week or more, which helps explain the large pass-around rate.

• Ninety-six percent of the readers surveyed are between the ages of 25 and 64, compared with 66 percent in the mid-Missouri market, and 61 percent were between 35 and 54.

• Readers are relatively afluent and highly edu-cated; 41 percent make more than $100,000 a year, compared with 14 percent at that income level in the overall market; and 70 percent have graduated college, compared with 34 percent in the market.

• In the categories best loved by the marketing reps, 90 percent said they make the purchasing decisions for their companies, and 75 percent said yes to the question of whether they “fre-quently purchase products or services from ads seen in the Columbia Business Times.”Now, if 94 percent of the people who started

reading this relatively boring column are still reading it, hats off to you! Send me an e-mail, and I’ll send you a greeting card to show my appreciation.

DavidR@businesstimescompany.

com

David Reed

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We want to hear from you. Please e-mail

your submissions to editor@

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HiringsBanking and inanceCentral Trust & Investment Co. named Reed Murphy the new chief investment oficer of

the irm. Murphy joins Central Trust after working for Bank of America, Alliance Bernstein and Commerce Bank.

David Putnam was hired as president of First State Community Bank’s Columbia loca-tions. First State bought Premier Bank’s Columbia operations and on July 2 converted three former Premier Bank ofices into First State locations. Putnam was a senior loan oficer for Premier.

Steve Guthrie was named senior vice president and chief inancial oficer of Landmark Bank. Guthrie oversees the bank’s inancing, treasury and accounting operations. Previously, Guthrie worked for Capmark Finance in Philadelphia as senior vice president of internal audit and risk and controls. A Columbia native, Guthrie is a licensed CPA and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Missouri and his M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Greg Steinhoff, executive vice president and director of sales at Boone County National Bank, joined the VA Mortgage Center on Oct. 20. Steinhoff, a Columbia native, was director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development from 2005 to October 2008, when he was hired by BCNB. Before joining the DED, Steinhoff owned and operated a home health care business, OptionCare, which grew to a company of more than 400 employees.

Health careOxford HealthCare, which this year expanded into Boone County and 10 surrounding

counties, announced the hiring of Scott Andrews as executive director of its mid-Missouri region. Andrews has more than 11 years of home care experience and is a former board chairman and member of the Missouri Council for In-Home Services and the Missouri Alliance for Home Care.

Higher educationJohn Gillispie was hired as the executive director of the Missouri Research and Education

Network, one of the nation’s irst and largest statewide research and education networks. MOREnet links nearly 800 Missouri K-12 schools, public libraries, higher education institu-tions, telehealth sites and state agencies across a private integrated network. MOREnet is a unit within the University of Missouri and housed in Columbia. Gillispie started Jan. 11.

Dr. Kirt Nichols was elected chief of staff at University Hospital and began his two-year term Jan. 1. Nichols joined University Hospital in 1973 and served as chief of staff from 1994 to 2005. He is chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery, vice chair of the Hugh E. Stephenson Jr., M.D., Department of Surgery and professor of surgery at the MU School of Medicine.

Daniel Clay, former associate dean at Auburn University’s College of Education, was named dean of the College of Education at the University of Missouri. The appointment became effective June 1. Clay received his master’s degree and doctorate from MU. His research focuses on the best ways to integrate children with chronic health conditions into the education system. Clay replaced Carolyn Herrington, who left the post in August 2008. Rose Porter, former dean of the MU Sinclair School of Nursing, has been serving as interim dean.

In May, University of Missouri Provost Brian Foster appointed Joan Gabel as dean of the Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business. Previously, Gabel served as a DeSantis professor and chair of the Department of Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate and Business Law at the Florida State University College of Business.

Greg Williams was hired as the director of University of Missouri System research parks, a statewide network of parks, research centers and incubators that fosters technology-related business growth in close partnership with the research programs of the university. He reports to Mike Nichols, vice president of research and economic development of the system, and lives in Columbia. Williams has more than 24 years of experience in economic development. Since 1995 he has served as senior vice president of economic development for the Springield Chamber of Commerce.

Selcen Phelps, assistant professor of accounting, business, economics and management information systems, was named the William Gordon Buckner Endowed Chair in Business by the Westminster Board of Trustees at the recent board meeting. For the past ive years, she has taught at Westminster.

InsuranceThe board of directors of Missouri Employers Mutual named Roger B. Wilson president

and CEO. Wilson was named interim president and CEO eight months ago after Dennis Smith stepped down as head of the state’s largest provider of workers compensation insur-ance. Wilson is a former governor and lieutenant governor.

MediaChris Evans has been promoted to media director for True Media-USA. Evans joined

True Media in the summer of 2009 as associate media director and brought with him eight years of experience as a media planner and supervisor of traditional and new media for Starcom MediaVest Group in Detroit. Evans’ previous agency experience includes devel-oping media plans for national and regional accounts such as Hummer, Cadillac, Pontiac and Goodwrench. He oversees True Media’s staff of planners and buyers in the Columbia and St. Louis ofices and handles the agency’s numerous research and software vendor relationships.

JW Broadcasting promoted Erica Nochlin to weeknight co-anchor of ABC 17 News at 10 and ABC 17 News at 9 on FOX 22. Beginning March 7, Nochlin teamed with Ryan Tate to anchor the lagship station’s 10 p.m. newscast Sunday through Thursday. She also anchors the 9 p.m. news, which airs on FOX 22. Nochlin continues to report for the stations on a daily basis. She took over the late night newscasts from Brynn Gingras, who took a reporting job in Hartford, Conn. Nochlin is a Kansas City-area native who has been with the stations since August 2007. She started as a reporter and was promoted to weekend anchor/reporter in June 2008.

Eric Fogle has been named chief executive oficer of BlueBird Media. The Columbia-based company received a $45 million grant from the US Commerce Department to build an ultra-high-capacity, middle-mile network to northern Missouri. Fogle, who lives in Ashland, grew up in Columbia and earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Missouri. He worked for 10 years in Atlanta for AT&T and in a BellSouth Telecommunications broadband product development organization. Seven years ago, he returned to Missouri and started a consultancy irm, Broadband Consulting Group. He was a co-founder of ShareTracker, a market research company, which was sold to California-based Nielsen Company. He became vice president of product development at Nielsen Mobile.

Newsy.com, the video news analysis service, hired Stefanie Riepe as business manager. Riepe joined Newsy.com after ive years at Simon Oswald Associates, where she was the busi-ness manager. Prior to Simon Oswald Associates, Riepe was the cash manager for Affordable Equity Partners. Riepe received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois

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Nichols WilliamsGuthrie EvansMurphy Gabel McBride

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University. Her primary responsibilities at Newsy.com include managing ofice services, human resources, accounting and vendor management.

Nonproits and governmentAdrian McBride was hired as branch manager of the Columbia branch of the Better

Business Bureau. McBride is a former MU and NFL wide receiver and was a career coun-selor for student athletes.

Columbia resident Michael Brown was hired as CEO of the Columbia Board of Realtors. Brown, a graduate of the MU School of Law, was the communications director for the Yes to Save Homes campaign, the group that advocated for the passage of Amendment 3, which amended the state constitution to outlaw real estate transfer taxes.

Columbia native Sara Parker Pauley was hired as director of the Department of Natural Resources. She was previously project manager for D.J. Case & Associates, a nat-ural resources communications irm, and served as the deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources, as executive vice president of a distributed power company, as chief of staff to former Missouri House Speaker Steve Gaw and as director of conservation programs for the American National Fish and Wildlife Museum. Parker Pauley currently resides in Hartsburg.

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce named lexi Klaus as the organization’s director of government affairs. Klaus is a Columbia native and graduate of Rock Bridge High School and the Chamber’s Junior Leadership Columbia program. She graduated from Westminster College and is continuing her education at William Woods University in the master’s of business administration-direct program.

Suzanne Rothwell is the new director of membership at the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Her job duties include soliciting new members to the Chamber and retaining current members. Rothwell has been involved with the Chamber as a representative for State Farm Insurance Companies, where she has worked for 13 years, mostly in public relations management.

The Missouri CORE Partnership has named Gary laffoon as its new executive director. Laffoon, a Missouri native, started March 1. He illed the vacancy created when CORE’s irst executive director, Mike Downing, left in October to return to the Missouri Department of Economic Development. CORE (Connecting Our Regional Economy) is a not-for-proit organization based in Jefferson City that represents Boone and 11 other counties in mid-Missouri. On behalf of these counties and other private investors such as the University of Missouri and Ameren, CORE works to facilitate the attraction of new businesses and promotes major projects that have a regional impact. Laffoon returns to central Missouri by way of Bentonville, Ark., where he managed site selection nationally for Walmart’s Distribution Center network. For the past year, he has owned and operated his own site selection irm.

Mark Maus has been selected to serve as principal at Rock Bridge High School. Maus was the assistant principal at Oak Park High School in the North Kansas City School District and replaced Kathy Ritter, who announced her retirement in January.

Tracey Conrad has been selected to serve as the next principal at Hickman High School. Conrad replaces Michael Jeffers, who announced his departure in February. Conrad was previously assistant principal at Hickman High School. She has 25 years of experience in education and started out as a teacher. Conrad holds a doctorate in education from the University of Missouri. Conrad’s selection is the culmination of a process that included a screening committee of teachers, parents and administrators.

The Job Point board of directors selected James loveless as the employment cen-ter’s president. Loveless retired in 2007 after a 32-year career with the Missouri Department of Conservation, which included management of all conservation areas in central Missouri. He has continued to serve part time as special assistant to the department’s director. Among community volunteer activities, he served three terms on the Columbia City Council. Job Point has been providing career planning and job placement assistance since 1965.

Anne Cicero was appointed communications director for the Missouri Association of Realtors. She is responsible for the association’s print and Web communications. Cicero for-merly worked for the University of Missouri System’s Ofice of Strategic Communications, where she was a speechwriter, editor and designer for the university president and execu-tive leadership.

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce hired Kate Stull as director of the Women’s Network. Stull also works with the Small Business Committee and coordinates Executive Connections, Small Business Week and the Micro Business Fair. Stull, who grew up in Columbia and attended Rock Bridge High School, started her career in advertising in Arizona before moving back to Columbia and joining VANGEL as an account executive three years ago.

The city named Andrew Schneider of Jamestown, N.D., the new director of Columbia Regional Airport. Schneider was director of Jamestown Regional Airport since April of 2008.

TechnologyThe NanoTechnology Enterprise Consortium hired Rob Monsees as its new executive

director. NTEC is a public-private partnership of business, public and private academic institutions. The mission of NTEC is to facilitate collaboration between small, medium and large member companies, university researchers, government entities and private funding sources in the application of nanotechnology to create innovative products for industrial

and military use, including the defense, biomedical, energy and agriculture sectors. Prior to joining NTEC, Monsees served as executive director of the Missouri Technology Corporation and in senior executive branch and policy positions at the state and federal level. Members of the NanoTechnology Enterprise Consortium include the University of Missouri, NEMS/MEMS Works of Columbia and four other Missouri companies. NTEC operates under the umbrella of Nanotechnology Enterprises Inc., a Missouri nonproit whose purpose is to help develop the nanotechnology cluster in the state. Monsees also serves as the executive director of NEI, which is located in Columbia.

PromotionsJoseph Priesmeyer was named president of N.H. Scheppers Distributing Company

and replaced Joseph Scheppers, who remains the company’s chairman. Priesmeyer, who lives in Columbia, previously worked as vice president of sales and marketing at the bev-erage company.

The Central Missouri Humane Society announced the hiring of Alan Allert as execu-tive director. Allert has served as the interim executive director since November.

UMB Bank appointed Tony Mayield the Central Missouri Region president. Mayield is now responsible for the Columbia, Jefferson City, Warrensburg/Whiteman/ Windsor and Warsaw/Clinton markets. He assists local market leaders in developing retail and commercial teams throughout the Central Missouri region and leads retail and commer-cial banking activities in the regional market. Mayield joined UMB in 2005 as a commer-cial lender and was most recently community bank president of Columbia.

Tad Johnsen was picked by City Manager Bill Watkins to head the Water and Light Department. Johnsen previously served as the superintendent for power production in the department.

AT&T named Craig Felzien the new director of external affairs for the Columbia area. Felzien, whose new task is to work with local and state oficials to represent AT&T’s interests, already serves parts of the St. Louis area, Franklin County and northeastern Missouri area.

Boone County National Bank named linda Crigler vice president and regional man-ager of community banks in Hallsville, Centralia, Sturgeon, Boonville and Ashland.

Departureslori Fleming resigned as the city of Columbia’s Finance director on Dec. 3. She led the

department since 1995 and left the city to take a job with the US Treasury Department to advise the Honduran government on International Public Accounting Standards.

Carol van Gorp resigned as CEO of the Columbia Board of Realtors to take a similar job in Florida. Van Gorp led the organization for seven years, and her last day was in late April. She became the CEO of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches in Lake Worth.

Columbia Fire Chief William Markgraf informed City Manager Bill Watkins that he will retire on Jan. 5. Markgraf began his ireighting career volunteering for the East Joliet Fire Department in 1955. He began teaching ireighters in the mid-1960s and was director of ire science at Columbia College. He left that post to serve as University City’s ire chief, a position he held for 11 years before moving to Columbia. He has served as Columbia’s ire chief for 22 years.

Columbia Ofice of Cultural Affairs Manager Marie Nau Hunter will resign her posi-tion, effective February 2011. Hunter joined the city staff as a cultural program assistant in 1997, advanced to cultural program specialist and attained her current position in 2001. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history and archaeology from MU. During her time with the city, the Missouri Arts Council and state Department of Economic Development designated Columbia the state’s irst “creative community.”

UM Curator Bo Fraser announced his plans to resign from the UM Board of Curators. Former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt appointed Fraser in 2007, and his term does not expire until 2013. Whoever replaces Fraser will only serve out the two remaining years of his term.

AwardsColumbia College’s head basketball coach and athletic director Bob Burchard

received the National Association of Basketball Coaches Guardians of the Game Award for Leadership on April 4. In 22 seasons as head basketball coach at Columbia College, Burchard’s teams have averaged almost 25 wins and have become perennial contenders in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Sabrina McDonnell of Landmark Bank won the local ATHENA Award, and Kerrie Bloss with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri won the ATHENA Young Professional Award. Women’s Network presented the awards at the 16th annual ATHENA banquet on April 22 at the University Club. The award recipients must demonstrate excel-lence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession, provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community and actively assist women in achieving their full leadership potential.

Richard Weiman, solid waste utility manager for the city of Columbia, was named Professional Manager of the Year in Solid Waste. The award was presented at the APWA International Congress and Exposition in Boston on Aug. 15. Weiman was recognized for exceptional management and innovations to the public sector solid waste industry. He has headed the city’s Solid Waste Division for 35 years, and during that time Columbia’s solid waste programs have made innovations in landill design, composting, household hazardous waste collections, trash routing and equipment purchases. v

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Allertlaffoon MayieldMaus StullRothwell PutnamConrad

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PEOPLE yOu SHOuLD KNOW 2010 REvIEW

Most people don’t know that:A. I was attacked by a lion in Africa and came very close to being mauled 100 miles from the nearest hospital. It makes you appreciate life and realize your place in the food chain.

B. I have run three Boston Marathons.

C. I am a music lover, especially country music. I just ran my irst half marathon at the Country Music Marathon in Nashville with my friends Bert Hughes and Shawn Von Tagle and got to hear some great country music.

D. I used to be a DJ in college. That’s why I had all those dance-pop CDs in my collection.

E. I read mostly hard science iction. I like it because I like exploring ideas of how the near, and far, future will unfold.

F. I was a Chicago Cubs bat girl for one game when I was 9 years old. I was probably more excited about the free Polaroid camera I won, but I did take a picture of Jody Davis in the dugout with my new camera.

G. I have a shameless obsession for reality TV shows. I’m totally amused by the people and all their antics. I just ind it hard to believe people will do such ridiculous things and allow it to be shown on television.

1. L

2. E

3. G

4. R

5. Q

6. S

7. A

8. J

9. B

10. D

11. I

12. O

13. C

14. M

15. H

16. n

17. P

18. F

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KEY

INSTRUCTIONS: Test your People You Should Know IQ. Match the quotes with the photos.

Read full proiles at columbiabusinesstimes.com. Click "People" category link.

do You know These people now?

Kari Dowell

1.Dan Goldstein

2.Michelle Schawo

3.Jared Reynolds

4.Brant Bukowsky

5.Tim Crockett

6.Brent Beshore

7.Shelly Devore

8.

Helen Anthony

9.Jerry Dowell

10.Todd Culley

11.Stephanie Rosskopf

12.Rob Wolverton

13.Tad Johnsen

14.Joel Kreisman

15.Keith Politte

16.

Bob McDonald

17.Barbara Buffaloe

18.Byron Hill

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PEOPLE yOu SHOuLD KNOW 2010 REvIEW

H. I traveled to see more than 60 Grateful Dead concerts from 1984 to 1995 and saw Jerry Garcia’s last performance at Soldier Field in Chicago.

I. I took a year off between high school and college and lived in a truck camper for seven months during a record-setting cold Colorado winter without electricity. I worked at a marble shop and beat unused cultured, hardened marble out of ive-gallon buckets with a hammer so the buckets could be reused — all at minimum wage. This provided me the opportunity to earn and save money to go to college (using a friend’s address to establish residency and qualify for in-state tuition).

J. I suffer from coulrophobia (an extreme fear of clowns) and think that the jack-in-the-box toy is the most depraved thing ever invented.

K. My graduate school studies at Southern Illinois University were interrupted in 1965 when I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After training as an infantry and artillery oficer, I served in Vietnam with the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines. After the war, I continued a 30-year career in the Marine Corps Reserve and retired as a colonel in 1995.

l. I performed with my high school dance team at the Barcelona Olympic Village during the 1992 summer games.

M. I would rather read a technical manual than a novel and have always enjoyed mowing grass. I took my parents lawn mower apart as a kid and had two extra parts after reassembly, but it still ran.

N. I had my 21st birthday in Agra, India, at the Taj Mahal.

O. Throws a mean changeup that will have you swinging out of your cleats.

P. I ran the only mountain rodeo in the United States for three years in Colorado.

Q. My brother and I started our irst company with 75 cents. Every other business has grown from reinvesting the money we made from that company, and it all traced back to that initial 75 cents in startup capital.

R. I have lived through my house being destroyed by a tornado when I was in middle school. The roof was literally ripped off my bedroom.

S. My wife and I started dating when she was a freshman in high school (I was a junior). We have been together ever since. v

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ECONOMIC INDEx | InDICATORS

RECEIPTS Hotel Tax Receipts October 2010: $187,238October 2009: $173,663Change (#): $13,575Change (%): 7.8%

1% Sales Tax Receipts September 2010: $1.74 millionSeptember 2009: $1.66 millionChange (#): $78,987Change (%): 4.8% Fiscal Year-to-Date 2010: $19.79 milFiscal Year-to-Date 2009: $19.37 milChange (#): $428,646Change (%): 2.2%

LABOR Columbia Labor Force November 2010: 93,497November 2009: 93,478Change (#): 19Change (%): .02%

Missouri Labor Force November 2010: XXXXNovember 2009: XXXXChange (#): XXXXChange (%): % Missouri Labor Force November 2010: 2,991,368November 2009: 3,001,260Change (#): -9,892Change (%): -.3%Columbia Unemployment

November 2010: 5,734November 2009: 5,688Change (#): 46Change (%): .8% Missouri Unemployment November 2010: 275,960November 2009: 276,912Change (#): -952 Change (%): .3% Columbia Unemployment Rate November 2010: 6.1%November 2009: 6.1%Change (#): 0

Missouri Unemployment Rate November 2010: 9.2%November 2009: 9.2%Change (#): 0

CONSTRUCTIONBuilding Permits Residential November 2010: 201November 2009: 133Change (#): 68Change (%): 51.1% Value – Residential November 2010: $12.7 millionNovember 2009: $8 millionChange (#): $4,718,126Change (%): 59.0%

Detached Single Family Homes

November 2010: 27November 2009: 28Change (#): -1Change (%): -3.6%

Value – Single Family Homes November 2010: $5.19 millionNovember 2009: $5.93 millionChange (#): -747,400Change (%): -12.6%

Commercial November 2010: 20November 2009: 19Change (#): 1Change (%): 5.3% Value – Commercial November 2010: $8.58 millionNovember 2009: $2.12 millionChange (#): $6.46 millionChange (%): 304.9%

Commercial Adds./Alterations November 2010: 15November 2009: 16Change (#): -1Change (%): -6.3%

Value – Commercial Adds./Alterations November 2010: $4.78 millionNovember 2009: $1.94 millionChange (#): $2.84 millionChange (%): 145.8%

HOUSINGBoone County detached single-family homesUnits Sold November 2010: 106November 2009: 183Change (#): -77Change (%): -42.1%

Volume of Sales November 2010: $15.4 millionNovember 2009: $21.5 millionChange (#): -$6,167,282Change (%): -28.6%

Median Price November 2010: $159,000November 2009: $135,000Change (#): $24,000Change (%): 17.8%

Months of InventoryNovember 2010: 12.6November 2009: 7.7Change (#): 4.9Change (%): 63.6%

Foreclosures in Boone County November 2010: 25November 2009: 20Change (#) -5Change (%) -25%

COLUMBIA REGIONAL AIRPORTPassengers on Arriving Planes

November 2010: 3,259November 2009: 2,134Change (#): 1,125Change (%): 52.7%

Passengers on Departing PlanesNovember 2010: 3,250November 2009: 2,092Change (#): 1,158Change (%): 55.4% UTILITIES Water Customers November 2010: 44,997November 2009: 44,519Change (#): 478Change (%): 1.1%

Electric Customers November 2010: 45,385November 2009: 45,015Change (#): 370Change (%): 0.8%

Sewer Customers – Residential November 2010: 40,614November 2009: 40,533Change (#): 81Change (%): 0.2%

Sewer Customers – CommercialNovember 2010: 3,632November 2009: 3,636Change (#): -4Change (%): -0.1%

Contributors include: Laura Peveler, Karen Johnson, Sean Moore, Linda Rootes, Sarah Talbert and Lee Terry

Compiled by David W

alle

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CBT BuSINESS NEWS DIGEST

What’s AheadThe City Council will consider a resolution Jan.

3 sought by Mayor Bob McDavid that would ask the Environmental Protection Agency to modify impending regulations limiting stormwater runoff into the Hinkson Creek. At the request of McDavid and Boone County Commissioner Karen Miller, city, county and University of Missouri oficials met with EPA representatives to present their arguments against the scope of the impending regulations. During the meeting at the EPA’s regional headquarters in Kansas City, local oficials asked for a phased approach to reducing pollutants into the Hinkson as well as new stream studies to update older data and allow the entities to better target spending. The EPA is expected to get a 30-day extension, until the end of January, to inalize the regulations stemming from a Sierra Club lawsuit. (See story, Page 15).

The Columbia Tax Increment Financing Commission on Jan. 4 will vote on a recommen-dation to apply the property tax break to the Regency Hotel project downtown.

Developer Dave Parmley wants $3.2 million in TIF assistance for his proposal to build a $17.5 million structure on the Regency site to be called Hotel Indigo. The city has indicated it might buy some of the land from Parmley to develop a parking garage that would serve, among other things, a proposed residential development at College and Walnut streets. The City Council will review the commission’s recommendation if it’s adopted.

What’s HappenedBoone County on Dec. 16 adopted its 2011

budget, which calls for $48.7 million in spending and projects revenue at $42.6 million. Reserves would cover the gap.

The Columbia Daily Tribune announced a major reorganization Dec. 22 in which Publisher Hank Waters’ two children, Andy Waters and Elizabeth Waters, will buy out four other family members. Andy Waters will take over as presi-dent and general manager starting Jan. 1. General Manager Jack Waters and Vice President Mary Waters will retire. Associate Publisher vicki Russell will become publisher, and Hank Waters will take the title of publisher emeritus and still write his daily editorials.

The UM Board of Curators delayed a deci-sion on possible changes to its retirement plan. UM System President Gary Forsee said earlier this year that he wanted a decision to be made on whether the university would transition to a deined-contribution plan for retirees instead of the current deined-beneit plan. In November, he said a decision did not have to be made by December but did not rule out the possibility. He also formed an employee committee to continue studying the issue.

The Boone County commission approved a new Chapter 100 bond policy Dec. 21 that allows up to 100 percent of personal property tax and up to 50 percent of real estate tax abatement for data centers, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported. Regional Economic Development Inc. and city and county oficials have been in close contact with companies looking to build a large data center in the Ewing Industrial Park at the northern edge of the city. Earlier this year, REDI oficials lobbied the state legislature during the regular and special sessions in an attempt to convince it to pass special incentives for data centers that applied to the Ewing industrial area.

In March, the City Council passed special electric rates for large power users, which allows them to negotiate rates based on what the city pays to purchase power from the electric grid.

Census data released Dec. 22 conirmed that Missouri would lose one seat of its Washington delegation. Missouri and other states in the rust belt have not kept up with the popula-tion growth in the West and South. Two of its neighbors, Illinois and Iowa, will also lose a congressional representative. The Republican-controlled legislature will redraw districts during the legislative session, but they must be approved by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon. If the two sides cannot agree, a judge will decide. Early reports indicate that the 3rd District, cur-rently occupied by Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, is likely to be targeted for removal.

Congress on Dec. 16 dropped the effort to pass a $1.2 trillion appropriations bill that included $11 million worth of earmarks attached by Sen. Kit Bond that would have directly beneited mid-Missouri and the University of Missouri. Among those earmarks were $425,000 to develop a small business incubator in the ground loor of the new Walnut Street parking garage and $1.5 million for the future northeast extension of Stadium Boulevard to Interstate 70.

Boone County decided not to change how it distributes road tax funds to municipalities and left the existing formula intact in its 2011 budget. A week earlier, Gary Reidel, who repre-sented the Centralia Special Road District, indi-cated the road district was likely to challenge in court a proposed new formula distributing county road taxes, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported. Many smaller municipalities in Boone County stood to lose from a new formula that redistributed funds to road districts and cities based on assessed valuation.

vest-Fiber, which makes iberglass products and primarily caters to wind turbine producers, announced it plans to invest $2 million to build a factory in Moberly that will create 50 jobs. Missouri is offering the company $128,318 in Quality Jobs tax credits, which a company receives after creating a certain number of jobs.

MidwayuSA oficially received the Malcolm Baldrige Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 16. The award is given to compa-nies that exemplify organizational quality and excellent performance. MidwayUSA was one of ive organizations to receive the award last year.

The Mu College of veterinary Medicine received a $3.4 million gift from James Redhage’s estate. The money will create an endowment to pay the salaries of three third-year residents in the college and provide each a $1,000 stipend for training and conferences.

Google said on its oficial blog Dec. 15 it would delay selecting a city to build its experi-mental, ultra-high-speed broadband network. In March, Columbia submitted an application to the search engine giant that argued it was the best candidate for the network. It is competing against 1,100 other cities. Google said it would make an announcement in early 2011.

After hearing a report on the downtown Charrette Dec. 15, the Special Business District board declined to take a position on the concep-tual plan for the future development of down-town. Some SBD members seemed concerned that the Charrette might hamper a developer with an idea different from those within the document. v

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vOICESFrom the Roundtable

how Columbia should feel about year-end economic condition

Al Germond

Al Germond is the host of the "Sunday

Morning Roundtable" every Sunday at 8:15

a.m. on KFRu. Algermond@gmail.com

Why did the local economy get a bit of a breather this year compared with much of the rest of the USA?

Perhaps it's because Columbia is the University of Missouri's “factory town” and harbors major medical and insurance complexes while toting other economic perks too numerous to enumerate.

Although a modest recovery has been underway for months, let's not get too arrogant about our relatively safe harbor because it appears that next year, and maybe a few years out, will be mined with state budget shortfalls.

Gone are the conditions of the 1990s when the Columbia-Boone County rate of unemployment cruised below 2 percent. But thank you very much for the recent dip to 6 percent.

Through careful budgeting and an unexpected increase in sales tax revenue as the year wound down, Columbia as a municipal enterprise dodged the deicit bullet. Our scrupulously cau-tionary oficials note, however, that the city had better mind its inancial knitting as it encounters such big ticket items such as pension funding and the imbroglio over the Hinkson Creek.

Things we should feel good about include steady growth at MU, Columbia College and Stephens College. Despite reduced state support, MU’s building program continues with particular emphasis on expanding University Hospital to the

tune of more than $200 million. This is coupled with the latest expansion nearing completion at Boone Hospital Center, an addition at the Truman VA Hospital and the construction of an orthopedic center. Columbia also continues to move forward as a major retail center and with reliable jet air service to a major hub. These conditions in the 2010s maintain Columbia as a target for continued economic development.

We scored a big one last May when IBM chose Columbia as the site for a new service center that aims to employ 800 people. Regional Economic Development Inc. has been reinvigorated and is adopting the techniques of economic develop-ment long practiced elsewhere. City leaders hinted at year's end that Columbia was among the few competitors left in the inal running for a couple of other major projects, including a huge data center.

More dismaying were the announced depar-tures of several key igures in City Hall, including Finance Director Lori Fleming and City Manager Bill Watkins. The business community has found Watkins, who plans to leave in March, to be a true friend, with an ability to exercise just the right balance of tact and understanding as he sought to wrestle with the community's cornucopia of spe-cial interests.

Earlier this year, voters decided to realign the balance of power on the City Council by moving

two conservative businessmen into seats that in recent years were illed by academics who were more liberal. Just as startling was Dr. Bob McDavid's strong victory over challenger Jerry Wade. Voters decided to favor a dynamic take-charge guy over the somewhat laid-back former councilman from the 4th Ward.

Columbia has long had many great things going for it, but the community is encased in a state that seems to have lost its way. Wake up, Missouri, because the Show-Me State really has so many great things going for it as well. Based on its strategic location alone and relatively low cost of living, businesses should be migrating here from high-tax states in droves. Yet, we continue to be bypassed.

Columbia has to be careful about husbanding its good fortune, but we just might have what it takes to get the rest of the state moving again. Could Columbia become the center of a diamond-shaped region of economic development, encompassing the two biggest metropolitan areas to the east and west and Kirksville and Rolla north and south?

Hopefully we already appreciate examples of regional resurgence, the biggest being the new manufacturing employment in Moberly. The next step is to make this a statewide effort because now that Greater Columbia has changed its develop-ment ways, our great state should do as well. v

Econ Matters

when will it begin to feel like a recovery?As 2010 ends, many of Columbia’s economic

indicators have shown modest improvement compared with a year ago.

Further, the National Bureau of Economic Research experts on business cycles proscribed that the recession ended in June 2009. So at the national level, we must have spent more than a year enjoying economic recovery.

Although there were productivity gains realized during 2010, employment gains did little to dent the losses accumulated during the recession. Moreover, the national data show that economic growth slowed during the second half of the year.

With modest improvement and some sign that growth is slowing, the more agnostic among us will ask: When will it feel like a recovery?

According to the broadest measures of local economic activity, there is a sense that Columbia’s economy is gaining momentum. These signals, at best, contradict the national evidence or sug-gest that we are due for a slowing.

By looking at year-to-date sales tax collec-tions for Columbia, we see a pattern of early year declines followed by steady, albeit modest, improvement during the course of 2010. Sales tax collections are useful indicators of current and future economic activity. Because consumer spending accounts for such a large fraction of total economic activity and because the retail sales tax base is related to consumer spending, we pay attention to these receipts. In addition, consumer spending relects households’ forecast of their expected future economic situation.

In my analysis, I focus on year-to-date values more than month-to-month luctuations in sales

tax collections. There are ample data consider-ations for making this choice, the most important being that year-to-date values allow one to get a clearer signal.

Here is what we know: Through September 2010, year-over-year city sales tax has increased 2.2 percent. After recording reductions between October and February, year-to-date sales tax receipts have been reported growth rates that have increased to the 2.2 percent rate. This improvement has been recorded for seven con-secutive months. Hotels, theaters and petroleum products have reported the strongest growth among the categories of local taxpayers.

The takeaway is consumer spending did improve during 2010, though 2.2 percent is not robust growth. Such growth does not signal that Columbians are expecting economic growth to be very strong in the near future.

The sense that the recovery is modest appears in other reports regarding the local economy. Compared with a year ago, Columbia’s unem-ployment rate has edged down. In October 2010, the unemployment rate stood at 6 percent, down from 6.3 percent the year before. Columbia reported employment growth equal to 0.9 per-cent during this period. Compared with Missouri statewide, Columbia is an oasis of economic strength. Between October 2009 and October 2010, Missouri reported employment losses.

Still, the irst year of economic recovery will frequently see employment rebound. In this recovery, the bounce back was as if the air had been let out of the ball during its decline.

Based on data from Columbia’s city utilities, growth is modest. The number of residential

sewer customers increased 1 percent in 2010. Commercial customers increased at a 3.3 percent rate. Note that commercial sewer customers are one-tenth the size of residential customers.

After looking at broad measures of eco-nomic activity, economic data are limited to speciic sectors. The signal from the local construction and real estate sector relects the same modest recovery.

The number of building permits for detached single-family homes fell from 23 in 2009 to 21 this year. However, the value of the permits increased to $4.5 million in 2010 from $3.8 million in 2009. So fewer new houses were planned, but the average new house was more expensive.

Commercial building permits fell more dramatically, from 28 in 2009 to 14 in 2010. The value of the commercial building permits was even more dramatic, falling to about $800,000 this year from about $10.5 million in commercial permits in 2009. Overall, the construction sector is not experiencing the economic recovery.

Economic recovery is almost always bumpy. Locally and nationally, this one is relatively slow and uneven. There are pockets in which modest growth is being reported while other sectors are still mired in recession.

Looking forward, there are signs of improve-ment. Within the past several weeks, many professional forecasters have raised their pre-dictions for 2011 growth by one-quarter to one-half a percentage point. Such gains might not seem like much. A lot of people will beneit if economic growth is closer to 3 percent than 2 percent. Then it will feel more like a recovery. v

Haslag is a professor of economics at the

university of Missouri.

Joseph Haslag

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City view

wrapping up budgets past, present and futureWhen I submitted my State of the City column

this past June, city administration and City Council were looking back at the irst half of iscal year 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009, to Sep. 30, 2010) and plan-ning for FY 2011, which would begin Oct. 1, 2010.

I reported then that the city’s inances were tight but stable and gave much of that credit to a three-year inancial plan implemented in FY 2008. Now that we’re three months into the new iscal year, it seems like a good time to take a look at where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re headed.

Budgets pastWhen the economy began to tank in 2008, we

began three-year projections for the general fund portion of the budget. At about $76 million, this portion of the overall budget is most dependent upon tax dollars. Most of the rest of the $383 million comes from utility revenues. Projections showed that 2012 would be the toughest year and that 2010 and 2011 budgets needed reductions to avoid a iscal crisis in 2012. We began to curb spending while remaining responsibly focused on delivering core services to citizens.

Our iscal guiding principles were (and remain): • Budget revenues conservatively.• Budget expenditures at maximum foreseen

exposure, and anticipate actual expenditures at 98 percent.

• Budget the use of excess reserves to balance the budget. The city has consistently budgeted the use of reserves but has actually reduced reserves only two times in the past 10 years.

The present budgetGoing into the 2011 budget, we continued to

seek balance between public safety expenditures and other less critical but still important expen-

ditures. There were no increases on taxes or fees, a proposed 3 percent electric utility rate increase was reduced to 2 percent, contingency funds were eliminated, there were no wage increases, travel and training were cut, and there were modest reductions in staff, mostly through attrition.

On Nov. 29, as one of her last oficial acts, former City Finance Director Lori Fleming deliv-ered a non-audited FY 2010 end-of-year review to the City Council. The inal independent audit is currently underway. As with past years, we expect the audit to be completed by the end of January.

The city’s traditional conservative budgeting and spending practices, combined with an unan-ticipated but welcome 2 percent increase in sales tax revenues, created a better-than-expected result in the general fund for FY 2010. • General fund revenues came in 4.3 percent

more than actual FY 2009 receipts and $2.3 mil-lion (3.2 percent) more than estimated FY 2010 receipts.

• Sales taxes increased 2 percent over actual FY 2009 and 1.6 percent over estimated FY 2010.

• Expenditures came in at $633,000 less than department estimates (1 percent less than budget).

• Personnel costs decreased due to unilled vacancies in Finance, Fire, Law, Neighborhood Services, Parks and Recreation, Police and Public Safety Joint Communications.

• City Council sought reductions for printing, food, travel and training and contractual ser-vices in every department.

Budgeting for the futureAlthough our inancial picture is better than

we expected, we must continue to act conserva-tively for what could still be a rough budget in FY 2012. Council has requested follow-up informa-tion on several items including:• Comparisons to revenue sources in other cities;

• A look at utility debt structures;• A report on Animal Control revenues;• Information on Police Department vacancies;• More detail on year-end encumbrances

including purpose and justiication;• Expectations for FY 2010 sales tax revenue.

Wrapping upRunning a full-service city requires teamwork

and vigilance. I want to commend the staff from all departments for their efforts to ind new ways to reduce expenses and stretch dollars a little tighter. The City Council deserves recognition for taking thoughtful action on pension and health care issues. Our increasing bus and airport customers also deserve thanks. It is good to see that efforts to improve quality and service are paying off.

The coming year will be one of transitions. A new city manager and a new inance director will be leading the 2012 budget process. Although there is always room for improvement, I believe the city has a good budget system in place and a team of seasoned employees to help keep things on track.

In the past year, we have pushed efforts to preserve the institutional knowledge held by many of our retirement-eligible employees. We are fortunate to have a deep pool of dedicated employees to help ensure that each transition goes as smoothly as possible. Several of our managers and supervisors are actively engaged in the city’s Journey to Excellence, which is based on our com-mitment to achieving excellence in what we value: customers, communication, integrity, teamwork and resources.

Taking stock of who and what we value sounds like a great way to celebrate the coming New Year. v

Watkins is the Columbia city manager. cityman@

gocolumbiamo.com

Bill Watkins

vOICES

Guest Column

political parties must learn to work togetherAmerica has faced many challenges in the

past six years, including the longest recession since the Great Depression, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the continuing battle against terrorism and the ight to be competitive in a global economy.

In the past two years especially, we have seen a dramatic intrusion of government in how we live: from the government takeover of health care, to the inancial overregulation bill, to proposals for a devastating energy tax.

The recent election shows that the American people are fed up with Washington's over-spending, overregulation and overtaxation. Republicans in Congress, including my suc-cessor, will have their work cut out for them as they try to roll back this “government knows best” mentality.

But some folks are twisting the message of the past election to say that Americans do not want bipartisanship. I do not think that's true; instead, Americans want Democrats and Republicans to work together on making government work for them. In fact, Americans were outraged by many of the very partisan measures produced by this Congress.

Unfortunately, of late, bipartisan has become something of a dirty word. But as I look back, the successes I'm most proud of were achieved because people were willing to reach across the aisle for the common good.

I worked together with Democrats and Republicans to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, giving our intelligence agen-cies the tools they need to catch terrorists; expand Community Health Centers, America's health care safety net; and reform election laws with the Help America Vote Act, making it easier to vote and harder to cheat.

To build upon these successes, I hope my friends in Washington, D.C., accept a bit of parting advice from this old bull.

First: Work together.Everyone talks about how partisan things

are now, but guess what: It has always been partisan. In a world today where enemies are real — the kind who seek to destroy others based on their religion — it is important to remember there is a lot of real estate between a political opponent and a true enemy.

There will always be issues for which people of good conscience cannot come together. But let us never let what cannot be done interfere with what can be done.

And, just as important, it is critical that elected oficials remember that the best ideas come from the people at home; they do not originate in Washington.

Any accomplishments with which I am credited are a result of my partnership with local leaders, local pastors, neighborhood asso-ciations, chambers of commerce, health care providers and entrepreneurs about how they think their communities need to be improved and what problems need to be solved.

This type of partnership and commitment to change is the only way to solve the challenges facing our communities, whether it is tackling crime-ridden neighborhoods, a shortage in affordable housing, lack of quality health care or roads and bridges in need of repair.

Finally, I thank you, the voters of Missouri who sent me to Jefferson City three times and to Washington, D.C., four times to represent you. I am truly blessed to have been entrusted by you with the responsibility of public ofice. v

Bond bid farewell to his colleagues this month after

representing Missouri in the Senate for 24

years. Bond, who lives in Mexico, Mo., was

elected state auditor in 1970 and served

two terms as Missouri governor: 1972 to ’76

and 1980 to ’84.]

uS Sen. Kit Bond

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Battenield Technologies is an independent company spun off from MidwayUSA, a company founded by his father, Larry Potterield.

Midway retails sporting goods accessories through catalog and Internet sales. Battenfeld designs hunting and other outdoor sports accessories, such as scopes and gun-cleaning supplies, and arranges for the manufacturing of the products. Battenfeld products are sold at dealerships including Bass Pro Shops. Neither Battenfeld nor MidwayUSA designs, sources, manufactures or sells guns.

Russ Potterield said this move to China is part of his strategy to get closer to his sources of goods. The Potterields said the new ofice does not mean the Battenfeld or MidwayUSA ofices will be closing. Battenfeld has cut a few positions but added infor-mation and technology management slots in Columbia.

Russ Potterield said the biggest danger to Battenfeld and its 50 Columbia workers from the new ofice is that the new “fat pipeline” of products could overwhelm the home ofice. In October, he projected a 300 percent growth in revenue in the next ive years for Battenfeld. In fact, he already has another taller ofice building in his sights for when his company expands. He also expects the ofice to decrease new product development to market time by 60 percent.

Seeking opportunity, like his fatherLarry Potterield started MidwayUSA in 1977. At irst, the company operated as a

gun shop and sold guns and shooting and reloading supplies. But then the company found success through selling ammunition and accessories.

Today, MidwayUSA is owned by Larry and his wife, Brenda Potterield, and employs 243 people full time and 100 part time. In 2009, the company won the pres-tigious Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award. It ranks 20th among Columbia’s employers, according to a published report by Regional Economic Development Inc., a public/private partnership known as REDI.

Russ Potterield is also adept at seeing opportunity — and at being willing to change.In 1996, Potterield graduated with a degree in English from the University of

Michigan. But jobs were scarce, so he started editing catalog materials for his father’s company. From that entry-level spot, he worked his way up but realized he needed more business acumen and returned to Ann Arbor and earned his M.B.A. in 2003.

He became the CEO of Battenield after MidwayUSA decided to spin off the engi-neering and sourcing portion of the company.

That’s what led Potterield to Shenzhen, which is near Hong Kong — about three hours by bus — in southeastern China. For seven years, he’d been lying to China, buying products and working to get closer to the sources making Battenfeld-engineered products. But the ield of sporting goods is competitive, and the lag time between engineering a new product and getting it produced — with a competitive price — led Potterield to rethink that business model.

“Now we’re actively engaged in product development with Chinese staff members, talking in the same time zone with Chinese factories,” Potterield said.

He told his father and the company’s board in 2009 about his plan to move to China and recalled saying, “I’m going to do this.” The board and his father had to agree the move made sense. But his father wasn’t completely happy about the prospect of his son taking his wife and three young sons, his grandchildren, to the other side of the world.

Potterield said inally his father admitted if he were a younger man, he’d be heading to China, too.

Today, Larry Potterield applauds his son’s expansion of Battenfeld, as a father and a fellow businessman. “As a parent, it's rewarding to have raised honest, hard-working children with a healthy respect for the present and a relentless passion for the future,” he said. “The Shenzhen ofice is part of Russell's vision, and it epitomizes his passion for the future.”

Potterield ... continued from Page 1

A three-part CBT series by Dianna Borsi O’BrienColumbia’s China ConnectionsPart Two: Investment InformationGetting accurate, timely information on China’s investment market just got a little easier. A Columbia irm, Rising Tide, has linked up with one of China’s largest inancial information providers and partnered with MU to form the Asian Equity Research Institute. The Asian Equity Research Institute provides investment insights on US-listed Chinese equities, the Chinese economy and PRC policy analysis. Coming Jan. 8

Part III: The Darker Side of ChinaSeeing China seemed like a great adventure — until I was pulled aside by an immigration oficer in Hangzhou, China, and detained, denied entry and sent back to Hong Kong. With all of China’s illustrious economic news, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that this country is still an authoritarian regime with an uneven history in terms of human rights. Coming Jan. 22

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Since opening the ofice in Shenzhen, Potterield's staff has grown from one to nine people. He projects a 300 percent growth in revenue in the next ive years.

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. . . . .

eJoin thousands of local business professionals who get the

CBT eNewsletter which includes: breaking news, recap of top local business stories and a preview of our print edition.

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Larry Potterield added that the new ofice is good news for Battenfeld, its customers and shareholders.

“China represents a great opportunity for a small business like Battenfeld, when led by an aggressive entrepreneur like Russell, to better serve its customers with high-quality products at competitive prices,” he said. “Happy customers make for happy shareholders.”

What it’s like to work in China “It’s incredible here,” said Russ Potterield, noting the alliance of the American com-

pany and Chinese workforce makes sense. “The future of the world depends, at least to some degree, on our two countries.”

Since Potterield opened the ofice in Shenzhen, he’s expanded his staff from one to nine people. He joked that he can’t expand beyond 12 workers because that’s how many chairs they have. He hires using ads with complicated English phrases so he’s sure those who apply truly understand the nuances of the language. The ads have yielded a lood of applicants: 700 for the last opening he posted.

Potterield explained Chinese nationals are eager to work with Americans to learn American management style. And just what is that style? Potterield said it focuses on outcomes and ixing problems, not just reports or explanations.

Jake Halliday, president and CEO of the Missouri Innovation Center, which oper-ates the MU Life Sciences Business Incubator, called Potterield a dynamic visionary. He praised Potterield’s ability to bring clarity to a muddled situation, something crucial in opening an ofice in a foreign country.

“He’s a very clear and decisive thinker,” Halliday said. Halliday has worked with Potterield on company boards as well as on projects involving evaluating investment opportunities.

Andrew Beverley, president of Landmark Bank, said Potterield seems to have tireless energy and a devotion to details, strategy and creativity and called him one of the most talented business people he knows.

This focus on getting things done and the thrill of problem solving is why Potterield enjoys working with the Chinese workforce. “Everybody here wants to work twice as much or more than a USA worker,” he said. The age range of the local employee pool is 25 to 35, and though he encourages his workers to keep to a 40-hour work week, it’s not uncommon to ind them in the ofice early, late and on weekends.

His own schedule relects that kind of work ethic; he takes frequent trips by jet within and outside of China. Two weeks before Christmas, he was in the US, and prior to that he had visitors in China, including his parents and his sister and her children.

Potterield praised the entrepreneurial spirit in his ofice and in the surrounding city. “There’s a lot of work to be done,” he said.

Shenzhen was China’s irst Special Economic Zone. The city was developed by government iat speciically to encourage and foster Western-style economic growth. In just 30 years, the small ishing village of 30,000 people became a metropolis of 9 million people, according to oficial estimates. Potterield puts the number much higher, at 11 million to 14 million.

During the past few years, the government also began to look beyond manufac-turing, and today the environment is recovering, and the economy is shifting toward high technology, inancial services and cleaner industries such as a sourcing company such as Battenfeld.

What it’s like to live in ChinaLiving in China doesn’t mean the Potterields are living on rice and noodles. In fact,

the point of Shenzhen, and speciically where they live, the Shekou area of the city, is to provide a comfortable place for foreign business people. As Potterield noted: “I can get Doritos here; there’s a Starbucks” and a Walmart nearby. There’s even a Rio Grande Mexican restaurant there operated by Texans.

The city of Shenzhen was designed to appeal to Westerners, with park space and detached housing.

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Potterield pointed to these expatriate entrepreneurs as signs of China’s booming opportunities. “This is where everything is going,” he said. There are roughly 3,000 to 4,000 expatriates in Shenzhen, he said, and it has a vibrant community of Westerners.

It’s also a beautiful city, with hanging lowerpots on guard rails and overpasses along the eight-lane highway between the bustling downtown district and the more relaxed residential areas. The spacious highway between the two areas features landscaped gar-dens, palm trees and grassy areas — nothing like the choking crowds of Beijing, Hong Kong or Shanghai. Nor is the air heavy with eye-watering pollutants as it is in Beijing and Shanghai.

Potterield said the new ofice offers more than business beneits. An intensely focused husband and father, Potterield said his family is gaining from the experience as well.

In Columbia, life was more than hectic once the twins arrived 30 months ago. But in China, he and April, a former biology professor at Westminster College in Fulton, can afford in-home help. That includes a nanny, a housekeeper and other assistance for such things as helping them to navigate language issues at their children’s school.

His oldest son attends an international school where he’s taught in English and learns math, science and English. The school offers three hours of Mandarin a week, and he receives Chinese tutoring at home. April Potterield said they want to enroll him in a Chinese immersion school, but there’s a waiting list. As for the twins, they attend a Chinese preschool where the whole day is conducted in Mandarin, with no English at all.

The Potterields see this language training as a gift to their children. “(Chinese) is the best second language to learn,” Potterield said, “and we’re giving that gift to our sons.”

All the household help, Potterield said, allows him to be a more attentive husband. “I love cooking, and I love grocery shopping, but now I don’t have to think about it, and it doesn’t all fall on April. We have time to spend with each other and our family.”

His father, however, did point out downsides only a father, grandfather and avid hunter would note: “Living there is a great experience for Russ and his family, but it does require sacriices, like giving up life in Columbia for life in a city of several million people and suspending your hunting and ishing activities.”

Expatriate struggles and challenges Not all of life in China is easy; there are dangers. One evening while jogging,

Potterield was struck by a bicycle when he was crossing the street. Although he was knocked down, he wasn’t hurt. There’s also been conlicting advice on how to get resi-dency and which visa he should have, an issue he was still sorting through four months after arriving.

He also noted the sharp contrasts within Chinese cities. In Hong Kong you might see stores offering $100,000 watches and nearby see ducks dripping fat in shop windows.

As for concerns about sweat factories and labor issues at the companies producing his products, he pointed out that China is experiencing a skilled labor shortage, and workers who are unhappy with conditions have been known to simply not return from fall holi-days that typically involve going home. Such problems, conirmed by media reports, can cause delivery problems, Potterield said.

There also are some challenges in conducting business from a time zone 13 hours ahead of his colleagues in Columbia. “Normal 8-to-5 working hours don’t overlap very well with China time,” Potterield wrote in an e-mail. “But I work into the evening many nights and should be available for a conversation by Skype (video or voice).”

Potterield’s main complaint during an interview on Oct. 27 was his inability to get the newest iPhone, a problem resolved the next week.

Yet, he admitted, the learning curve on how to set up an international operation was brutal, too. He now has an international accountant to help guide him through the inan-cial and regulation challenges. Also, Chinese law limits his residency to ive years, so Potterield will be homeward bound in 2015.

But for now, Potterield doesn’t view himself as living far from home. “This is our home now,” he said. “It’s a great adventure.” v

Larry Potterield (far right) went to China in late November to visit his son Russ and daughter-in-law April (left) and his grandsons, including Benjamin (center), the eldest.

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By Jacob Barker

With the deadline approaching for the Environmental Protection Agency to impose strong reg-ulations meant to improve the health of Hinkson Creek, city, county and university oficials met with EPA staff at their regional headquarters in Kansas City to make a inal plea for modiications.

The EPA organized the Dec. 20 meeting in response to a request from Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid and Boone County Commissioner Karen Miller. The local governments and MU reiter-ated their arguments against the impending regulation, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load, that would mandate a 40 percent reduction in stormwater runoff into the Hinkson Creek.

The TMDL as its written now is “riddled with prospects for complete failure,” David Shorr, the attorney who represents the city, county and university in the negotiations, told the EPA.

Yet the requirements it would impose would make “our current stormwater ordinance look tame,” Shorr said afterward. Development could be entirely restricted in the watershed, which encompasses 60 percent of property within the city, and huge public improvements would have to be inanced by taxpayers, he said.

Ken Midkiff, representing the environmental groups that sued to get the regulation, did not attend the meeting but said afterward that the TMDL would improve the creek’s water quality and would not be as complicated or costly as the local governments predict.

The EPA gave little indication of whether it would change its direction. The agency’s regional counsel, David Cozad, said at the conclusion of the meeting that improving urban watersheds has been a top priority of the current administration.

“I was heartened to hear you share our concern,” he said. “We are looking to work with cities that are interested in being model cities.”

A 2001 court order stemming from a lawsuit against the EPA by the American Canoe Association and the Sierra Club required the environmental regulator to develop TMDL rules for 174 streams in this region that were in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. That court order stipulated a Dec. 31 deadline, but the EPA and the plaintiffs have both asked for a 31-day extension. Those involved said a judge was likely to grant an extension because both parties agreed on its length.

Other than Hinkson Creek, only two creeks in the EPA region — both in Green County near Springield — still do not have a inalized TMDL, EPA spokesman Chris Whitley said.

The local governments and university have been skeptical of the proposed rules since the Missouri Department of Natural Resources irst unveiled a draft TMDL more than a year ago. Since then, the EPA has taken over the process, and the total reduction of stormwater runoff has been lowered, but local oficials still contend that it is too costly and has no guarantee for success.

Generally, TMDLs are implemented to reduce speciic pollutants. The Hinkson TMDL does not specify a particular pollutant as the main cause of the creek’s impairment. Instead, the document proposes reducing overall stormwater runoff, which regulators said will reduce a host of pollut-ants in the creek and bring it back to health.

That, local oficials said, is an untargeted, ineficient approach that will be the hardest and most expensive to implement. Shorr cited a similar TMDL in Vermont at the meeting as a benchmark for the cost. Multiplying the cost of implementing the Vermont TMDL for the size of the Hinkson watershed, such reductions here would cost nearly $300 million, he said.

“We are not prepared to make a leap on $300 million without due diligence,” Shorr said at the meeting.

local governments plead with epA to modify hinkson Creek runoff rules

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Council to consider Hinkson resolution The City Council will get an opportunity on Jan. 3 to take a position on the proposed federal regulations for stormwater runoff into Hinkson Creek

Mayor Bob McDavid said Wednesday that he would seek a City Council resolution regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Total Maximum Daily Load. The regulations would mandate a 40 percent reduction of stormwater into Hinkson Creek.

The announcement came after the Columbia Daily Tribune reported on Dec. 10 that McDavid had sent a letter to the EPA expressing the city’s opposition to the proposed TMDL. First Ward Councilman Paul Sturtz expressed concern that McDavid was conveying a position that had not been approved by City Council.

The city staff has made no secret throughout the process that it opposed the regulations and said the data was outdated and that the TMDL did not identify a speciic pollutant.

At the Council meeting Dec. 20, Sturtz read a statement indicating he was concerned that the Council as a whole did not have adequate input into the city’s position on the TMDL.

“It’s become clear that we need to reinforce the obvious: that the city of Columbia in our oficial dealings must relect the desires of Council, who are elected to represent the will of the people,” Sturtz said during the meeting.

McDavid, in a statement, said he will ask the Council to vote on a resolution regarding the TMDL at its Jan. 3 meeting. He will convey the City Council’s opinion to the EPA.

“I was surprised by Councilman Paul Sturtz’s comments at the conclusion of the City Council meeting on (Dec. 20),” McDavid said in the statement. “Mr. Sturtz feels that Council has had inadequate input into the TMDL objections developed by city administration, the county of Boone and the University of Missouri. Because enforcement of a Hinkson Creek TMDL may result in a county-wide tax increase and the possible displacement of property owners required for water detention, I would like robust Council discussion.”

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February 1City Council passes ordinance allowing residents to raise chickens within the city limits and prompts an outcry from many who say it will hurt property values.

February 2Boone County passes an ordinance regulating stormwater runoff created by development, which was required because of federal stormwater regulations.

February 8City staff begins moving into the new $22 million addition to City Hall. The structure is oficially dedicated March 24.

February 10Google’s announcement that it plans to build an ultra-high-speed broadband network in select communities across the country induces Columbia to put together a proposal. Cities vying for the company’s attention stage publicity stunts, in-cluding Columbia’s “lash mob,” a group of thousands who held up Google signs during the March 6 Missouri-Kansas basketball game.

March 1Seeking to land a large data center in Columbia, the City Council passes ordinance lowering power costs for large elec-tricity users. Economic development oficials spend the rest of the year pursuing an undisclosed company considering Columbia as a location for one of its data centers.

March 5After being hit hard by the commercial real estate bust, Jefferson City-based Premier Bank sells its three Columbia branches to First State Community Bank, which also acquires about $55 million of the bank’s non-troubled Columbia assets. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation closes the bank’s remaining branches in Jefferson City, Lake Ozark, St. Louis and Grapevine, Texas, on Oct. 15 after negotiating a purchase and assumption deal with Providence Bank. Providence Bank acquires $658 million of Premier’s remaining $1.18 billion in assets, which more than quadruples its size.

March 23President Barack Obama signs a sweeping reform of America’s health care system. Locally, hospitals expect decreases in the uncompensated care they provide, but specialty care provid-ers worry the expansion of insured people won’t offset chang-es to Medicare reimbursements.

april 6Columbia City Council undergoes its largest turnover since former Mayor Darwin Hindman was elected in 1995. Boone Hospital Center Trustee Bob McDavid bests former 4th Ward Councilman Jerry Wade to succeed Hindman as mayor. Gary Kespohl defeats Karl Skala in a rematch for the 3rd Ward City Council seat, and newcomer to city politics Daryl Dudley emerges victorious in a crowded 4th Ward contest that includ-ed higher proile candidates Tracy Greever-Rice and Sarah Read. For the irst time in its history, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce endorsed speciic candidates in the races; all of its endorsed candidates win. The change in City Council makeup sends signal that it has decidedly shifted to a more pro-business stance. Voters approve a proposition to place surveillance cameras downtown.

MayWork begins on Tolton Regional Catholic High School in South Columbia off Gans Road. The $14 million project is ex-pected to be open by fall 2011.

City chickens come home to roost

City Hall dedicated

Trying to snag Google

Premier sold to FSCB, Providence Bank

New council members Daryl Dudley, Bob McDavid and Gary Kespohl

Tolton Regional Catholic High School

Columbia lands IBM

May 14Missouri General Assembly concludes regular session after spending most of the time dealing with budget issues. It passes law strictly regulating adult businesses and revises some ethics rules.

May 17IBM announces it will locate a service delivery center in Columbia and estimates the facility will employ up to 800 jobs by 2012. The deal is helped along by poten-tial state incentives worth up to $28 million and city and county incentives worth about $5 million.

Columbia's top business-

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New council members Daryl Dudley, Bob McDavid and Gary Kespohl

Tolton Regional Catholic High School

Columbia lands IBM

Groundbreaking at Muriel Williams Battle high school

BlueBird Media wins broadband stimulus grant

Holiday Inn opens

May 14Missouri General Assembly concludes regular session after spending most of the time dealing with budget issues. It passes law strictly regulating adult businesses and revises some ethics rules.

May 17IBM announces it will locate a service delivery center in Columbia and estimates the facility will employ up to 800 jobs by 2012. The deal is helped along by poten-tial state incentives worth up to $28 million and city and county incentives worth about $5 million.

May 20UM Board of Curators issues $30 million in revenue bonds to pay for a new Ellis Fischel Cancer Center after the univer-sity fails to convince the Missouri legislature to appropriate money for the project. Ellis Fischel will move from its current location on Business Loop 70 to the new patient care tower on the MU campus. Work on the $280 million tower structure began this summer and is expected to be complete by 2013.

May 29Linen King, an industrial laundry service company that ca-ters to the health care industry, announces plans to move into a 52,000-square-foot facility in Concorde Industrial Park. Company estimates put job creation at 100 in ive years.

June 30Music retailer Hennessy and Sons closes after 35 years in business. Other notable retailers closing their doors in 2010 include Pen Point Paperie in July and A la Campagne in December.

July 15Groundbreaking held for new high school on St. Charles Road in Boone County. Columbia Public Schools’ third high school, named Muriel Williams Battle High School in November, is expected to catalyze development in the area northeast of the city limits. It is scheduled for completion in 2013.

July 21President Obama signs inancial reform act, which estab-lishes new regulations for everything from community banks to derivatives and creates a new federal department charged with overseeing consumer protection.

July 21Less than three years after its renovation and reopening, the Missouri Theatre closes its doors and lays off its staff for lack of money.

augustTwo local telecoms are awarded federal stimulus grants to build broadband networks in the state. Socket Telecom re-ceives more than $23 million to build a network in rural Boone and Callaway counties. Startup BlueBird Media receives $65 million in state and federal money to build a broadband net-work spanning 59 northern Missouri counties.

aug. 10Lenders buy back 206 acres of commercial land from Forum Development Group at foreclosure sales. They pay $4.8 mil-lion for the real estate on US Highway 63 across from the Discovery Ridge research park where Forum had planned to build a commercial and residential development.

aug. 12The new $12 million Holiday Inn opens on Interstate 70 af-ter a two-year delay and marks one of the few new commer-cial buildings in a struggling market. Other notable projects include the Goodwill store on Grindstone Parkway, which opened in September, and South Providence Plaza, which opened in the early spring.

aug. 23MU begins classes with a freshmen class 9.6 percent larger than the year before, at 6,160 students. Total enrollment is the highest ever, with 32,009 students, 24,759 of them undergraduates.

ss-related stories of 2010

late augustUniversity oficials are told to expect higher education budget cuts of around $250 million amid an expected state budget gap of at least $600 million for iscal year 2012. Expiring federal stimulus dollars had propped up the state budget for the past two years, and higher education had been spared cuts after Gov. Jay Nixon struck a deal to limit higher-ed funding slashes in exchange for a tuition freeze.

septeMberMU begins reviewing degree programs after the state Department of Higher Education tells the state’s universities to justify academic areas that produce low numbers of graduates. The inal review is due to the department by the end of the year and is expected to be used to eliminate some degrees.

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sept. 1After 20 years as dean of MU’s Robert J. Trulaske College of Business, Bruce Walker retires. He is re-placed by Joan Gabel from Florida State University.

sept. 2Moberly Area Community College opens its Columbia Higher Education Center in the Parkade Center. The opening underscores the revitalization of Columbia’s irst shopping mall by the Burnam family, who spent $5 million renovating it and reduced the vacancy rate from nearly half to 10 percent.

sept 13After battling heart complications for years, Columbia developer Jose Lindner dies at age 62.

sept. 20Mayor Bob McDavid creates a special task force to study the city’s pension funds and develop solutions to deal with its rising liabilities at the same time its fund balance has been shocked by market turmoil.

sept. 24Columbia College President Gerald Brouder announc-es the school has raised $3 million for plans to build a 40,000-square-foot, $13 million science building on Range Line Street. Oct. 5City Manager Bill Watkins announces he intends to re-tire in March after ive years managing Columbia and 20 years as an employee with the city.

Oct. 8H3 Studio, in conjunction with the Downtown Leadership Council, releases its inal Downtown Charrette report. The planning document for the downtown area recommends, among other things, the city establish a Tax Increment Financing district in the downtown area to pay for some of the goals outlined in the report.

Oct. 153M’s Columbia plant manager conirms the local fac-tory is preparing to begin manufacturing new health care products and a ilm for the solar panel industry. The projects are estimated to create 100 to 120 jobs during the next 18 months.

Oct. 16The YouZeum closes its doors after being open for only two and a half years. The interactive children’s museum never generated the revenue to support the rehabilitation of the old federal building it was housed in. Columbia College buys the building for an undis-closed price and plans to move its online and nursing education centers there by August 2011.

Oct. 18City Council approves ofice development known as Leawood Plaza for the southwest corner of Stadium Boulevard and Broadway that will tear down the vacant, dilapidated houses currently sitting on the corner.

Oct. 21Discount apparel retailer Marshalls opens in space vacated by Circuit City on Bernadette Drive next to Toys“R”Us.

Oct. 23MU football breaks loosing streak against Oklahoma in front of ESPN’s cameras, which were in town to fea-ture Columbia for its GameDay program.

Oct. 26 – 28City holds open houses detailing its plans to build high-voltage transmission lines near some afluent Columbia neighborhoods. The events draw hundreds of residents concerned the lines will depreciate their property values and have adverse health effects on their children.

nOveMberUM System President Gary Forsee holds town hall meeting with university faculty and staff discussing possible changes to the institution’s retirement plan. The Board of Curators begins in-depth discussions of a recommendation that the university move to a de-ined-contribution plan over its current deined ben-eit plan.

nOv. 2Republicans give Democrats a “shellacking” in mid-term elections and retake the House of Representatives. In local competitive races, Republican Ed Robb de-feats Democrat Scott Christianson in the Boone County presiding commissioner race by fewer than 600 votes, which makes Robb the only Republican elected oficial in county government. Columbia 5th Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser fails to unseat incumbent Democrat Chris Kelly in the 24th District, and Republican John Cauthorn beats Democrat Kelly Schultz in the 21st District. Columbia voters again ex-tend the one-eighth-cent parks sales tax for another ive years.

nOv. 8Columbia’s Tax Increment Financing Commission holds its irst review of the proposal to redevelop the Regency Hotel on Broadway. Developer David Parmley, who developed the Hampton Inn and Suites, asks for $3.24 million in TIF assistance for a planned $17.5 million, 112-room boutique hotel at the site of the aging Regency.

nOv. 16The Columbia Daily Tribune announces it will begin charging for online content Dec. 1. Comments on the newspaper’s site drop off dramatically after readers can no longer see local content for free.

nOv. 22UM Board of Curators issues $265 million in revenue bonds for capital projects on its four campuses. About $119 million will go to MU projects.

nOv. 24The $6.8 million Maguire Boulevard extension opens after a summer rainstorm nearly caused the collapse of one of the walls and delayed the project’s comple-tion by two months. The extension was narrowly ap-proved by City Council in 2008 over some members’ concerns about the impact on Grindstone Creek. The road will provide much needed access to the Concorde Industrial Park, which is only accessible through New Haven Road to the south.

Dec. 1Public comment period for federal regulations man-dating a 40 percent reduction in stormwater runoff into Hinkson Creek closes. The city, county and MU prepare to ight the proposed rules, set to take effect Dec. 31.

Dec. 1Gary Drewing, owner and president of Joe Machens Dealerships, announces he has purchased Estes Motors, which increases his share of the Columbia car market to about 75 percent and leaves only four other dealerships to compete against him.

Dec. 2MU researchers Kattesh Katti and Raghuraman Kannan announce Indian pharmaceutical manufac-turer Shasun plans to invest $2 million to $3 million in a joint venture with their company, Nanoparticle Biochem, to commercialize a prostate cancer treatment.

Dec. 6City Council approves the 181-acre Richland Road annexation and rezoning request after a two-year re-view that catalyzed the development of the East Area Plan, which the Council approved in November. The approved proposal is scaled down version of the origi-nal request and leaves out a 90-acre commercial tract. Developer David Atkins later says he will need to sell the land to pay off debts.

Dec. 9UM Board of Curators indicates it wants to keep tu-ition increases below 10 percent for the upcoming academic year. Tuition had been frozen for two years in exchange for an agreement with Gov. Jay Nixon to protect higher education from signiicant cuts. The tu-ition increase is meant to help offset state higher edu-cation cuts many expect to total hundreds of millions of dollars. v

Drewing

Year in review ... continuedfromPage17

Maguire Boulevard bridge

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SPECIAL SECTION | year in review

Great steps of innovation and creativity mark the history of the medical pro-fession, but in the past year, much of the progress has centered on information: helping people understand medical care, promoting healthier choices and using electronic data to help make clinics and hospitals more eficient.

The federal health care reform package passed by Congress in 2010 has pushed this medical-information revolution forward in a number of ways. At Primaris, a health care business consultant and Medicare contractor based here in Columbia, we are seeing some of these exciting developments irsthand.

Better use of information, particularly electronic information, is essential to the government’s strategy to create a more fair and effective health care system in the United States. Data can make the difference between a hunch and knowing some-thing for a fact, and increased use of medical data, for example, can indicate wheth-er practices are treating Medicare patients effectively or being reimbursed fairly.

Payers in the health care system — health insurance companies and, in the case of Medicare beneiciaries, the federal government — currently cover the costs of individual treatments in a pay-per-service system. The overall trend included in health care reform is to move toward a pay-for-value system, which rewards effec-tive treatment and shares costs more effectively.

“In the Affordable Care Act, there is much that is not yet established or imple-mented,” said Cora Butler, director of commercial operations for Primaris. “But what is established is the overall goal.”

This model of payment has been used in various pilot projects during the past three or four years.

“So all the data is not in, but this is where CMS (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) wants to continue to drive,” Butler said. “They want the provid-ers to share both the beneit and the loss.”

Another part of health care reform, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act promotes the use of electronic health records while ensuring patient conidentiality. Soon after the act’s passage, federal oficials awarded contracts to more than 50 organizations across the country to act as con-sultants for physicians trying to use electronic health records meaningfully.

In Missouri, one such contract for $6.8 million was awarded to the Curators of the University of Missouri; Primaris is a subcontractor for this effort.

Although there are penalties for not implementing EHR systems for primary-care providers after a few years, there are also incentives for doing so. Speciically, physicians who successfully demonstrate “meaningful use” of an EHR system can collect up to $44,000 in Medicare-related grant money; some may collect even more in Medicaid-related grant money.

All of these changes require a good deal of communication to avoid confusion.For example, more people on Medicare have questions about how reform affects

them; supplemental insurance plans under Medicare Advantage have changed. Counselors with Missouri CLAIM, an organization administered by Primaris of-fering free expert advice to Missouri’s Medicare beneiciaries, have ielded a great deal of questions about these changes.

Finally, medical data is helping to keep patients safer. An afiliate of Primaris, the Missouri Center for Patient Safety is working together with hospitals in our state to collect and ultimately analyze information related to medical errors. We hope the center’s work will help doctors and nurses do their jobs more effectively.

We look forward to meeting these challenges and more. And generally, in the health care sector of our economy, we expect to see much more information and information-gathering in 2011. v

Richard Royer is the CEO of Primaris, a nonproit organization that works with provid-ers and Medicare to improve the quality of health care delivery.

Guest Column » richard royer

Data will drive the future of health care delivery

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SPECIAL SECTION | year in review

Did your 2010 sales end up a little upsetting?

Catherine Atkins | Sandler Training | 1905 Cherry Hill Dr., Ste. 302 | Columbia, MO 65203

(573) 445-7694 | www.savant.sandler.com

Take 2

and

call us.

Guest Column » Scott wendling

Social media matures, Columbia becomes a gorillaIn 2010, social media fully matured into main-

stream society. Facebook led the charge and opened the door for social networks Twitter, foursquare, MySpace and others.

When Facebook made changes to proile layouts and how personal data is displayed, 60 Minutes did a story on it. Social networking is no longer a fad; it has proven it is here to stay.

This is great for CoMO, an endearing reference to Columbia on social networks. CoMO has a large digi-tal presence and during the past year has demonstrat-ed that in full force. In 2009, Columbia won $50,000 for the Central Missouri Humane Society, and in 2010 we took it to an entirely new level.

CoMO started the year with a bang. In January, Y107 competed for the prize of “North America’s Most Caring Radio Station” held by Children’s Miracle Network. For two weeks, Y107 DJ’s encour-aged listeners to vote for them for a chance to win $50,000 for the local Children’s Hospital. Y107 turned out to have the most caring listeners, if not the best connected listeners.

In February, Google announced a competition in which the winner would get iber optic communica-tion lines installed to every home. Several people, in-cluding some who had never even met, quickly united on Facebook and Twitter to create the group known as CoMO Fiber.

CoMO Fiber’s goal was to get the community in-volved and online to nominate through Facebook,

Twitter, Google Groups, as well as organize a large scale lash mob. Due to the scale of the competition, Google announced this month that it would be unable to meet its deadline of declaring a winner at the end of the year. However, online tech magazines Gizmodo.com, Mashable.com, PCMag.com and others consider us to be a top contender.

This year CoMO also demonstrated its support for local citizens on a national scale. Rock Bridge alums Melissa McMillin and Jeremy Gebhardt competed for Today Show’s “Modern Wedding.” The word quickly spread through CoMO on Facebook and Twitter. Friends of friends who knew the family asked people to vote and spread the word. Enough people heard, and the couple won a dream wedding.

In October came the big game: MU versus No. 1 Oklahoma. After MU’s win the previous week, stu-dents immediately began promoting the hashtag #MizzouGameDay. A hashtag is a tool used on Twitter to categorize or identify something you post. In this case it identiied that the tweet was in support of ESPN’s College Gameday coming to the MU campus.

Not only did Gameday show up, but Columbia also shattered its attendance record with 18,000 fans.

Supporting local businesses, CoMO also helped Shakespeare’s win the title of “Best Bites Challenge: College Edition” on Good Morning America in November. This is a direct result of the restaurant’s 3,116 Twitter followers and a staggering 24,125 Facebook fans.

Immediately following the announcement, Shakespeare’s posted this on Facebook: “This really did go viral, and the voting was CRAZY!”

Going viral means a lot of people start talking about something and sharing it in a very short amount of time. CoMO’s large digital presence allows citizens to quickly spread the word when it is needed. When Shakespeare’s asked fans to vote, it was like telling a juicy piece of gossip to 27,000 people at once.

Although going viral is great, it is also rare. However, just because something doesn’t go viral doesn’t mean it isn’t being shared. The same lines of communication that help contests go viral are always available to local businesses. About 150,000 people call Columbia home on Facebook, 50 percent more than our physical population. As more Columbians join the online conversation, our presence grows larger.

Every new connection a person or business makes online creates more lines of communication that lead back to CoMO. This drives online customers to local businesses and gets the attention of national corpora-tions — national corporations such as IBM, Google, Car Fax and probably others that we don’t even know are looking. Columbia is on the forefront of digital communication, and that is exactly what modern tech companies are looking for as they develop the infor-mation industry. v

Scott Wendling is a social media consultant, speaker and owner of PenguinSpark.com, Scott@PenguinSpark.com

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In October, Public Works Department Director John Glascock picked Andrew Schneider as the new manager of Columbia Regional Airport.

Schneider, who had been managing a small airport in Jamestown, N.D., since April 2008, replaced Kathy Frerking, who had managed the city’s airport for four years and now works at the Chamber of Commerce.

Schneider’s duties include directing op-erations; preparing long-range plans and policies for development and construction at the airport; negotiating airline services; and working with consultants, tenants, airlines and government departments.

In Jamestown, Schneider worked with Delta Air Lines, also Columbia’s carrier, and managed terminal renovations. Columbia is in the early stages of projects to rebuild the airport terminal and expand the runways.

In a CBT Conversation, Schneider said he believes passenger counts will continue to rise and that there is “a very good possibil-ity” that Columbia will get air service to a second major destination such as Chicago or Dallas in the next two years.

CBT Conversation

New airport manager has packed agenda

(continued on Page 22) Andrew Schneider

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What are your general goals as airport manager? schneider: My goals are to effectively manage the airport and ensure that it grows and is inan-cially feasible. Working with the city and airport staff, I want to make sure that when people in the community look to air travel, they look at Columbia Regional irst. I also want to ensure that our airport tenants and general aviation users have a irst-class facility to conduct their business.

When do you expect the Federal Aviation Administration to inish its review of the air-port master plan adopted by the city, and when would you guess that work might start on the runways? Do you anticipate major changes be-cause of the switch from propeller planes to jets after the plan was adopted? Is there anything the City Council can do to expedite the process?schneider: The FAA can often take quite a bit of time to approve things. They are thorough, and these documents are often very large. Even if the master plan is not approved, we can still move forward with our capital improvement projects such as runway work.

We are in the process right now of getting our engineering and grant paperwork in order so that if congress approves funding, we will be able to start runway work as early as mid-summer 2011.

The only major changes I see going to region-al jets is that now a jet is considered our “de-sign aircraft,” which will help validate longer runways, which is a very good thing. It will not make the master plan outdated in any way other than that.

City Council members will not need to take any action on this process, but in the future their support of the airport’s capital improve-ment projects will be key to ensuring the success of the airport. I really feel that support for the airport needs to come from the top down. I am happy to say I feel right now that is the case.

It can be scary for drivers, particularly truck drivers hauling cargo, to cross northbound US Highway 63 to get on the road to the airport. How important is the construction of a safe in-terchange to the future growth of the airport and its commercial operations?schneider: I think it is very important. Safety is always a No. 1 priority. As the airport continues to grow and expand, it will become more and more important that the intersection be ixed. This year alone, nearly 70,000 commercial

passengers will have to deal with the unsafe interchange. Next year, it could be 80,000.

The number of passengers getting on planes in Columbia was just short of 32,500 through November and is on pace to pass the best year of the past decade, about 34,000 in 2000. Do you have a strategy for getting even more seats illed next year?schneider: We have some really great market-ing people with the city of Columbia, and they have developed a great marketing plan. We are continually tweaking it and making improve-ments. This will help ensure that the public knows about the service and what is offered at the airport. We also work with Delta to ensure the pricing models are correct and airfare out of Columbia is competitive to our neighboring commercial service airports. A great airline with good reliable service at a price that is competi-tive is what it will take to get the seats illed.

Your experience overseeing an airport expan-sion and terminal renovation in Jamestown gives you some insight into what’s in store for Columbia. What are your initial thoughts on the efforts to improve the runways and expand the terminal here? schneider: Our runway work is a safety prior-ity and will need to be completed before we can start major work on the terminal. We are starting some improvement on the terminal right now, including new restroom facilities and new seat-ing. The major work on the terminal will more than likely be a few years down the road when the runways are complete. There are many fund-ing sources, though, and things change, so the schedule for the terminal could be bumped up. There is a lot of support to upgrade the existing terminal, so it is a project we will be working on as soon as funding is available.

As Columbia strives toward its goal of getting service to a second destination, rate the fol-lowing hypothetical locations from one to ive, the most desirable irst: Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Salt Lake City and Dallas. What do you think are the city’s chances of getting service to one of those airports in the next year or two?schneider: Based on conversations with city and community leaders, my rating would be: 1. Chicago; 2. Dallas; 3. Denver; 4. Minneapolis; 5. Salt Lake City.

I think there is a very good possibility that in the next two years, we attract service to at least one of these destinations. I think by far Chicago is the favorite, but something like Dallas would be great for western travelers. Dallas is a large hub with great weather. I think the community deinitely needs to think about Dallas as an option, and I think they would be very pleased with the service that would be provided and the connections that passengers could make from there.

Final thoughts? schneider: As a new manager I have to give credit to the people who got the airport to where it is today. Support from the city and past airport manager have put the airport in a great position to grow and expand. I want to continue to grow the airport to ensure its future success. v

CBT Conversation ... continuedfromPage21

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(continued on Page 24

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FORUM | local film induStry

Local ilm industry’s growth surprising, even to insidersByDavid Reed

Independent ilm producer Kim Sherman de-scribes Small Pond as the tale of a ne’er-do-well Shakespeare’s Pizza worker exploring the un-derbelly of Columbia. The feature ilm shot this year also illustrates the story of a local motion media industry that’s growing rapidly and look-ing for ways to pool resources and land major productions.

“There’s something amazing happening with this industry in Columbia,” said Lorah Steiner, director of the city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and president of the Missouri Motion Media Association.

There has been more ilm and video produc-tion activity in Columbia in the past three years than there was in the previous 30 years, Steiner said during a breakfast forum organized by the CBT at Spectrum Studios.

Small Pond’s production also included Pure Cinematica, the motion media arm of Brent Beshore’s expanding company, and Spectrum Studios. There was even a cameo appearance by NASCAR driver Carl Edwards as a bouncer at McNally’s Irish Pub.

A few additional highlights of Columbia ilmmaking: A Horrible Way to Die, another lo-cally made Sherman production, made it into the Toronto Film Festival; Submission, a martial arts ilm by Adam Boster, premiered this fall; and Zielinski, a feature-length documentary about a local character that was produced by Columbia Access Television’s Chase Thompson and Ryan Walker, made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah this weekend.

Although a state commission has recom-mended the General Assembly eliminate ilm-making tax credits next year, industry represen-tatives at the forum said the incentive — $4.5 million in 2010 and $1.5 million previously — has had only marginal impact in Columbia.

Boster, owner of Boster Castle Studios, said he received $30,000 worth of tax credits recently for a short ilm with a $100,000 budget, which “kept three to six people working on a project over a 12-month period.”

But Boster pointed out that his multimedia company at Parkade Center, which has about 50

employees, spent $4 million making Submission. Most of the shooting took place over 10 days in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, though there were some clips from Columbia, he said, while they spent about 10 months editing at his studios.

When most people — including state legisla-tors allocating tax credits — envision ilmmak-ing, they see a set with multiple cameras, lights and actors and a director yelling “cut” at the end of a scene, Boster said. “People don’t understand development, preproduction and postproduc-tion on both sides of the shooting.”

Steiner said, “If we have ilms doing post-production work in Missouri, we can keep those highly skilled, high-paying jobs in our state.”

Small Pond, Steiner said, brought about $80,000 directly into Columbia’s economy. By comparison, Up in the Air, a feature ilm starring George Clooney that was shot in the St. Louis area, had a $12 million direct economic impact and was landed in large part because producers were able to get $4 million in state tax credits. The project last year employed an annual full-time equivalent of 226 people, according to the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Boster and Steiner, who have organized a gathering of motion media advocates to lobby legislators on Feb. 2, said people need to under-stand that the motion media industry is verging on exponential growth because of widening ap-plications for personal computers, smartphones, tablets such as the iPad, 3-D television, special effects and games.

“Missouri is missing the boat, big time miss-ing the boat, in terms of what is happening with communications and how we receive media,” Steiner said. “What’s happening is a revolution in communications, and the skill sets that are used for a lot of those applications were birthed in our industry.”

Economic development initiatives should in-clude incentives for these emerging segments of the motion media industry, she said.

Boster said that media “has exploded across the entire world. … The ability to make money in this area is ridiculous.”

Beshore said his “ballpark” estimate of local spending for ilmmaking this year is between $3

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LEFT: Adam Boster, Boster Castle Studios (left) and Johnny Pez, Boxcar Films; Right: MOMMA President Lorah Steiner

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million and $4 million, based on what he’s seen being done and not including the True/False and Citizen Jane ilm festivals.

Beshore said: “One of our competitive advantages is we have a highly trained, highly skilled workforce in the Columbia area. We can do things cheaper and better than our peers nationally, and that’s why we get work.”

“I’m more focused on: How can we build up the knowledge base in Columbia?” Beshore said. “Right now, a large production company can’t come into Columbia and be successful. We’re not deep enough. How do we build depth?”

Boster countered that he believes if the local industry pooled its resources, they could do several feature ilms at the same time. Several forum partici-pants agreed with Boster’s assertion that much of the local motion media activity “has been lying below the radar. We have all the staff to make movies here.”

Chip Gubera, for example, is training some of the future motion me-dia workers in his classes at MU’s computer science department. They design iPhone apps, he said, and produce “weird stuff” such as movies about masked Mexican wrestlers and, most recently, “roller derby girls who ight vampires.”

“They get jobs all over the place, but a lot of them want to stay here,” he said.Beth Pike, a Columbia-based director and producer of commercial and

documentary videos, said until she attended the forum, she didn’t realize the depth of resources available locally.

“I feel a little guilty that I’ve brought in crews from Kansas City to work on some productions,” she said.

In a subsequent e-mail, she wrote, “I am realizing there's a budding video and ilm production happening right here with many talented people, and I certainly want to build relations with local crew who can handle the job. Building a base within will only strengthen production for our area and, hopefully, bring larger productions to Columbia.”

Kerri Yost, chair of the Digital Film and Media Department at Stephens College and co-director of the Citizen Jane Film Festival, said her students are spoiled by the quantity of ilmmaking and quality of the ilm festivals.

“I have to tell my students, ‘It’s not like this elsewhere,’” she said. v

Tourism ... continuedfromPage23

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FORUM | local film induStryPhoToSByNiChellelawreNCe

Film industry professionals promote cooperationTwenty-ive professionals involved in the motion media industry, along with industry advocates and public oficials, gathered at Spectrum Studios for a forum this month. They included, clockwise from upper left: Special Business District Director Carrie Gartner, producer Beth Pike, director Kim Sherman (partially hidden), Spectrum Studios owner Randy Sinqueield, Citizen Jane Film Festival Co-Director Kerri Yost, Pure Cinematica's Drew Hall, MU IT and media instructor Chip Gubera and, in middle-foreground, True/False Film Festival co-founder David Wilson

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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Baker Productions5306w.TaysideCircle,65203Bakerhd.com|tbakersv@socket.net|874-5691Productionservices,studiowithgreenscreenTomBaker,ownerrecentprojects:Televisionadvertisingandcorporateedits

Boster Castle StudiosParkadeCenter,Ste.134|65203Bostercastlestudios.com|studio@bostercastle.comws|227-5981Productioncompany,studioand80-acrebacklot,productionofice,studiorentaladamBoster,ownerrecentprojects:Submission, Way of the Guardian, Lost Treasure of Jesse James

Boxcar Films1023walnut.St.,Ste.101|65201|(573)256-1746Boxcarilms.com|brock@boxcarilms.com|Productionservices,studiospaceandequipmentrentalBrockwilliams,ownerrecentprojects:Box Elder,featureilm;Granny R.I.P;hubblePowerSystems,companyvideo.

LookOut Crewwww.lookoutcrew.com|881-4464bpike@socket.netBethPikeandStephenhudnell,producer/directorwriting,ieldshooting,editingfortelevision,commercial,anddocumentaryvideos

Pure Cinematica302CampusviewDrive,Ste.212,65201|499-4422Purecinematica.com|danderson@puremidmo.comDavidanderson,presidentProductionservicesrecentprojects:Lightning in a Bottle, Small Pond, A Face Fixed

Spectrum Studios210St.JamesSt.,65201|Gospectrumstudios.com|415-6553Filmandvideoproduction,setconstruction,greenscreenstudiorandySinqueield,ownerrandysinq@yahoo.comrecentprojects:Let Voters Decide, Scraps, Small Pond

Steve Twitchell ProductionP.o.Box982,65205|875-6715audio,videoproductionSteveTwitchell,ownerstpaudiovideo@centurytel.netrecentProjects:CentralMissourihonorFlightBecause of You;MissourirealtorsassociationSay Yes, to NO more TaxesdejaVoiCe.biz|800-858-8729Voice-overtalent

Axiom201S.Garthave.|65203489-6147|489-8455Getaxiom.com|axiom@getaxiom.comadvertisingagency,motionmediaproductionPaulaelias,presidentCo-director,CitizenJaneFilmFestivalKenleija,vicepresidentrecentprojects:Eco School House,adocumentary;Histories and Stories Along the High Road,adocumentary;TrueNorthpromotionalvideos

Columbia Access Television1405e.Broadway,room32helisCommunicationsCenterStephensCollege|876-7137info@columbiaaccess.tvProductionstudioandeditingSte.Jennifererickson,directorJennifer@columbiaaccess.tv

Kim ShermanDirector,producer,musicianKimbot.sherman@gmail.comrecentprojects:A Face Fixed, A Horrible Way to Die, Small Pond

Chip GuberaUniversityofMissouriDepartmentofComputerScience111engineeringBuildingwestguberac@missouri.edu|882-6566iTresidentinstructor;Filmandmusiceditingsoftwaretutor

Kerri YostStephensCollegeChair,DepartmentofDigitalFilmandMediaCo-director,CitizenJaneFilmFestival;Filmmakerkyost@stephens.edu|876-2312

Motion Media Resources*

*alladdressesinColumbia,phonenumbers573areacode

CBT/CVB TouRISM DeVeLPoMeNT FoRuM BReaKFaST SPoNSoReD By

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conStruction PERMITS

general business licenses (including ownership changes)

allstate insurance co.Robert Walthall LLC(573) 875-5500108 E. Green Meadows Road, Suite 3Insurance sales

battery Man sales & salvageJeri Ellen Wright(573) 442-13711406 Indiana Ave.Battery retail

bed bath & beyondCurtis Ray Robbins205 N. Stadium Blvd.Retail home furnishing

cali styleJuan Pedroza(573) 219-12291301 Vandiver Drive, Suite PRetail clothing

college auto repair & salesAl-Barrae Shebib(573) 814-5100801 N. College Ave., Suite DCar repair and sales

columbia vision centerElizabeth Hedgpath(573) 446-03311400 Forum Blvd., Suite 14Optometrist and retail glasses

global green insurance agencyDavid Drane(573) 449-05592401 Bernadette Drive, Suite 115Insurance agency

paradise spice llcChristina Chaney(573) 303-64001410 I-70 Drive S.W., Suite 104-2Novelty shop, retail sales

piano DistributorsPiano Distributors of Missouri(941) 809-20901729 W. Broadway, Suite 10BRetail pianos

pillow palsMichael Kuranz(414) 962-68642300 Bernadette DriveRetail kiosk

redbox automated retail llc(630) 756-84181000 Club Village DriveDVD rental vending machineSarah B. Gray M.Ed., LPCSarah Beth Gray(573) 875-1718204 Austin Ave.Counseling

sky hi bar & grillSky Hi Hospitality Inc.(573) 442-80802513 S. Old 63, Suite 103Restaurant

sub shopKirk Wacker(573) 489-3366601 W. Business Loop 70, Suite 203Restaurant

art & soul photography inc.Lana Eklund(573) 673-4189920 E. Broadway, Suite APhotography studio

Wall candy llcSam Correll(573) 777-882812 S. Ninth St.Personalized printable items

b&M stage productionsMSA Lighting & Sound LLC(573) 268-02395900 N. Tower Drive, Suite ALighting, sound, video and stage production

event solutionsNatalie Merrill(573) 445-3793705 E. Terrill RoadEvent planning consultants

Jamarieon MaintenanceJimmie Louis Pope(573) 219-95014445 Santa Anna DriveCleaning, repair

peat educational solutionsNicole Peat(573) 289-71671178 S. Pecos CourtEducational services

the living Well companyMichael Munsterman(660) 258-3857445 E. Helm St.Retail/wholesale heaters

thompson comfort 2 youMarlin Thompson(573) 234-37522278 E. Buffalo DriveHandyman/cleaning

Home-based businessesbello pulito beautiful CleaningLisa Brzycki(573) 673-53022801 W. Broadway, Apt. 1Home cleaning and organization

aaa party picsJohn Harper(573) 875-8527804 Moon Valley Road, Apt. 3Event photography

all pawsitive pet careAll Pawsitive Pet Care LLC(816) 695-90674706 Hockaday PlacePet sitting/dog walking

ann palmer llcMatthew Higgins(573) 219-92225411 Kelsey DriveRetail internet sales, home décor

balanced bodies therapeutic Melissa Princivalli(573) 999-32012012 Katy LaneTherapeutic massage

cleaning Made easyPatrice Williams(573) 777-9652506 Wilkes Blvd.Residential and commercial cleaning

clifford entertainmentCheryl Piha(573) 355-71552412 Boulder Springs DriveParty entertainment

eJc interiorsEmili Carlson(573) 446-09443244 Wind River Interior design

Fitness573 llcAnna DeCarla5024 Clark Lane, Apt. 105Personal training

holy grail publications llcNicholas Pretnar(217) 972-19011411 Bass Ave., Apt. 200Business, online and print publications

Jackart photography Jack Stanley(573) 808-6629205 Blue Sky CourtArt photography

K. lee Design & graphicsKristie Lee(573) 999-48041629 HighridgeGraphics

Mobile chiropractic & acupuncture Jennifer Sutherland(573) 268-18491109 Rainbow TroutChiropractor and acupuncture

The value of construction permits issued in November 2010 was more than double the value of permits issued in November 2009. Single-family housing permits were essentially unchanged from a year ago, but an inlux of permits for apartment and duplex housing pushed the value of residen-tial permits up to $12.8 million from $8 million a year ago. The majority of those permits are for a Trittenbach Development project on Rock Quarry Road approved this summer.

The value of commercial permits rose more than fourfold compared with last November, to $8.5 million. Commercial permit value was bolstered by three new ofice building projects. One, on Wingate in the Keene Medical corridor, is another Trittenbach project. Personal injury attorney Aaron Smith received a permit for his Leawood Plaza development at Stadium and Broadway, and a permit was granted for a medical ofice building near Chapel Hill Road and Forum Boulevard.

construction permits valued at more than $200,000 issued in november. total value of all november permits: $21,302,224

reinhardt Wilson1600 E. Broadway$3,200,000 Commercial alteration

columbia residential llc1510 Chapel Hill$1,770,300 New commercial medical

aaron W. smith20 Bourn$1,000,000 New commercial ofice

trittenbach Development3215 Wingate$1,000,000

new commercial oficeWeathercraft Inc.1104 N. Providence$626,499 Commercial alteration

con-tech construction6503 Upper Bridle Bend4200 Granite Springs$300,000 eachNew single-family detached

eric & christina stauber5514 Prairie Creek$300,000 New single-family detached

John hansman construction4507 Maxwell$290,000 New single-family detached

creative building & Design llc

4901 Steeplechase$280,000 New single-family detached

con-tech construction703 Copse$250,000 New single-family detached

nu-tec rooing contractors205 E. Nifong$243,000 Commercial alteration

robert akin construction & Design3309 Red Bay Creek$240,000 New single-family detached

con-tech construction6502 Upper Bridle Bend$225,000 New single-family detached

brian Davison316 Ryeield$225,000 New single-family detached

Kliethermes homes & remodeling6706 Chelan$220,000 New single-family detached

John hansman construction5300 Steeplechase$200,000 New single-family detached

professional contractors & engineers1605 E. Broadway$200,000 Commercial alteration

new BuSineSS LICENSES

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MFA Oil Company

We’d like your property to be next!

“Keeping it GREEN & GROWING”

Your Business

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www.ColumbiaTurf.com • 7105 Henderson Rd., Columbia • Oice: 573.443.5681 • Landscape Oice: 573.449.7855

Canterbury HOA

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Columbia Orthopaedic Group “Professional Grounds Maintenance”

Leading Clearly » tony richards

Communication: Critical for any organization’s successOne of the key success factors of any organization

is communication. In our diagnostic studies of people and organizations, it’s typically one of the critical ar-eas that needs the most improvement. Although the list of tools and tips on this subject is long and varied, I will share just a few here.

Communication is the honest and sincere exchange of information, concepts and ideas. Honest and sin-cere communication is a two-way discussion through which the intent is to reach a solid agreement. All ex-traordinary leaders master the skills involving com-munication because the straight truth is that effective communication takes a lot of discipline and focus.Communication is comprised of two parts

Part one: TransmittingMany leaders mistakenly believe this is the only

part of communicating. I’ve personally made this mistake many times. I believed I had communicated when I had only transmitted the message. Achieving clarity and frequency of the message is critical to communication.

The questions you should always ask yourself re-garding transmission:

• Have I effectively established the impact, mean-ing and purpose of my message?

• Have I made clarity a priority?• Have I made it clear that I welcome input and

feedback regarding my message and that my intent is to reach alignment?

Part two: Receiving The questions you should always ask yourself re-

garding receiving:

• Was the message received and understood?• Was the response I received what I expected?• Did I eliminate all assumptions?

Communication killersToo much focus on the negativeOne of the most effective things a leader can pro-

vide for the people who follow them is hope. You pro-vide hope by being relentlessly positive and realistic about the situation communicated. For most people, if no positive input is interjected into a negative situa-tion, and they are left on their own to interpret the sit-uation, their default thinking is usually negative. This is one of the reasons why leadership is so important.

I often think about a leader such as George Washington in a situation like that at Valley Forge, with death all around him and conditions worsening. Washington had no alternative but to ind a way to offer hope to his troops to get them through one of the most dificult situations in America’s history and ultimately win the war that birthed the greatest nation on Earth.No return of phone calls or e-mail

The perception that followers, vendors, cus-tomers and others have of leaders is so important. Unfortunately, leaders lie on their voicemails all the time. It’s sad, but “please leave a message, and I’ll get back to you” is often untrue. Not only is it just plain courteous to call someone back who leaves a message or e-mails you, but not responding also allows the de-fault negative thinking to take hold and affect your personal brand leadership image.

Illogical leapsIt can be frustrating when you’re trying to listen to

someone who makes illogical leaps in his or her dia-log. Avoid making quick changes of subjects in mid-stream and expecting people to automatically follow. Remember, when transmitting, you must use discipline and focus with your message.

Non-congruent tone of desired messageSee how many ways you can say, “I can’t believe

you did that,” and this one will be crystal clear.Lack of patience and discipline in listening to othersThis is the biggie. How often have we been so pas-

sionate about our position that we could not, or just lat out refused to, listen to others’ perspectives?

Sometimes the enthusiasm to dispute the antici-pated rebuttal to our position is just too strong to hold at bay. When we lost the honest and sincere exchange component, we diminished the success factor of com-munication. One way to get this under control is to make notes of what the other person is saying prior to responding. We must respect others’ right to say what’s on their mind, even if it’s incorrect.

Focus on these skills will yield better communica-tion for you and your team and thereby improve over-all results. Remember to focus only on one at a time, master it, and pick another to work on until you are com-municating with clarity and achieving great results. v

Tony Richards is a leader in the area of personal develop-ment and senior partner of Clear Vision Development Group, a Columbia-based leadership coaching and training irm. Visit them online at www.clearvisiondevelopment.com.

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PuBlic RECORDBoone County deeds of trust worth more than $275,000 issued from Nov. 30 to Dec. 13. Total issued: $78,989,762

$3,600,000 GRANTWOOD VILLAGE LLCFIRST STATE COMMUNITY BANKLT 12 GRANTWOOD VILLAGE

$3,500,000 GD&N DEVELOPMENT LLCPROVIDENCE BANKLT 102-B PARIS ROAD PLAZA PLAT NO 1-A

$3,420,000 RTF DEVELOPERS LLCEXCHANGE BANK OF NORTHEAST MISSOURISTR 10-51-11 //SE SUR BK/PG: 1191/900 AC 1.640

$3,000,000 SOUTHPARK LIVING LLCMID AMERICA BANKLT 9 WOODSIDE SUB $2,845,000 WIND RIVER CIRCLE PROPERTIES LLCBANK OF MISSOURI THELT 1417 BROADWAY FARMS PLAT 14-A $2,550,000 GRD PROPERTIES LLCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 1 ESTES HORST $1,597,600 MILES, JOHN D & HEIDI RBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 21A PARADISE HILLS ESTATES BLOCK 4 $1,000,000 B-SIB LLCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT PT PARKADE SUB $960,000 ENG, PATRICK J & MARY DEL; WOODS, MATTHEW BPROVIDENCE BANKLT 346 PT COLUMBIA FF & PT ALLEY $850,000 GRD PROPERTIES LLCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 4B INDUSTRIAL PARK OF COLUMBIA PLAT 2 LOT 4

$670,000LEES, LARRY APROVIDENCE BANKLT 1 PT BL 1 BEAR CREEK SUB $646,147 BOS & LBS REVOCABLE TRUST THEJONESBURG STATE BANKLT 50A COUNTRY CLUB VILLAS II LT50 $595,522 CARPENTER, KEITH JOSEPH & TYREE, BRENDA LEELANDMARK BANKSTR 30-51-12 /N/SW SUR BK/PG: 1239/533 FF TRACT 7

$595,000 J J K L LLCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 6 OAKLAND PLAZA SUB BLK 2 $586,250 MG 2009 REVOCABLE TRUST THECOMMERCE BANKLT 5 PT COUNTRY FARMS SUB

$586,200 AILOR, EDGAR I III & SUSAN KLANDMARK BANKSTR 15-47-13/W/SE FF W/EXCEPTION

$572,000 TWIN VENTURES LLCCOMMERCE BANKLT 4A HAWTHORN HEIGHTS CONDOMINIUMS $559,000 MORROW, LARRY A & CHERRYL L TRUST THEBLAKEMORE, MARVIN H REVOCABLE TRUSTLT 121 SOUTHFIELD PLAT 2 $442,000 GIER HOLDINGS LLCRURAL MISSOURI INCLT 1 I-70 EAGLE STOP PLAT 1

$441,801 SJOBLOM, BETH & ERICMORTGAGE RESEARCH CENTER LLCSTR 16-47-12 //NW SUR BK/PG: 922/801 AC 10.000

$440,000 BGF HOLDINGS LLCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 4A STONEBRIDGE PARK CONDOMINIUMS $427,500 MUNDEN RAU DEVELOPMENT LLCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 4 BUNKER HILL OFFICE CONDOMINIUM THE $417,000 MEYER, STEVEN CRAIG & CHRISTINE ANNLANDMARK BANKLT 1404 HIGHLANDS PLAT 14-B THE $412,000 RANDOLPH, MARK & BRIDGETTBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKSTR 31-48-11 E/E/SE $400,000 JARBOU, MOHAMMAD & OUNI, RABA JABOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 133 SPRING CREEK PLAT 1 $400,000 OVERTON, DORIS JBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 58 CHAPEL HILL ESTATES PLAT1 $358,400 RICE, DONALD STEVEN & RHONDA PRASTBANK OF MISSOURI THELT 44 THORNBROOK PLAT NO 1 $356,500 ANDRIANO, STEVEN J & CAROLINE ABOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKSTR 33-49-14 //NE SUR BK/PG: 530/455 $340,150 THOMPSON, TANYACOMMERCE BANKLT 124 HIGHLANDS PLAT 12-B THE $326,000 FINKELSTEIN, RICHARD A REVOCABLE TRUST AGREEMENTMID AMERICA MORTGAGE SERVICES INCLT 6 BL 1 FOREST ACRES SUB $325,000 MCKENZIE, CHRISTOPHER K & KIMBERLY AFLAT BRANCH MORTGAGE INCLT 65 LONGVIEW SUB PLAT 1 $322,000 REED, TIMOTHY J & LISA L BOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 10 J & J PONY FARMS SUB FF WALNUT WOOD ESTATES $309,358 PEASE, CHARLES H & FREYA FWELLS FARGO BANK

LT 307 CASCADES PLAT NO 3 THE $308,800 DOLLIVER, ROBERT H IV & LISA MLANDMARK BANKLT 26 STEEPLECHASE ESTATES PLAT NO 1

$300,000 HILL, MIKE & AMYLANDMARK BANKLT 130 BELLWOOD PLAT NO 1 $298,000 THOMAS, WALLACE W & VICKY KMISSOURI CREDIT UNIONLT 432 THORNBROOK PLAT NO 13 $296,000 KORB, JOSEPH B & LACY MLANDMARK BANKSTR 30-51-11 //SE SUR BK/PG: 3191/48 AC 10.210 $288,700 STANSBERRY, PATT & CHERYL TRUST THESTIFEL BANK & TRUSTLT 17 HUNTERS RIDGE SUB $288,000 MAZUR, JEFFREY A & MELINDACENTRAL TRUST BANKSTR 11-46-12 //E SUR BK/PG: 1146/772 FF TRACT 5 W/ $285,800 KIRCHHOFF REVOCABLE LIVING TRUSTBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKSTR 9-47-13 //NW SUR BK/PG: 564/683 AC 6.570 $285,471 JOHN HANSMAN HOMES LLCLANDMARK BANKLT 308 BELLWOOD PLAT NO 3 $285,000 JQB CONSTRUCTION INCBOONE COUNTY NATIONAL BANKLT 431 COPPERSTONE PLAT 4 $284,751 DEXHEIMER, WILLIAM M & SARA JU S BANKLT 104 BELLWOOD PLAT NO 1 $283,294 GERMANN, RANDALL L & HELEN SCENTRAL TRUST BANKSTR 24-45-12 /SE/NE $280,500 JOHN HANSMAN CONSTRUCTION LLCLANDMARK BANKLT 309 BELLWOOD PLAT NO 3 $280,000 CREATIVE BUILDING & DESIGN LLCMID AMERICA BANKLT 211 THORNBROOK PLAT NO 7 $279,000 PUTNAM, MARK L & ROSE JACQUELINEMID AMERICA MORTGAGE SERVICES INCLT 24 HERITAGE MEADOWS PLAT 1 $276,000 SCHOUTEN, CRAIG STEVEN & LORETTA LYNNMID AMERICA MORTGAGE SERVICES INCSTR 18-47-12 /W/NE SUR BK/PG: 339/299 FF TRACT #1

$275,000 MILLER, TROY D & SHIRLEY JMID AMERICA MORTGAGE SERVICES INCSTR 16-48-12 /NE/NW AC 3.000 FF PT SUR 7485

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MissouriBusiness.netSeveral Missouri business support organiza-

tions have joined together to create legislative and public awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship and the need to foster its cre-ation and success within the state.

The Missouri Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs initiative was created as a result of discussions among seven organiza-tions: Associated Industries of Missouri, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Missouri Economic Development Council, Missouri Enterprise, the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers, the Missouri Technology Corporation and the Missouri Chapter of the National Federation for Independent Businesses.

“Together, along with the state’s colleges and universities, these groups form the most comprehensive outreach network in our state," said Max Summers, interim director of the MU Business Development Program, which houses the MO SBTDC.

Summers said the groups complement rather than duplicate activities. He added: “We want to communicate that to policymakers and the state. Entrepreneurship and small business are the keys to our economic recovery.”

Summers cites a March 2010 inding by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which used US Census Bureau data to conclude that be-tween 1999 and 2008 the median household income in Missouri dropped 14.6 percent, the steepest drop among all 50 states. He sees small business playing a major role in reversing that inding.

Brad Jones, NFIB state director for Missouri, agreed.

“Entrepreneurs are the job creators,” Jones said. “Small businesses and the self-employed are responsible for all of the net job creation not only in Missouri, but nationwide. We in Missouri need to seize the opportunity to better support those companies and create an environ-ment in which they can thrive. Eighty-eight per-cent of the irms in this state have fewer than 10 employees.”

To achieve its goal of raising awareness re-garding the importance of entrepreneurship and small business to the state’s economic future, MORE will:

• Create a public awareness campaign high-lighting the importance of entrepreneurship and small business as an economic development strategy for the state;

• Work collectively to champion support for small business and entrepreneurship with the Missouri legislature;

• Produce a resource guide for small busi-ness that includes locations and descriptions of sources for assistance and support;

• Present awards for excellence in innova-tion and entrepreneurship at a Small Business Showcase on Jan. 26 in Jefferson City.

Ray McCarty, AIM president, said he wel-comes the opportunity to share a message about small business that is broader than the more re-cent focus on technology companies.

“Our membership includes many manufac-turers as well as non-high-technology compa-nies,” McCarty said. “We need to support all Missouri businesses, and in particular, we need to ight the perception that manufacturing is dy-ing in our state. We, as a state and nation, need to continue to design, build and sell products nationally and internationally.”

Dusty Cruise, president of Missouri Enterprise, a federally funded Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, agreed.

“If we ever, as a nation, stop producing goods, we endanger our competitiveness long-term,” Cruise said. “MORE will help us keep the importance of all small business, including manufacturers of all sizes, in the forefront of the economic development discussion.”

Tracy King represents the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the MORE orga-nizing committee.

“As the largest Missouri business member-ship organization, the Missouri Chamber looks forward to working through MORE to commu-nicate to the Missouri legislature the importance of supporting Missouri employers with resourc-es, information, networks and technical assis-tance,” King said. “As the Chamber addresses policy issues of importance to Missouri busi-ness, we look forward to MORE's involvement in supporting with advocacy and education.”

Ben Jones, president of America's Heartland Economic Partnership in Lebanon and MEDC representative, said: “As economic developers, we encourage startup businesses and assist them as we can in inding the resources they need to take root in our communities. In addition, a great deal of our work is focused on retaining successful businesses in the state and helping them reach the next level in their growth. MORE should be a powerful voice for those companies who create the fabric of enterprise in Missouri.”

According to the Kauffman Foundation, Missouri ranks 49th nationally in entrepreneur-ial activity. MORE's mission is to improve that ranking by helping create a climate of growth and innovation and bring more balance to the state's economic development agenda. v

This story was featured in the December 2010 newsletter.

Small business support organizations form network

For more information on MORE and upcoming activities, contact Mary Paulsell with the MU BDP at (573) 882-1353 or paulsellm@missouri.edu. Or contact any of the MORE partners:ray mccarty, associated industries of missouri, (573) 634-2246

Ben Jones, medc, (417) 533-5627

dusty cruise, missouri enterprise, (800) 956-2682

tracy King, missouri chamber of commerce and industry, (573) 634-3511

Jason Hall, missouri technology corporation, (573) 526-0470

Brad Jones, nfiB, (573) 634-7660

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Hinkson Creek ... continuedfromPage15

The city, county and university are asking the EPA for more vigorous study so they can target spending to achieve the great-est impact on the health of the creek. Many of the studies on the Hinkson included in the TMDL were conducted by DNR from 2002 to 2006, and oficials in the Columbia area say many actions to improve the watershed, such as the removal of wastewater treatment plants on the creek, have since been implemented. New studies, they said, might reveal a healthier creek or at least iden-tify areas and pollutants that could be speciically targeted to ef-iciently improve the watershed.

“If EPA comes back and says, ‘We need a more comprehen-sive methodology, but we’d like you to consider X, Y and Z in the meantime while we ind out,’ I’d assume (my clients would) listen,” Shorr said in an interview.

But Midkiff, who was the director of the Missouri Sierra Club at the time of the original lawsuit, said he is conident that reduc-ing stormwater low into the creek would improve its health and that improvements must start now.

“We have let it be known very clearly to EPA that the only ex-tension of that consent decree will be until Jan. 31,” Midkiff, who is authorized by the national Sierra Club to act as the lead contact on the issue, said.

At the meeting in Kansas City, local representatives cited nu-merous problems with implementing the TMDL. The TMDL says livestock in the watershed are likely a “signiicant source of pol-lutants,” but local oficials pointed out that agricultural activities are exempt from many of the regulations they could implement.

The other problem is reducing pollutants likely caused by run-off from the Interstate 70 and US Highway 63 bridges that inter-sect right over the creek. A Missouri Department of Transportation salt storage facility in the area was moved a few years ago to ad-dress high chloride concentrations in that area of the creek, but studies have not measured the impact on the stream since then. Further improvements in that area would require cooperation with MoDOT, Shorr said.

“Some of the sources are beyond the legal authority of our (stormwater permit) capabilities,” Shorr said.

Another argument against targeting stormwater raised by Shorr is that it might ultimately raise the concentrations of the unidentiied pollutants. “If we reduce the load to the point they’re talking about, it may make it toxic,” Shorr said

Midkiff dismissed that argument.“The opposite is actually true,” Midkiff said. “Since the pol-

lutants are carried by stormwater, you actually reduce the pollutants.”

Shorr told the EPA that his clients are in the process of solicit-ing services for new studies on the creek to determine if it has improved and what pollutants should be targeted irst. He es-timated that some targeting information should be available in a year, and within two years some information on trends in the creek’s health should be available. City Manager Bill Watkins said the studies should begin in the spring.

Those studies, Shorr said, should have been conducted by DNR, but “they have no money.” So the city, county and univer-sity will pick up the tab.

“We’ve got to ind out because we’ve got to reduce our risk,” he said. “But is it the city’s fault because there’s no data?”

Ultimately, all his clients want is more speciic data from newer studies and a commitment to a phased, speciic approach, Shorr said. No one is disputing the need for a TMDL or that the creek could be improved, he said. But the document right now is too broad.

“We want to lock it down so we know exactly what we have to do,” Shorr said. “It’s important that it not be so open for misinterpretation.”

Midkiff stressed that delaying the TMDL or not meeting its re-quirements would result in a formal complaint from the Sierra Club.

Midkiff also countered Shorr’s dire predictions of the regu-lation’s impact. Midkiff said many of the stormwater improve-ments could be done relatively simply. For instance, he suggested that the Walmart on Conley Road could put in permeable pave-ment. More detention ponds would have to be put in along the watershed, though, he added. And he pointed out that a whole host of federal grants for stormwater improvements are available, which would reduce the overall cost. v