The community is invited to attend the first ever Community Projects Expo on April 18, 2023, in partnership with Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). The event will showcase local expansion and growth projects as proposed by the university’s engineering students. The event is open to the public and will take place in the Moses Austin Room at Washington County Library. Attendees may come and go anytime from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm and will have the opportunity to view projects, encourage students and provide feedback.
In December 2022, representatives from Meramec Regional Planning Commission facilitated a brainstorming session among community leaders and Dr. Joan Shuman, Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Engineering 
Management and Systems Engineering, to explore project ideas in Potosi. IDA Consulting Director, Jaclyn Rowe, has been serving as project manager and will welcome guests to the open-house style event at 6:00 p.m.
“Our community leaders suggested a great mix of projects and have made the collaboration easy. These engineering students have a unique and objective perspective on our community, and I’m excited to see what they envision. It will be a great benefit to have their ideas and research for our collective strategic planning,” said Rowe.
Here is a sneak-peek of projects to be featured at the expo by the Missouri S&T Teams:
- Site selection for a potential hotel and a hotel layout
- Update to restrooms and dugouts at Potosi City Park
- Improved aircraft parking and optimum aircraft taxi routing updates at Washington County Airport
- Bike paths, second entrance and bicycle pump track at Potosi City Park
- Electric Vehicle charging station
- New outdoor gathering space, pedestrian bridge, facade work, improved entries and roof/guttering upgrades at Sayers Senior Center
- Site plan and pavilion for Rising Phoenix warming shelter and property
A diverse group of project champions were recruited to support the student teams including: Mayor Joseph Blount; City of Potosi; Debby Bust, Washington Count Community Partnership; T. R. Dudley, Sayers Senior Center and Great Mines Health Center; Philip Fitzwater, Fitzwater Realty; Johnny Hicks, City of Potosi Water and Sewer Supervisor; Mike Jarvis, Ministerial Alliance and Rising Phoenix Shelter Committee Chairperson; Sam Rhodes, Washington County Airport Board President; Robert Rugh, Street/Potosi City Park Supervisor; and Klinton Silvey, Reese Financial and Shepherd Mountain Bike Park founding member.
Mayor Blount extends his appreciation “I would like to thank the students from Missouri S&T for their help with some of our community projects. This is a great step forward to making these projects come to life. We are greatly appreciative for the hard work you have put in for the betterment of our city.”
While these projects are merely “ideas” now, perhaps they can become reality in the future? Business owners, community leaders and citizens interested in economic development, in encouraging students and in exploring these ideas should plan to visit the expo on April 18.