City of Charleston Champion Community

Lead Entity: City of Charleston

Demographics

State:  Missouri

Counties (Census Tracts): Mississippi County (9502)

2000 Community Population:   4732

Poverty Rate: 31.2%

Net Land Area: 11.7 sq. mi.
 

Background: 

• Unemployment rate:  8.1%

• Median Household Income: (1990 Census) $15,859.00

• Per Capita Income: $13,038.00

• Persons below poverty line: 3,089 or 23.7%

• Children below poverty line: 1,081 or 31.7%

Community Overview:

The City of Charleston is the county seat of Mississippi County, Missouri.  The County is the eastern-most county in the State, located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.  The Mississippi County Port is the northern-most ice-free point along the Mississippi River.  The major industry is agriculture.  Sitting on an alluvial flood plain, we provide some of the richest soil and crop-producing acreage in North America.  The major crops are corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat, and milo.  Other crops being harvested include potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, sweet corn and popcorn.  Although not a livestock community, we are involved in poultry production and farm-grown catfish.  There is also potential for the production of farm-grown shrimp and other seafood, as well as other vegetable and grain crops.

The City’s (and County’s) largest employer is the new Southeast Correctional Center, a Missouri Department of Corrections maximum security prison for males.  When it reaches full capacity, it will house 1,500 maximum security inmates and employ approximately 500 persons.

The second largest employer is the Gates Rubber Company, which has reduced its production of agricultural and automotive hosing, due to reduction in demand.

The population of the community is racially-diverse with a 53-47 split between whites and minority segments, mainly African-American.  Of the housing units with the City, roughly 600 are federally funded or subsidized housing units.

The City suffered a major blow in 2000 when Wal-Mart closed its local facility.  The opening of the state correctional facility had little effect on Wal-Mart’s decision to close.  The impact on local sales tax has been significant to both the City and the County, as well as surrounding communities.

The City is impeded by a number of issues at the current time:

1.                  Lack of affordable acreage for housing, retail and industrial development.

2.                  Lack of resources to annex and develop potential acreage within the city limits.

3.                  Lack of affordable, available housing to develop new neighborhoods, thus preventing residential establishment for those persons who have accepted positions at the new state prison.

4.                  Lack of convenient retail shopping for current and future residents.

5.                  Lack of adequate medical care within the community.

6.                  Lack of additional services within the community.

7.                  Lack of adequate services to transport needy residents to those medical and other services when needed.

8.                  A growing, aging population coupled with a decline in the number of younger residents who choose to return to or stay in the community due to lack of opportunity.

9.                  High crime due to lack of education, training, jobs, low neighborhood attachment, and dwindling law enforcement due to lack of trained personnel and funding available for law enforcement.

Strategic Plan Highlights:  

With the implementation of its strategic plan, the City of Charleston seeks to achieve a balance in economic and community development.

• Reduce Juvenile Delinquency Rate by:

Increasing the involvement of the minority community in the education process; fostering a positive and ongoing dialogue between business and educational communities;

• Increase community participation and health:

Having  a variety of residents trained in the knowledge to competently plan, acquire funding, implement and monitor community projects.

Residents to have access to year round indoor recreational facilities with a minimum of 1750 residents to participate in year round exercise.  And access to residents to a day and night, safe outdoor recreational facility.

• To develop an economically independent community by:

Reducing the unemployment rate by at least 4% by the year 2009; decrease the number of residents age 25 or older that do not have high school diploma or GED; increase the number of businesses in community and increase tour bus events by at least 50%; have at least 100% of storefronts in the central business district occupied by successful business and a competitive infrastructure in place.

Partnerships

Charleston Revitalization Alliance – This newly formed group’s main focus is increase in retail businesses in the downtown area coupled with historic preservation of existing historic structures in the 6 block radius of and including the downtown area.  They also promote tourism. Susanne Wesley Learning Center (North Campus) – This learning center focuses on high school delinquency, adult learning (such as computer classes, GED, etc) and after school programs for children.

Division of Family Services – Provides funds for Youth Services.

Community Betterment – The Community Betterment is a member of the Department of Economic Development and sponsors different projects throughout the year to better the community and invite tourism.

Chamber of Commerce – The Chamber of Commerce is the main organization that handles the Dogwood-Azalea Festival every year, which brings large numbers of tourists to the community.

State of Missouri – Department of Mental Health -  Furnishes funds for youth Services through State General Revenue Fund.

Leveraging

Charleston Revitalization Alliance has obtained ownership of a building in the downtown historic area and plan to obtain grants through Rural Development and Department of Economic Development to restore this building so that it may be rented to new retail businesses in order to act as an incubator building.

The City of Charleston has provided services for the Revitalization Alliance such as dumpsters for trash removed from building and city personnel to assist with cleanup .

 Other funds utilized are:  Title V Prevention Funding, TANF, State of Missouri General Revenue

Community Involvement:

Barton County Economic Development Commission co-sponsors an annual strategic planning meeting.  The meeting includes evaluation and celebration of the past year's accomplishments as well as prioritizing future needs.

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