It’s noon and the small town of Odessa, Mo., is bustling. The smell of barbecue and sound of music wafts into the street from local eatery Vig’s KC BBQ as patrons sit at tables along the sidewalk. Bells clang against the doors of antique shops as customers enter and leave. Folks stop into the Mixing Bowl Baking Company for a sweet dessert. Some even linger until 3 p.m. for a dish of old-fashioned ice cream at Odessa Creamery.

The downtown was not always like this, according to Odessa Mayor Adam Couch. It has taken years of revitalization projects to get this rural community outside of Kansas City, Mo., thriving.

TALKING IT OVER: Gov. Mike Parson (center) visits with eight rural mayors to hear challenges they face in Missouri. State Rep. Glen Kolkmeyer (R-Odessa) and first lady Teresa Parson also attended.

As in many small towns in Missouri, business was not always booming. These towns face obstacles their larger counterparts do not. In the library of the local elementary school, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson sat down with rural mayors to hear the challenges small towns face, and what they see as priorities moving forward.

Workforce-ready
In a small town, the public school is the backbone of the community. “We do not have access to private schools like those in a large city,” Couch explains. “We need commitment and investment in local schools.”

Parson says it is time to rethink our education system. “When I went to school, it was about getting a diploma, then going off to college,” he says. “College is not for everyone.” The governor referred to figures that said 44% of kids go to college and 24% complete their education. “We have to have an education system that provides workforce-ready skills.”

He championed area vocational technical schools that allow students training while in high school. Mayor Fred Wiedner of Lexington, Mo., pointed out the Lex La-Ray Technical Center, which offers students education in welding, carpentry, auto mechanics and health occupations.

Couch also wants more money available for adult education. “We need to expand our hours of education to provide training for our community members,” he says. “We are a blue-collar community. Training needs to come after business hours are over.”

Broadband access
Michael Brown, mayor of Concordia, Mo., says rural communities would benefit from broadband internet and connectivity. “We are losing our best and brightest to bigger cities and towns,” he says.

The lack of internet accessibility, especially at higher speeds, is a huge obstacle to attracting and keeping manufacturing and businesses. Brown noted the loss of a dialysis company because of the lack of internet service.

Parson says his office is working to figure out how to bring broadband to rural communities, and the entire state. “We have to figure out how we can accomplish it, where we get the resources and how to get it done,” he says. Parson recently made his concerns known not only to President Donald Trump, but also U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. He shared how technology advancements force those in rural areas — whether farmers or small businesses — to have reliable internet access.

Infrastructure needs
From rural roads to water supply, rural mayors feel the crunch.

Mayor Doyle Weeks of small-town Holden, Mo., just does not have the funds. Holden, with a population of just over 2,000, completed a $65,000 water supply project. Weeks wonders how much more he can ask of his community.

Others expressed need for more road improvements. Parson reiterated the need for passage of the proposed fuel tax. This gas tax proposal is on the Nov. 6 ballot. If approved, the state’s fuel tax would increase by 10 cents per gallon gradually. The state already has a 17 cent-per-gallon tax; if voter-approved, it would increase to 27 cents by 2022.

Parson says local communities would see benefits from the tax to fund repairs to highways and bridges. A portion of the tax would also fund the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Driving back downtown, it was easy to see the needs of Odessa. Parking spots were full from the midday rush. It is a good problem to have, according to the city mayor, but one that will need to be addressed if the small town expects to continue thriving.

Parson says he wants rural Missouri communities to see growth. “By working together with you, we want to give you the tools you need to make it happen,” he says.