New medical Center
Missouri Highlands Healthcare has moved into town. http://www.mohigh.org

Local eNewsletter
Johnny Jones from http://johnnyscorner.com has started a local news service featuring news, stories, and events all about the Viburnum area. You can join the eNewsletter by sending a blank email to news-subscribe@johnnyscorner.com . To be removed from the List send a blank email to news-unsubscribe@johnnyscorner.com . The articles are archived at http://blog.johnnyscorner.com .

Old Miners' Day '04
The dates have been set for the 2005 edition of the Old Miners' Day Celebration in Viburnum. The event will kick off Friday September 30 and go through the weekend of October 1st and 2nd. The Old Miners Day event was organized 18 years ago to celebrate the heritage of the mining industry in Viburnum and surrounding communities. In 2004 over 7,000 people attended the three day event with nearly 400 people taking the free underground mine tour. For information about Old Miners' Day email Lance Mayfield at mayfield@misn.com  or visit the http://oldminersday.com web site. You may also leave a message at the Chamber Office at 573-244-3200.

Cell Tower (Now Functioning!)
The Viburnum Cell Tower is on its way up ! Photo by Steve Ogle
 
After years of request and months and months of coordinating the effort, the Viburnum community finally has a cell tower on its way up. On Saturday December 11th workers with Five Star Communication were working to hoist the last sections into place. The tower once completed will stand at 345 feet and is considered a Mega Tower in the industry. Once the tower is complete and the final utilities and equipment connected, the service provider will be Cingular Wireless.

Cingular Wireless who recently merged with ATT Wireless now has the largest mobile to mobile calling community some 46 million strong. Cingular with its Allover network also has the largest Digital voice and data network in America. 

With the addition of the Viburnum tower in the cell phone network, it will be the only cell tower located in the heart Mark Twain National Forest. It is hopeful the community will get a nice gift for Christmas with cell phone service being available by the holidays. For information about buying Cell Phones and Service Contracts call the local Cingular Wireless Agent in Viburnum at 573 244 5940.
 

OldMinersDay.com
Viburnum's eighteenth annual festival, gets it's own website. Check it out at http://oldminersday.com .

Bald Eagles
I saw a great site today in Dillard, Missouri about 5 miles north of Viburnum.  This picture will show 2 Bald Eagles sitting overlooking the Huzzah River.  I drove like a mad man to pickup my friend Steve Ogle who was able to take these pictures. What a site in our back yard.
I set several takes to the Missouri Conservation Dept. 
Lance Mayfield
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Missouri Community Betterment Awards
The Viburnum community was recognized this week at the annual Missouri Community Betterment Awards Banquent.   Viburnum placed 4th in their catagory with projects submitted such as the Old Miners' Day  Event, The Road Rally, Veterans Prayer Day, Disabled Citizens Alliance Political Forum and activities of the area youth.  Presenters of the specific projects during  the annual visits by the MCB judges were Sammi Larue, Karla Payne, Rhonda Bozic, Michael Knight and Lance Mayfield.

Attending the awards banquent on behalf of the Viburnum community were from left to right Karla Payne, Rich Blakley, Rhonda Bozic and Governor Bob Holden making the presentation.
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Road Rally
News Release:    Viburnum Road Rally
Contact:              Lance Mayfield
Phone;                573-244-3377
 
Photos:                By: Lance Mayfield
                            #1 Turn at the Golf Course
                            #2 Tunnel location on Hwy 49
 
The 100 Acre Wood Road Rally held in Viburnum on February 22nd was a fun, fast and exciting event.  The Road Rally was a European Style Race where the drivers and their cars competed against a clock for time. 

The event was very successful and in the Viburnum area accident free.  Lance Mayfield one of the local organizers said, " I was amazed at the speeds some of these cars reach . "  Mayfield further stated, "It was reported to me by email from the event organizer, one of the cars averaged 96.5 miles per hour on the Doe Run haul road between Bixby and Viburnum ."

The weather was not the best for spectators but over 250 people braved the cold weather and mist of rain to watch the cars travel through the tunnel that goes under 49 highway, located between Bixby and Viburnum. 

Another 150 spectators watched the race as the cars made the left turn near the Viburnum Golf and Country Club.

The Rally Cars also had a Pit area at the Elmer P. Beard Gym parking lot to allow everyone to get a up close look at the vehicles. 

Mayfield said, "For our first effort to assist with this event, we were very pleased with the local support and the professionalism of the Road Rally organization . We hope this becomes an annual event for the Viburnum community . "
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Nonprofit Status
I know many of you are aware VEDAC, has applied to the IRS for recognition for a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) status. This has been a real struggle given the events of 911 and all the organizations that were recognized as such. We have been diligent in our efforts of phone and mail communication with the IRS and have felt the pain of a slowed government.We can however celebrate today as I just received a 7 page document that says in effect, "yes you are one" !
 
VEDAC has built a slow yet solid foundation in its efforts to be organized and recognized as a professional organization. The community has already benefited from its works and VEDAC has already been a real asset.  We have very dedicated people that care about our community and its people. The people behind the VEDAC organization have worked tirelessly in meeting after meeting and sometimes feeling like we have only been successful in having meetings but we have real results and we have only just begun !
 
If you have a chance please thank the Board of Directors below who have worked very hard to make this happen.
 
Mike Morton - Vice Chair
Chip Jones - Past Board Member
Johnny Jones - Past Board Member
Wes Lloyd - Treasurer
Rita Henroid - Member
Bob Dunn - Member
Mike Reed - Member
Robert Hewkin - Member
Pam Davis - Member
Dan Schmidt - Member
Elizabeth Bruner - Secretary
Bill Bruner - Executive Director
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New Director
The Mountain Echo, January 30, 2002, Vol. 65, No. 18, Ironton, Mo. 63650:
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Bruner is Executive Director for VEDAC
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The Viburnum Economic Development (Area) Corporation (VEDAC), a not-for-profit organization, has appointed Bill Bruner as the Executive Director.
 
Bruner, a native of Crawford County, is married and the father of four.  He has a wide and varied work experience.  He has 15 years experience in management level positions in the river industry, and he has also accumulated nearly 10 years worth of experience in the managing and operation of private business enterprises.  He has been active in organizations, both private and public, from the local level to the national level, and he has played a principal role in creating and advancing the idea for a  "community development corporation" in the Viburnum area, accomplishing the necessary filings and documents to bring that organization into existence.
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"I continue to work closely with the Chairman of VEDACorp to create the necessary organization to make VEDACorp a functioning, viable community development corporation," Bruner stated.
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Bruner has 29 credit hours from the University of Missouri - Columbia (1969-70), with certificates in Economic Analysis from the University of Minnesota/Wisconsin and Grant Writing from Ozark Technical College.
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"We intend to become a fully funded, full time, non-profit organization serving the citizens and communities of the region," Bruner stated.  "We hope to make VEDAC a central force in the economic development of the five-county region of Washington, Iron, Dent, Reynolds and Crawford.  Our mission is to assist in the redevelopment of this region as lead mining begins to decline and eventually ends."

We will also have some brand new news about the Viburnum Golf Course.
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Viburnum Streets Get a Face-Lift
by Johnny C. Jones

Viburnum's 30-year-old streets got the hot-mix asphalt that taxpayers voted for last year in a five-year-bond measure, upgrading the city's streets and giving them a fresh look.

"I liked it that the men worked quickly and there wasn't a lot of time when we couldn't use our streets," one resident stated. "All the potholes are gone. And the streets look nice. Look new."

To help the "new look" last, the city will seal the streets in future years. That should help preserve them.

According to City Councilman Lance Mayfield, the cost of the water and street project was estimated to be $520,000, the amount of the Bond Issue that was passed. "The great news is the projects actual cost was just over $450,000 saving the residents nearly $70,000 in bond retirement. This would project that instead of having a 5 year debt payment it would be about 4 years and 5 months."

Lance also noted that the City is in the process of hiring some people part-time to clean up the loose gravel and debris left behind.
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VEDAC Latest Developments
Lance: For our Community Investment Task Force presentations*, I wanted a current figure on the dollar value of grant money that the Viburnum area has received since the formation of VEDAC.  Rita called me with the numbers Sunday night.  She has applied for and received $109,000 for the Viburnum area, and has a pending application for another $60,000.  I think that is pretty impressive.
 
*Michael Knight and Leona Gibson will be making a presentation tonight to the Fire Department.
I wanted to let everyone know that Rita Henroid, our Iron County Economic Developer called today to advise the grant proposal for a feasibility study for a Mining Educational/Museum Center has been funded in the amount of $20,000 ...!  WOW.....!
 
This means there will be real work in the area to see if it is possible to have a Mining Museum/Educational Center in our community.  It also means more name recognition for VEDAC.
 
More will be announced publicly by Rita.  Next time you see Rita, give her a pat on the back.  She has been responsible for close to $60,000 in grant money coming to our community.
 
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Strategic Plan Three years ago, The Doe Run company and the City of Viburnum joined to sponsor a group to encourage economic development in anticipation of the day when mining would no longer be the backbone of this community.  Although mining is the dominant economic base of Viburnum as well as both Iron and Reynolds Counties, an ore body is a finite resource.  The Viburnum Trend, a 40-mile-long but only 300 -foot-wide ore deposit, supplies most of the primary lead that is mined in this country.  Because the Viburnum Trend has been mined for many years, its reserves are being depleted.  At some point, the mines will close. The mines and mills within Viburnum and Iron County pay a substantial share of revenue.  The Southeast Missouri Operations of The Doe Run Company (SEMO) pays $40 million annually in wages and salaries to 800 employees at its mining operations in Iron and Reynolds counties.  That comprises 50% of the non-governmental payrolls in these counties. Lance Mayfield stated that when #28 mine closes completely, the lost revenues will be about 1/3 of the budget for the city, which could drastically change either the services or the revenue structure for Viburnum.  Therefore, it is essential that this community, to maintain its viability, develop some economic diversity.  left to right: Bob Dunn Elizabeth and Bill Bruner That is why VEDAC was formed, as a partnership between the City and The Doe Run company.  Both the company and the City of Viburnum wanted to begin the process of attracting new industries and businesses. The City Council felt it was necessary to create advisory committees to get more people involved in the planning and process of the future economics of the Viburnum area.  At the same time, managers at The Doe Run Company were concerned about the impact on the community as the mines depleted. It appears to be divine timing that the two groups were thinking along similar tracks.  The ideas brought the City Council and the Doe Run group together to be proactive about the area's future. The closure of one of SEMO's operations within the city limit, as well as a layoff, emphasized the urgency of VEDAC's mission.  After meeting two years, VEDAC realized it needed a strategic plan, and it began looking for expertise in that area. In January 2000, the Iron County Action Plan Committee accepted VEDAC's recommendation of Nebraska-based Heartland Center for Leadership Development as a strategic plan consultant.  The Committee had secured a $5000 grant from the United States Forest Service to do strategic planning for Viburnum. The committee sought matching funds. left to right: Terry Davis Bruce Carmier Michael Knight The Heartland Center agreed to match the Forest Service grant with its own Community Leadership Initiative program, and on October 23, 2000, the Committee contracted the Heartland Center to engage Viburnum-area citizens in a six-month long strategic planning initiative. VEDAC developed a list of seventy (70) citizens to ask to participate in the planning process.  Diversity was emphasized: The list included citizens from Viburnum, Boss, Bixby, Cherryville, and Davisville, and from most area churches, businesses, and community organizations.  Forty two (42) people, including men, women, students, retirees, hourly and salaried people accepted the invitation, and participated in one session or another to plan for a desired future for the area. The Heartland Center led Viburnum area community members through its signature six-step community strategic planning process.  Meeting on the first Saturday of each month over the six month period between December 2000 and May 2001, this group created a 50-page plan and assigned four Task Forces to carry on the work that was needed: * Local Economy * Media/Marketing * Partnership with Government Entities * Community Investment Task force chairpersons report on their progress at monthly VEDAC meetings. VEDAC will present the Strategic Plan and the progress made on it to date at an area-wide meeting in September. The Viburnum is a shrub; the vision from our Strategic Plan was of a healthy, growing community. top