There is a lot of interest in the Rock Island Trail that is planned to go north of Cole Camp. I will attempt to give a summary of this project and its impact on the city.
Former mayor Bob Meuscke began this process approximately 2 years ago by having an application written for a grant from MoDOT. The terms were that MoDOT would supply 80% of the financing and the city would provide the other 20%. The local working committee, comprised of individuals who live within Cole Camp and outside Cole Camp, assisted the grant writers by obtaining letters of support from the local community. When the grant was presented to the Board of Alderman at the November 2023 Board Meeting, representatives of the local working group indicated that they intended to hold fundraisers and seek donations that would cover the 20% local match that amounted to approximately $125,000.00. With that being the only information provided, the Board of Alderman accepted the grant.
After the election in April, the Board of Aldermen obtained copies of the grant application and we were able to read it. At that time there were some items of concern to the Board and the local working committee representatives discussed these concerns with the mayor and with the Board of Aldermen. The concerns include maintenance of the trailhead for a period of 25 years, funding since only $7000.00 has been obtained so far, donation of land, and a requirement to purchase additional land for parking, etc. Another consideration is that the State of Missouri has not budgeted any funding for the Rock Island Trail for the past 3 years so there is a question of when the trail will be built.
There will be a meeting with representatives of all involved entities to discuss these questions. A date has not been set, but it will be as soon as schedules can be obtained. After that meeting I expect that a decision will be finalized about the grant. I want to emphasize that the Board of Aldermen understands the significance of the Rock Island Trail to Cole Camp and north Benton County citizens. We are not against having the trail but our priority must be the city of Cole Camp and its citizens and the proper use of the tax money from them.
