Tri-State Development Summit Celebrates 20 Years & Adds 36th County

Members of the Tri-State Development Steering Committee are pleased to announce the addition of Audrain County, Missouri, which becomes the 36^th county to comprise the one “Tri-State of Mind” for western Illinois, northeast Missouri and southwest Iowa. Counties served now include 14 in Illinois, 14 in Missouri and 8 in Iowa, making the population supported over 700,000.

The inclusion of Audrain County also falls on the 20^th Anniversary of the Tri-State Development Summit, to be held on Friday, November 18 at Iowa Wesleyan University in Mount Pleasant, Iowa beginning at 9am, with a theme of “Stronger Together.”

“Audrain County is excited to add its voice to the 36 Counties that make up Tri-State Development,” states Audrain County presiding commissioner Steve Hobbs. “Working together, we can be a strong voice for infrastructure improvements throughout our region.”

Bringing Audrain County into the Tri-State Development region is a natural fit as Audrain County is the last county in the Mark Twain Council of Governments to join the Tri-State Development region, is a welcome addition to the Great Region designation with the USDA Rural Development, and brings one of the region’s major uncompleted Highway Corridor segments (US 54 / SW Gateway) entirely within the Tri-State Development region. Additionally, the largest city in Audrain County, City of Mexico, has representatives who have already participated in past task force and regional summits.

“Joining the Tri-State just makes good sense,” said City of Mexico manager Bruce Slagle, “we are all working for the same goal of improving the region through economic growth and improved transportation and; after all, you can accomplish far more by working together.”

The Mission of the Tri-State Development Summit is to bring together Tri-State area leaders to define common issues; To develop an on-going dialogue to effectively address those issues; And to improve the quality of life of the entire tri-state region through economic development activities.

For more information about the Tri-State Development Summit please visit our website at TriStateOfMind.org, or call (217) 223-4313.

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