2022 MML Innovation Award Winners

LOCAL GOVERNMENT Review 2022 MML Innovation Award Winners

The Missouri Municipal League is proud to feature the winners of the 2022 MML Innovation Awards! These awards honor outstanding projects happening in communities across Missouri that enhance the quality of life for Missouri cities. Seventeen great projects were submitted, and the four winners were announced during Missouri’s Local Government Week May 1-7. Winning projects will also be honored during the Awards Luncheon on Sept. 13, 2022, at the MML Annual Conference in Osage Beach. This year’s winners are:

Extra Large-sized City (population greater than 30,000), and Member Choice CITY OF ST. PETERS GOLD GROW Biosolids Compost

The City turns waste into “gold” for people’s lawns, gardens and for many of Missouri’s leading vineyards. The city of St. Peters Earth Centre is where the team combines biosolids from their wastewater treatment process with the yard waste collected from area residents to create a nutrient-rich, environmentally friendly soil amendment. Today, happy customers line up with trucks, trailers and buckets to enjoy Earth Centre’s award-winning GOLD GROW product at market rates. Biosolids composting reduces waste and associated costs; reduces the City’s carbon footprint; improves the quality of the soil and waterways; and helps manage storm water runoff.

No one can predict when service lines

will fail.

Over 240,000 water main breaks occur each year in the U.S.* There are more than 800,000 miles of public sewers susceptible to structural failure.*

Join the more than 900 partners

that have chosen to work with us to help protect their homeowners.

•Educates homeowners about their service line responsibilities •Provides solutions that help address aging residential infrastructure •Offers affordable plans to protect homeowners from the high cost of service line repairs •No cost to the city Contact us to learn more: Emilie Zalfini, Regional Director 412.527.2511 • Emilie.Zalfini@homeserveusa.com www.NLC.org/serviceline

Large-sized City (population between 15,000-30,000) CITY OF NIXA Sensory Path

In October 2021, Nixa unveiled a new sensory path at one of its city parks. The sensory path was designed to provide those with sensory needs a quieter space. Since the path was being created in a park that already had walking paths but could not have traditional playground equipment the construction cost less than $1,200. The Nixa Community Foundation provided a grant to help add the path to the park. The attendance within this park grew dramatically as people took advantage of the new activities. The activities can be implemented anywhere a hard surface exists or is created, as they are simply spray painted on the path and small signs are installed to give simple instruction.

Medium-sized City (population between 5,000-15,000) CITY OF WILLARD Jackson Street Park Solar Project

This project will remove common barriers to extended time in outdoor spaces by utilizing solar energy to power USB charging stations in outdoor spaces difficult to reach by conventional methods. Quick and easy access to charging stations for cell phones, tablets and laptops provides the opportunity for extended play time without the fear of a dead cell phone battery and helps to move the office outdoors. Willard Parks and Recreation in partnership with NewTek Energy, LLC, has multiple features including emergency lights, call stations and security cameras, as well as charging stations for cell phones and laptops.

Small-sized City (population less than 5,000) CAMPBELL The Downtown Project

With a deteriorating downtown area, loss of identity, and disinvestment in the City, there were 16 vacant buildings in the downtown area in early 2017. It was then the City, in cooperation with the Campbell Downtown Development Corporation, and local businesses came together to revitalize the downtown area. The City implemented a five-year plan that has resulted in re-establishing the downtown area as a center of activity. The Downtown Project has been successful in that most every downtown building has been completely remodeled and occupied. The success of The Downtown Project has resulted in increased foot traffic, employment, and sales tax due to new businesses and activities.