Message from the Mayor

In 2022, our city continued to grow with new businesses, new citizens, and continued common sense leadership. With this growth, the rest of Missouri noticed.  We have been lucky to have the support of the State leadership in Jefferson City sending us State funds to avoid putting the entire burden of growth on you, the citizens. We are one of the fastest growing areas in the State, and the State government has agreed to help us continue that growth.  With all of this in mind, we will continue to be fiscally responsible and evaluate costs and needs of the community so that we maximize the community dollar with the least amount of impact to the citizen as possible.

We hit it out of the park in 2022. Speaking of parks, we heard you loud and clear.  You supported our ballot initiative renewals (that did not increase our tax rate) to grow our already impressive park system into something that will be the envy of the entire state.  Look for exciting additions to the Republic Aquatic Center and a state-of-the-art athletic complex that will draw in tax dollars from across the region.

As we move into 2023, we will keep doing what has been working for us; that means investment in roads, water, public safety, and our schools.  We'll work to improve State Highway MM to handle increased traffic, which includes an expansion from two lanes to five lanes between James River Freeway to Interstate 44 and a new three lane alignment from Farm Road 103 to Highway 60.  Additionally, we will begin construction of a new intersection at Lynn Avenue and Hines Street to address congestion and safety concerns.  We will continue our efforts that will lead to the overhaul of our wastewater treatment plant which will bring us into compliance and accommodate future growth.

We will maintain our promise to make Republic a safer community through the public safety initiative that you voted for.  We have already added boots on the ground in both the Fire and Police Departments and will continue to do so as the public safety funds become available. A safe community is the starting point for creating the quality of place in a community.  As we continue to grow we will maintain the quality of place and create new opportunities that makes our community a place that people want to live, work and play.

As we celebrate the growth you helped us achieve, we will continue to lead by our values and through common sense so that you continue to enjoy a familiar, but hopefully better, version of this place we are lucky enough to call home.

Your Mayor,

Matt Russell