The Greene County Development Corporation met yesterday in its regular monthly session.

During the gaming and entertainment complex update, Jefferson City Councilman Gary Van Ahsen stated that he is personally against having a casino developed in Greene County.  He felt that for a casino to be profitable, someone has to lose and then shared a personal story of how a casino negatively impacted someone he knew.  However, he said he was glad the people of Greene County may have the chance to vote on the issue in August.

GCDC Board President Norm Fandel states that the petition process will most likely be completed and turned into the county auditor by next Monday.  He talks about how many signatures they are shooting for.

“We’re still collecting names.  The more names we collect the better off we feel as far as moving forward.  We want to be over that 500 threshold (which) is the required level.  We’re really trying to push into that 1,000 to maybe even as high as 1,200 names that we could turn into the (county) auditor.”

Chamber Executive Director Ken Paxton updated the Board about the business class restaurant on the corner of Lincoln Way and Chestnut Street in Jefferson still plans on opening in October and Green Bean Coffee in Jefferson will have an official open house later this year.

Chad Schreck with Midwest Partnership and Jim Ober with Scranton Manufacturing updated the Board about continued discussions to receive flood relief money through Region XII’s hazard mitigation program.  Ober explained that five trucks and one sales vehicle was damaged in the flood and the factory took on substantial water too.  No decisions have been made for where relief money may come from.

During other community reports, Jefferson Mayor Craig Berry told the Board that the downtown ACC Overlay project is finally complete and open, CEO of Greene County Medical Center Carl Behne reported that several surveyors will be in town looking at and taking measurements of the grounds for the future expansion site this week and Alan Robinson with Jefferson Matters invited board members to a business after hours events at the Jefferson Elks Lodge next Tuesday, June 18th.