Mission
Our office’s goal is to service existing employers and recruit prospective businesses to Dunklin County. We focus on Strategic Planning, Real Estate Development, Workforce Development, Public and Private Finance. We showcase the unique agricultural, industrial, and retail opportunities driving commerce in Missouri’s Bootheel. Our personnel have developed relationships with elected officials, utility providers, and community stakeholders to foster positive growth and create packages attractive to prospective employers.
Resource Spotlight: MASDBA Beef and Dairy Grant
We’re spotlighting two grant programs from the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA). These programs are designed to help Missouri’s beef and dairy producers strengthen their operations and improve long-term profitability. Grant deadline for both is November 19!
Beyond these two grants, MASBDA also has several other financial programs and resources worth checking out.
What is it – The Beef and Dairy Producer Grant Programs help established Missouri producers with expansion projects, equipment purchases, and adoption of new technologies to increase efficiency and profitability.
Who’s it for – Missouri beef and dairy producers looking to expand, modernize, or add value to their operations.
How to connect – Visit MASBDA’s grant page for contact and application details.
What does it cost – Nothing to apply, and awarded grants can cover up to 75% of eligible project costs (up to $40,000)
August 29, 2025 (JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – Acculevel, Inc., a foundation repair and basement waterproofing company, announced today it is expanding into Missouri with three new regional headquarters across the state. The company was joined by Governor Mike Kehoe to celebrate the announcement. Acculevel is investing $8.7 million to establish new facilities in Kennett, Sarcoxie, and Smithville, creating 41 new jobs at each location with wages well above the county average.
“Acculevel’s decision to establish three facilities in Missouri demonstrates confidence in our state’s ideal business climate,” said Governor Mike Kehoe. “We’re proud that this company is investing and creating good-paying jobs in these communities and look forward to its continued success.”
“Our decision to expand into Missouri reflects both confidence in these communities and our commitment to contributing to their future,” said Andy Beery, Founder & CEO of Acculevel. “By creating good-paying jobs, supporting local suppliers, and delivering unmatched foundation repair expertise, we’re investing in the economic strength and stability of the region. We’re proud to be part of Missouri’s growth story.”
Acculevel’s new facilities will expand the company’s service footprint across Missouri and the greater Midwest, allowing it to serve additional homeowners in new communities. With local crews, inventory, and dedicated space for fleet staging and training, the company will shorten response times, boost reliability, and increase capacity – all while creating quality skilled-trades jobs and strengthening partnerships with local suppliers and community organizations.
Community leaders in Kennett, Sarcoxie, and Smithville welcome the company’s investment, noting the positive impact on local job creation and the significant economic benefits it will bring.
“We are thrilled to welcome Acculevel to Kennett,” said Melissa Combs, Director of Economic Development in Dunklin County. “This investment means more than new jobs – it represents new opportunities for our residents and continued growth for our county.”
“Acculevel’s decision to expand here is a commitment to Sarcoxie’s people and the potential of our region,” said Amy Kauffman, Executive Director of MOKAN Partnership. “These new, high-paying jobs will boost economic growth and deliver meaningful, long-term benefits to our local communities.”
“Smithville is proud to be part of Acculevel’s Missouri expansion,” said Cynthia Wagner, City Administrator of Smithville. “Their investment will have a lasting impact on our community, bringing high-quality jobs and reaffirming that Smithville is a great place to do business and build a future.”
Acculevel selected Missouri for its central location and strong highway network, making it ideal for reaching customers across the Midwest and supporting eastward expansion. The state’s pro-business climate, collaborative local partners, skilled workforce, and welcoming communities provide the right environment to meet regional demand for foundation repair and concrete leveling services while fostering long-term partnerships.
“We’re grateful for the trust Acculevel has placed in our state as it establishes these new locations,” said Michelle Hataway, Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. “DED is excited to support this company as it invests, creates jobs, and helps Missourians prosper in Kennett, Sarcoxie, and Smithville.”
“Acculevel’s decision to establish not just one, but three new regional headquarters in Missouri is a powerful statement about the strength of our state,” said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. “By investing in Kennett, Sarcoxie, and Smithville, Acculevel is bringing opportunity to multiple regions, creating good-paying jobs, and reinforcing Missouri’s reputation as a place where businesses can grow and communities prosper.” Construction is expected to be finished at the Kennett and Sarcoxie facilities by the end of 2026, with Smithville to follow shortly thereafter.
About Missouri Partnership
Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state and promoting Missouri’s business strengths. Since 2008, Missouri Partnership has worked with partners statewide to attract companies that have created 35,200+ new jobs, $1.8 billion+ in new annual payroll, and $8.3 billion+ in new capital investment. Some recent successful projects that led to major investment in Missouri include Accenture Federal Services LLC, American Foods Group, Casey’s, Chewy, Inc., Google, James Hardie, Meta, Swift Prepared Foods, URBN, USDA, and Veterans United.
Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is studying the US 412 corridor between Kennett and the Arkansas state line to determine needs and solutions for improvement.
Dunklin County Commission contributed $500,000 toward the completion of the environmental work. Although funding has not been secured for future construction on this corridor, it has been designated as the #1 priority unfunded transportation need by the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission’s Transportation Advisory Committee.
Extensive traffic studies, engineering analysis, environmental screening, and public involvement has occurred with a goal of producing an Environmental Assessment (EA) that satisfies the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The draft EA has been reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and approval of EA is expected in 4 weeks. A public hearing will be scheduled after approval to gather input. This information will be incorporated into the EA for final approval of the study. The study team is working diligently to accomplish approval by Spring 2025.
Project Facts
·US 412 in Pemiscot and Dunklin Counties is part of a 1150 mile multi-state system connecting New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee.
·This specific project focuses on the 20 miles of US 412, beginning just southwest of Kennett at Route Y, and continuing to Route AC near the Arkansas state line.
·This 20 miles of US 412 in Dunklin County is the final segment which has not been upgraded to four or more lanes between Paragould, AR and Jackson, TN.
·Expansion of US HWY 412 in Dunklin County is the #1 priority of the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission Transportation Advisory Committee on the high-priority unfunded needs list.
Why this project is important to Dunklin County and the Bootheel Region:
Safety Concerns
·Agricultural vehicles such as cotton modules, watermelon buses, and combines create significant speed disparities on the roadway.
·Motorists experience difficult sight lines due to the topography and slow moving commercial vehicles.
·School buses carrying students from Southland and Senath-Hornersville school districts cross the busy highway, or travel the route daily to and from Kennett Career and Technology Center.
·In the past 15 months, 29 serious injuries or deaths have occurred on this segment of roadway (January 2025-Source tracking of MSHP Crash Reports).
Economic Development
·The county’s economy is highly agricultural. Introduction of new and diverse agricultural crops and relative processing equipment will continue.
·Three of the county’s top four retailers sit on each end of the route, where four-lanes exist. This data tells us the corridor is valuable to Dunklin County’s business economy.
·The corridor sees high travel demands between AR & TN for employment, healthcare, education, & commerce. This route is prime for future large scale employment and economic development projects.
·Large scale economic projects frequently require direct access to four-lane highway. US 412’s presence in Pemiscot and Dunklin Counties connects Missouri to Arkansas and Tennessee. Logistically this is a great location, but the highways current two-lane conditions hinders the area leaders ability to recruit companies who would employ our citizens and improve the county’s economy.
Estimated Project Cost = $88,289,000
Dunklin County’s hope is that MoDOT and the Missouri State legislature will work together to prioritize funding to improve this vital corridor.
To read more about MoDOT’s progress on the study follow this link: US Route 412 Environmental Impact Study in Dunklin County
News Report KFVS 12 04/30/2025 https://www.kfvs12.com/2025/05/01/project-manager-gives-update-highway-expansion-project/
The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 to discuss replacing signals and improving the intersection of Route 84 at Main Street and Kennett Street in Kennett, Missouri. The meeting will be held in the Kennett City Council Chamber at 200 Cedar Street.
This safety improvement project includes updating the outdated signal equipment, improving accessibility for pedestrians and enhancing efficiency. The pedestrian improvements are part of MoDOT’s initiative to bring roadway facilities into compliance with the current standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The proposed project includes reconfiguring the direction of parking and traffic on the west side of the Dunklin County Courthouse. Currently, traffic moves in two lines to the south. The proposed project would reverse the direction to the north, and traffic would move in a single line. This would improve efficiency at the signal by allowing one less phase.
The improvements will feature a crossing in front of the courthouse to enhance pedestrian visibility, as foot traffic is common in this location. In addition, a larger island will be constructed southwest of the courthouse at the Route 84/Main Street intersection to help mitigate potential driver confusion.
Tentatively, the project could be let in March 2027, with construction beginning as early as May 2027. Once construction starts, work will be underway for approximately three months. During this time, motorists should anticipate lane closures with flaggers in place to guide traffic through the work zone.
The public meeting will be open-house style, and visitors can stop by anytime between 4 and 6 p.m.
For more information, please contact MoDOT Project Manager Seiji Shimbo at (573) 472-5389 or MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK MODOT (275-6636).
MoDOT is committed to providing equal access for all participants. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact Shimbo (573-472-5389) or MoDOT’s Customer Service Center (1-888-275-6636) by Wednesday, Jan. 21. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also contact MoDOT’s External Civil Rights department through Relay Missouri Services at (800) 735-2966 or 7-1-1 (Toll Free – TTY).
Those with disaster related damage from the March 14-15 severe storm in Dunklin County may be eligible for assistance by registering with FEMA.
What to Bring:
FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or ohter underinsured/uninsured, disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral, or dental expenses.
To apply visit disasterassistance.gov or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. You can also download the FEMA app, The deadline to apply is February 20, 2026. Those who use a relay service such as video relay service should provide FEMA with the number for that service.
Bootheel Healthcare Foundation was created in 2024 to explore the needs and feasibility of healthcare in the Bootheel of Missouri. It’s purpose is to create a model that could be replicated, to provide healthcare and related education programs that will improve economic conditions, healthcare outcomes and create new jobs based on needs data and verified information in rural Missouri.
Bootheel Healthcare Foundation was awarded a Strategic Planning Grant from Delta Regional Authority in Fall 2024. BHF has engaged VMG Health to conduct the study to determine the needs and feasibility of creating a new healthcare facility in Dunklin County. The study is complete and the project is proven feasible.
To learn more about Bootheel Healthcare Foundation visit their website: bootheelhealthcarefoundation.org
Highway 412 is a vital corridor in Dunklin County, connecting Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. 20 miles of the highway from Cardwell, MO to Kennett, MO are currently in two-lane status. The top transportation priority of Dunklin County Commission is the expansion of 412 to 4-lanes or greater. The Commission desires highway expansion due to safety and economic factors.
Dunklin County Commission participated in cost-sharing with MoDOT to complete an environmental and design study. That study is complete and will be presented to the public in Spring 2025 with a public hearing.
Dunklin County participates in the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission’s Transportation Advisory Committee. At the January 2025 meeting, the TAC voted to make the expansion of 412 the #1 priority for the six county region.
Looking for Commercial or Industrial property? Check out our available listings at LocationOne.
Are you a Dunklin County landowner interested in selling or leasing? Contact Director Melissa Combs to learn about listing your property to prospective investors.
Dunklin County is in the process of updating the Dunklin County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. The existing plan, approved by FEMA five years ago was developed in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. To maintain eligibility for certain FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants, the Act requires jurisdictions to develop a plan to assess their risks to hazards and identify actions that can be taken in advance to reduce future losses. The law requires Hazard Mitigation Plans to be updated every five years.
Bootheel Regional Planning Commission has taken the lead in developing this plan. Dunklin County’s plan is viewable at: https://bootrpc.com/dunklin-county . The points of contact are Christy LeGrand and Christine Young, Community Development Specialists. To successfully complete this project and ensure your organization is eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation assistance funding, we need your participation and input. Jurisdictions (including county and city governments and school districts) that do not participate in an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan are NOT eligible to apply for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants.
Jurisdictions with questions regarding the plan should contact Christy LeGrand at clegrand@bootrpc.com.
Dunklin County’s Director of Economic Development Melissa Combs earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer MoCED on October 8, 2024. The certification comes from Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC) and the Missouri Department of Economic Development (MODED) who have undertaken a thorough review of how Missouri compares with other competing states and have developed a Missouri Certified Economic Developer Program, MoCED.
The MoCED designation represents the Missouri economic development practitioner’s commitment to advancing Missouri’s economy and elevating the economic development profession. The MoCED designation certifies that the Missouri economic development professional has a broad understanding of Missouri’s economic development assets and can serve as knowledgeable resources and liaisons for businesses and communities as they look to grow and thrive in Missouri.
The objectives of the certification program are:
To be eligible for the certification, Missouri economic development professionals must:
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, or CEDS, is the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission’s (BRPC) guiding plan that helps determine our activities and efforts in the coming years. The plan is updated every five years by BRPC staff and the CEDS Committee. The plan includes an analysis of the region’s:
Demographics and economy;
Inventory of region’s strengths, opportunities, aspirations and risks;
Goals and objectives to help grow, develop, and move the region forward.
Posted: July 18, 2023
Grand Opening of Cim-Tek Filtration’s Kennett Facility Celebrated by State and Local Dignitaries Kennett, MO (July 18, 2023)
Cim-Tek Filtration, a leading manufacturer of filtration products, celebrated the grand opening of its new site in Kennett, Missouri. Production at the new facility began recently and this expansion will allow the company to continue to innovate in filtration and develop new products available worldwide from production facilities in Bement, IL, Monticello, IL, and now Kennett, MO.
“Cim-Tek Filtration’s expansion in Kennett is an exciting development for the Southeast region and another example of continued business investment in our state,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Whether in an urban center or rural area, Missouri has the resource advantages companies need to find success. We’re proud to add this family-owned business to our growing list of leading manufacturers who are choosing our state for its skilled workforce, infrastructure, and low business costs. As Cim-Tek opens its new facility, we wish them much success in the Show-Me State.”