VIENNA — Maries County residents traveled to Jefferson City on Feb. 3 for “Phelps and Maries County Day at the Capital” hosted by State Rep. Bennie Cook.

The day focused on highlighting rural priorities and giving local citizens the opportunity to hear directly from state leadership including Cook and Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Over the next three hours, residents heard from Kehoe, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, Treasurer Vivek Malek, Lt. Gov. David Wasinger, State Rep. Bill Hardwick, representatives from the Department of Economic Development and the Department of Natural Resources, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Cook, who represents Maries County in the House of Representatives.

In an interview, Kehoe expanded on his remarks, emphasizing agriculture as the backbone of Missouri’s rural economy.

“Well, agriculture is our number one industry, certainly in rural counties. It’s usually the driving force behind all the economies,” Kehoe said. “So making sure that we provide a pathway for agriculture to exist and to grow and to keep government out of their way is really important to us.”

Kehoe said economic growth does not have to come at the expense of agriculture.

“There can be a balance. You can have industry and agriculture,” Kehoe said. “The two can go hand-in-hand. They don’t have to be enemies with each other and because of my background where I’ve spent half of my life in an urban economy and now half of my life in a rural economy, I believe I can figure out that balance, but agriculture is always going to be number one in my heart.”

The governor also addressed population growth and the state’s approach to development.

“I don’t know that at a state level, we have plans that grow one area of the state over another,” Kehoe said. “Our plan is holistic. No matter where you live in the state’s borders, we need to make sure our population grows.”

According to Kehoe, population growth is tied directly to economic opportunity.

“If we don’t have enough jobs, we don’t have enough industry, we don’t have enough opportunity, people aren’t going to stay or want to move here,” Kehoe said. “So we’ve got to grow the economy in order to keep the people who are here here and attract new people to it.”

Kehoe also pointed to public safety and tax policy as key factors in keeping young people in rural communities.

“Public safety is number one,” he said. “Doesn’t matter if you’re rural or urban, you want to be safe. When you walk out of your home or walk into your business or go to the high school basketball game, you want to feel like you’re safe going there.”

While the statewide perspective framed the day, Cook focused on how those priorities translate directly to Maries County.

Cook said one of his current legislative focuses is addressing infrastructure needs, particularly in the Belle community.

“Sewer and water are a big impact over there right now,” Cook said. “So we’re working on other ways we can help out Belle. Anything in Maries County we can help out with, I want to help.”

Cook also highlighted efforts to involve local students and promote tourism within the county. He said he recently met with students at Bland Middle School and encouraged them to come up with ideas to help recognize and promote the Belle and Bland areas.

“Whether it’s recognizing the giant bell, something with Kingsford Charcoal or the Rock Island Trail, we’re definitely open to developing legislation to draw more tourism into Belle,” Cook said. “We want to do the same thing for Vienna. We want to highlight Maries County whatever way we can.”

Cook, who spent 20 years in law enforcement, said he is also working on legislation aimed at increasing transparency in sentencing across Missouri.

“A lot of folks don’t understand sentencing, and victims don’t always know how long someone is actually going to serve in prison,” Cook said. “That impacts the entire state of Missouri, so we’re working on that this year.”

When asked how he advocates for a rural county like Maries in a crowded Capitol, Cook pointed to events like the county day at the Capitol as a key strategy.

“Having Phelps and Maries County Day at the Capitol gets people up here and highlights the importance of Maries County,” Cook said. “This is on the Capitol calendar. People know we’re doing this.”

Cook said he makes a point to remind fellow lawmakers of where he comes from and what Maries County has to offer.

“From Vienna to Vichy to Belle to High Gate, there’s so much to offer in Maries County,” Cook said. “Kingsford Charcoal, Quaker Windows, our fairs, there’s a lot going on.”

Cook noted that local events like the Maries County Fair and the Belle Fair are an important part of promoting the county, adding that many people are surprised by the entertainment history in Belle.

“A lot of people don’t realize that artists like Eddie Rabbitt, Aaron Tippin and Charlie Daniels have performed right there in Belle, Missouri,” he said.

Cook said connecting residents with state agencies is a major part of his role. He pointed to ongoing efforts to secure funding for infrastructure projects, including sewer and water improvements in Belle.

“We did receive funding for that,” Cook said. “They got a million dollars for sewer and water. Over in Vienna, providing letters of support and advocating for grant funding is something we’ve been working on as well.”

Cook said accessibility is important to him and encouraged residents to reach out.

“The best way to engage with me is to contact my office, email me or call,” he said. “My goal is to return everybody’s phone call and have that conversation.”

He added that residents are always welcome to invite him to events or request meetings in their communities.

“I try to be accessible everywhere I go,” Cook said. “If there’s an event or a meeting back home, I’m more than happy to stop by.”

Another notable presence at the Capitol was the group of Missouri FFA state officers. Senators posed for a photo with the officers, who held the FFA jackets they had received in previous years. Representing Area 13, which includes Vienna, was state officer Maddy Rash.