HILLSBORO – On Friday May 6th the Missouri State Senate approved House Bill 3004 following its passage by the Missouri State House of Representatives. HB 3004 appropriates a grant to “a port authority located in any county with more than 200,000 but fewer than 230,000 inhabitants, for assistance in port planning acquisition, or construction within the port district” of Jefferson County.
A county official stated, “The overwhelming show of legislative support of a request for $25 million in state funding to the Jefferson County Port Authority came after a visit to Jefferson City spurred by County Executive Dennis Gannon and JCPA Board President Derrick Good.”
The appropriated funds will be focused on purchasing the equipment necessary for American Patriot Holdings to begin their Container-on-Vessel service and further port development efforts.
A team comprised of leadership from Jefferson County, our port development partners and the Jefferson County Port Authority visited with elected officials at the state capitol on March 1st 2022. The collective group conducted 17 individual meetings with legislators and during that visit the excitement grew with every interaction. The group met with members of House and Senate Leadership, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and other committee chairs critical to this project.
JCPA Board President Derrick Good said: “We (the Jefferson County Port Authority) have put together an incredible team. Our Executive Director Jim McNichols did an amazing job of lining-up meetings with the right people in Jefferson City. It was a great feeling leaving there knowing that we had earned overwhelming support for our project.”