The program kicks off with an introduction from moderator and Ozark Chamber board member Susan Haralson. Each speaker will have five minutes to speak. Ozark Chamber President and CEO Chris Russell is introduced as the first speaker.

Ozark Chamber President and CEO Chris Russell: Opens by thanking board members, strategic partners, and local businesses. One of the Chambers main goals is to foster business retention and expansion. They are an impactful resource to the business community. 2024 numbers…

Ozark Chamber President and CEO Chris Russell cont.: 71 new members 75 members moved to inactive 361 current members…. New goal is 600 Roughly 50 events/ribbon-cuttings held Russell ends by encouraging everyone to support the Chamber. A lot of excitement heading into 2025!

City of Ozark City Administrator Eric Johnson is up next: Transition is the theme. In 2024 Ozark hired new people in nine high functioning roles including City Administrator, Asst. City Administrator, Parks and Recreation Director, and Communications Director. Even with all…

City of Ozark City Administrator Eric Johnson cont.: The changes the city never missed a beat. 2025 mission statement: Have fun, get stuff done. Ends by talking about the excitement around the Chadwick Flyer Trail. 6,723 linear miles will be completed in 2025/2026.

Ozark School District Superintendent Lori Wilson is now behind the podium. Thanks everyone for their support of Ozark Schools and the school board members. 2024 milestones: Graduation rate 98.6% 21.5 average ACT score (above the state average) Diverse student body with….

Ozark School District Superintendent Lori Wilson cont.: 18 different languages spoken within the district. Where do graduating seniors go: 32% - 4 year college 32% - 2 year college 31% - workforce 2% -military Other 2024 successes: 2-3% salary increase for staff….

Ozark School District Superintendent Lori Wilson cont.: Completed several bond projects on time and under budget. Groundbreaking programs: Tiger Paws providing free preschool for all four year olds and added two additional classes. Looking ahead to 2025….

Ozark School District Superintendent Lori Wilson cont.: Will undergo comprehensive strategic planning for the next five years in spring 2025 with the mindset of helping students progress through school based on mastery instead of just test scores and seat time.

Ozark Police Chief Justin Arnold is now speaking. Begins by talking about the PD’s accreditation. They were re-certified in 2024. They are the only department in Christian County and one of only four departments in Southwest Missouri to hold this certification.

Ozark Police Chief Justin Arnold is now speaking cont.: Calls for service are down in 2024. Credits the officers and proactive policing. DUI arrests up 22%. Response times are down. Forty-four seconds faster for non-priority calls. Over a minute faster for priority calls.

Christian County Commissioner Lynn Morris is now speaking. State of the county is very strong. 255 employees, which is the most ever. Four elected officials retiring. Transparency Progress: meetings are now live and recorded. Financial transparency portal is live. This….

Christian County Commissioner Lynn Morris cont.: allows anyone to see the county’s financials online. These are also available in person. Morris follows by speaking about the senior tax freeze passed in 2023. Says needed changes were approved by the county in 2024. Seniors….

Christian County Commissioner Lynn Morris cont.: …should see the savings in 2025. ARPA money: 14.3 million dollars. This money is allowing for three bridge replacements and additional stormwater projects. Ends by asking everyone to attend the town hall meetings.

The final speaker of the night is Ozark Fire Protection District Fire Chief Jarrett Matheney. The fire district covers 110 square miles and around 40,000 citizens. Three fire stations. Firefighters work 48 hours then are off for 96 hours. Firefighters have responded to….

Ozark Fire Protection District Fire Chief Jarrett Matheney cont.: ….over 4,000 emergency incidents, the most ever. This includes mutual aid to other departments. 2025 budget is 4.4 million dollars. Thanks the firefighters that are doing the everyday work.

Ozark Fire Protection District Fire Chief Jarrett Matheney cont.: Matheney mentions the total wellness program allowing the firefighters to be in great shape physically and mentally. Closes by thanking the community.

The 2024 Ozark State of Community closes with a few Q&A’s followed by a few words and closing prayer by Ozark Mayor Don Currence. As a reminder, you can watch the entire program by going to the Ozark Chamber YouTube. Thanks for following along with us!

The National Weather Service has issued a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for Christian County from noon Sunday to 6 am Monday. Ozark can expect mixed precipitation and winds gusting as high as 40 mph. A flash freeze is possible. Plan on slippery road conditions. Be Safe #OzarkMO

#TeamDED was excited to celebrate the Chadwick Flyer Bridge groundbreaking in City of Ozark, MO last week, made possible through a more than $1.2 million ARPA Tourism Grant! #HelpingMissouriansProsper MoDOT