HERMANN — One of the more interesting aspects of the 2023 operating budget of Gasconade County government is not so much what’s in it, but what’s not. And most noticeable for many local government watchers is a very small amount of money that is conspicuous by its absence.

After years of questioning the appropriation, but still agreeing to make it, the County Commission in January drew a line through the $1,000 annual contribution to the Hermann Regional Economic Development Corporation (HRED).

The Commission for years has been skeptical of HRED — wondering what benefit to the county as whole comes from the organization that was formed primarily to come up with ways to stop the erosion of enrollment within the Gasconade County R-1 School District.

For Gasconade County, which experienced its third consecutive record-setting year for General Fund sales tax revenue at more than $1.2 million, $1,000 doesn’t even register on the budget radar. It is of more significance to an non-governmental organization such as HRED, a consortium of business, civic and local government representatives all with an interest in economic development. Indeed, at this month’s session of HRED, Treasurer Chris Theissen reported a bank balance of $10,504.

A chunk of that was sliced off when the board approved an appropriation of $500 to help fund the visit of a port authority expert coming to town to talk about the benefits of being part of a planned port authority to coordinate several economic development projects already in place or planned for the Interstate 70 corridor in Montgomery and Warren counties.

But the decision to withhold even that token amount of money carries with it a message: If you want it back— and possibly more — you need to do more than just talk about what needs to be done.

And that might be what is about to take place by HRED as an effort is made to include Hermann as a partner in promoting the I-70 developments, which will be discussed at a special session of the Hermann Board of Aldermen on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

It, also, might be left largely to new Presiding Commissioner Tim Schulte, R-Hermann, a member of the HRED Board of Directors, to determine if the organization does enough to get back in the good graces of county government, as far as being included in the operating budget is concerned.