Dent County Clerk Angie Curley was honored with outstanding community service awards during the Meramec Regional Planning Commission’s (MRPC) Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet, held Oct. 23 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Each year, MRPC honors residents, local agency representatives and local elected officials in the Meramec Region who contribute to their communities by volunteering their time, talents and support going above and beyond the call of duty. This year’s event was hosted by Dent County, the City of Salem and the Salem Community Center @ the Armory.
Curley, nominated by Dent County Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson, has been in public service in 1988 when she was hired as a deputy clerk for Dent County, where she served for 19 years. She became county clerk in 2006 and is currently serving her 5th term. Curley also contributed 14 years of service to the County Collector’s Office during tax season. She has been a champion of election integrity and civic engagement. As chair of the South Central County Clerk’s Association, she worked with the bipartisan election authority advisory committee to strengthen cooperation with the Secretary of State’s office. She has conducted voter registration drives at the Salem High School to encourage youth to be active participants in democracy. Curley initiated the first ever “I Voted” sticker design contest for HS students.
Additionally, she has served as vice president and president of the Salem High School Alumni Association, Dent County representative to the Industrial Development Authority board, Dent County website committee, city of Salem Parks and Recreation Board and secretary of the MAGIC Heath Insurance Consortium.
Curley coached little league basketball, soccer and softball, worked as Booster Club present of the SHS softball and basketball club. Her involvement with the parks and rec board has led to significant improvements – new ADA compliant playground equipment, building a splash pad, upgrading ball fields and renovating the bathhouse and pool house.
“It was so good to come together in-person and honor our community leaders and volunteers,” said MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge. “We are only able to honor a few leaders and volunteers each year, yet we extend our gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers in our region who truly make our region such an amazing place to live, work and visit. We are successful because of our volunteers. We hope that by recognizing a few volunteers, we can inspire others to volunteer their time and invest in their communities.”
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.
