About Us

In order to carry out its mission, the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) serves local units of government and the public in the following ways:

We Plan

In order to proactively plan for the future of the county and its various communities, the MPC firmly believes in the power of visioning processes to obtain stakeholder input on all projects. It is imperative county planning is based on best practices and new innovations that cultivate strong assessments, accurate analysis, and reasonable forecasting into the future.

We Facilitate

The MPC strives to bring groups together to seek mutual public benefit. Toward that end, county planners must be champions of collaboration and work to cultivate relationships between local communities, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, ad hoc interest groups, and residents. The importance of collaboration now and into the future cannot be overstated. Our community’s success hinges on how well all of its stakeholders work together to accomplish great things. The MPC will work to promote the coordination of government services, identify opportunities for cooperation, and help partners explore new relationships. As this happens, the overall capacity for managing change in St. Clair County will continue to increase.

We Educate

The MPC strives to provide local elected and appointed officials with a myriad of resources to bolster effective decision making and support smart planning. As such, county planners will continue to offer training programs for local planning commissioners and zoning boards of appeals members, as well as other stakeholder groups as appropriate. The MPC works to keep its community partners informed, so they can quickly adapt to changing conditions. Additionally, the MPC will stay abreast of public policy changes that may impact local governance through the interpretation and explanation of such policies. 

When communities or organizations are properly equipped, they become nimble in adapting to change,
innovative in their thinking, efficient in their execution, and intelligent in their decision making.

We Implement

Planning is only effective when action is taken to implement projects and programs that serve to
accomplish the plan’s goals and objectives. If a plan sits on a shelf upon completion, it is a failed plan. An overarching goal of the MPC is to make things happen. Sometimes, the MPC will carry out a project or task. Other times, the MPC may simply provide support to another county department, local government or local organization to assist in their implementation activities.  St. Clair County is fortunate to have a variety of groups working for the common good. In many cases, organizations have shared visions and overlapping goals, which creates opportunities for powerful collaboration in an effort to foster positive change in our community.

The County Board of Commissioners has appointed eleven citizens to serve as the Metropolitan Planning Commission. Members represent various sectors or interests within the County, including local government, education, agriculture, finance, and recreation/tourism. A staff of professional planners and administrative support staff assist the Commission.

Don Sheldon, Chairperson- Agriculture

Dan Lockwood, Vice Chair- Finance

Bob Sheehy, Secretary- Transportation/Utilities

Dr. Geof Kusch, Citizen at Large

Katie Stepp, Recreation/Tourism

Mark Watson, Citizen at Large

Jorja Baldwin, County Board

Steven Tenniswood, Education

Georgia Phelan, Economic Development

John Steffy, Local Government

Lindsay Wallace, Planning Director

Geoff Donaldson, AICP, Senior Planner

Pete Klomparens, AICP, Senior Planner

Kara Schrader, Associate Planner

Mitchell Hoover, Associate Planner

Spencer Aiken, Associate Planner

Penny Guyette, Account Clerk II

Sam Bayuzick, GIS Technician