Power Profile: Sal Maniaci, City of Washington Economic Director
It was a “no brainer” for Sal Maniaci to return to Washington, Missouri – the city he has called home for most of his life.
“There are endless opportunities for me, as a young professional, to have fun and find the job I wanted in my community,” the mid-20-year-old said. “I was able to find a house with a yard, with plenty of room for my dog that is within walking distance of dog-friendly bars and a riverfront trail.”
Maniaci has had a front-row seat to how Washington has changed over the decades. And now it is his job, as Community and Economic Development Director for the Missouri River town, to help incentivize and facilitate growth.
Folks who have not been to downtown Washington in the last 10 years probably would not recognize it, Maniaci noted. He added that private and public entities have invested significantly in making the city a regional destination.
“We have seen new residentials going up, new mixed-use developments, and new bars and restaurants. There are so many more things to do – trails, entertainment,” Maniaci said, adding the city is on an upswing.
A vital part of keeping and attracting businesses is the energy infrastructure, according to Maniaci. “In economic development, we have to do a lot of focus on not just aesthetics and the entertainment value of our downtown but also on providing for and making sure companies can thrive here…Step one is having the energy infrastructure in place.”
Ameren Missouri is currently working on a Smart Energy Plan Project in Franklin and Warren counties, aimed at increasing resiliency, reliability, and capacity. The project will benefit 4500 customers in and near the city of Washington and southern Warren County, including five major business customers like Mercy Hospital's data center.
The $2.7 million project includes just over two miles of new overhead lines and 95 new, stronger utility poles. These equipment upgrades will be more resilient to severe weather and help reduce outages. The upgraded line projects will also increase energy capacity to meet the communities' growing needs.
Washington is “piggy-backing” on some of the energy infrastructure upgrades Ameren Missouri is making, recognizing “this is a good time to fix some of the issues.” Maniaci said they saw it as an opportunity to upgrade some streets and replace some sidewalks.
The projects, both the city’s and Ameren Missouri’s, go towards why Maniaci pursued the career he did: Making Washington a better place to live.
He knew early on what professional path he wanted to pursue. Maniaci was interested in how buildings and people interact with each other and how that plays into neighborhoods, which led him to urban planning.
After four years at Missouri State University, Maniaci went to work for Jefferson County as a city planner. When Washington had an opening for the same position, he returned to his hometown. In 2017, he was promoted from City Planner to Economic Director, a position he has been in since.
“It is not only a job I envisioned myself doing, with corporate and city planning but to be able to do it in the town I grew up in, I am very lucky,” Maniaci said. “I perceive [my job] as an opportunity to do good things for the community. I’m not just completing everyday tasks for a paycheck. I’m doing things to help the community I grew up in and live in become better.”
As he works to continue improving his hometown, Maniaci called Washington “perfect,” having access to big city amenities in an hour drive and maintaining the “small-town feel.”