LEADERSHIP CAPE PROVIDES GOOD STARTING POINTS

Since 1986, Leadership Cape has been providing an in-depth look at the community -- problems, needs, concerns, leaders, infrastructure, government organization, successes -- to residents who themselves are in positions to contribute in positive ways to the future of the city.

This opportunity to learn about how things get done has been successfully sponsored by chambers of commerce across the country. There is also a state version, Leadership Missouri, that draws individuals from every corner of the state to examine statewide issues.

A plan announced last week to establish a new leadership program for high school students is a great idea. Leadership Cape deserves a lot of credit for nurturing this new effort to form future leaders.

Last year's Leadership Cape class and this year's class took on additional chores by tackling some specific projects that could enhance this community. Five project areas this year covered youth mentoring, volunteering, a community calendar, an aquatic center and access to community activities for youths.

These projects are an excellent way to get past the what-should-we-do? aspects of a community need. It puts bright and creative minds to work as Leadership Cape teams look at the roots of a problem and then recommend action plans.

A couple of the Leadership Cape topics discussed this year deserve special mention:

The first is the proposed family aquatic center, which the Leadership Cape team members suggested should be built near the Osage Community Center on Kingshighway. The team showed slides of aquatic centers built by other communities. Aquatic centers are much more than large swimming pools. They include many amenities you would find at a water-themed amusement park.

It would have been helpful if the team had researched a previous plan for a similar development that was proposed in 1988. At that time, a couple of businessmen offered to build a for-profit complex -- pool, water slides, go-cart track -- near the entrance to Arena Park. In return, the developers offered to build baseball diamonds elsewhere in the park. That plan died amid considerable public consternation, and a letter to the editor this week indicates there would be opposition to such a facility at the Osage Community Center.

The city is faced with replacing its two aging pools, and the parks master plan includes a new pool facility. The aquatic center has a lot of appeal, but a suitable location and how to raise the estimated $5 million it would cost are a long way from being settled. Leadership Cape has given the community a starting point. It remains to be seen if there is enough community support for such a project.

The other action plan presented by a Leadership Cape team that deserves further comment is the suggestion that schools and youth organizations develop mentoring programs for youths. There is no question that mentoring is important in a society where parenting has too often been abandoned.

Again, the team appeared to be recommending another layer of bureaucracy when, in fact, several highly successful youth mentoring programs are already in place.

What these established programs need is talent and volunteers something participants in Leadership Cape could certainly provide. As Shirley Ramsey said in her letter to the editor this week, the best course of action would be support and expansion of existing programs.