A TOWN IS BORN: DUTCHTOWN INCORPORATES TO GET FLOOD PROTECTION

Dutchtown, the small community often besieged by big floods, took a step toward solving those problems Monday when it became incorporated as an official town.

Dutchtown residents are interested in a levee to protect the town and traffic along highways 25 and 74.

"We are ready to work," said H.W. "Bud" Obermann, one of the organizers from Dutchtown.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission met in October with Dutchtown residents and representatives from the Corps of Engineers. The Corps needs a governmental entity to take the lead in a levee project. In addition, the Corps needs $8,000 up front to begin the project.

Presiding County Commissioner Gerald Jones had told Dutchtown residents the county didn't want to own levees He urged them to take the lead in the project, and they did.

"Up until now we have just been a group of people working on this," said Bob Moss, one of the Dutchtown organizers. "Now, as a town, we can work together toward something."

The new village boundaries extend south about halfway from the Dutchtown residences to the Diversion Channel. To the east, the village ends at the crest of the first hill on Highway 74 coming out of Dutchtown. To the north, the boundary is about halfway up the hill on Highway 25 headed toward Jackson. To the west, the boundary includes the "Dutchtown loop" on Route A.

County officials determined that 92 property owners were within the boundaries. Dutchtown organizers got signatures from 76. They needed just 62 to meet requirements for incorporation.

Obermann, who gathered most of the signatures, said he was pleasantly surprised at the reception he received. "Almost everyone was very receptive," he told the County Commission. "Only two people had a question, and they were wondering what it was all about. They were all very cooperative."

On Monday the Cape Girardeau County Commission declared Dutchtown incorporated, and in accordance with state statute named the town's first board of trustees.

Serving two-year terms are Obermann and Moss. Serving one-year terms are Doyle Parmer, Mark Carnell and James Seyer. The first election for the town board will be a year from April.

Also on Monday, Obermann and Moss submitted a written request to the commission for assistance in raising the $8,000. The commission has yet to discuss that issue.

The Corps of Engineers has received go-ahead for a feasibility study for a levee at Dutchtown. The local share of the completed structure would cost a minimum of $93,000. Initially, the Corps needs $8,000 to proceed with the study. The Corps would pay the majority of costs for a levee with federal flood-control money.

Dutchtown residents and the Cape Girardeau County Commission have been looking for ways to fund the local share.

While Dutchtown residents receive a direct benefit, Moss and Obermann said the entire region would benefit if highways 74 and 25 could remain open during floods.

Highway 74 has been closed by flooding four times in the past three decades: 1973, 1983, 1993 and 1995.

In 1993 and 1995 temporary gravel and sandbag levees were constructed in the middle of Highway 74 at Dutchtown. In 1995 the levee extended about 2,000 feet east of the highways 74-25 intersection and cost about $45,000.

Following the 1995 flood, the County Commission said constructing the temporary levee was too expensive to do again, and requested the Corps consider a permanent flood-control structure.