AREA PORT GETS NEW DIRECTOR, BUT ANNOUNCEMENT WILL WAIT

SCOTT CITY - The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority has a new executive director, but announcement of his name has not been made.

Mysie Keene of Jackson, chairman of the port's nine-member board of commissioners, confirmed Wednesday that the board had agreed to hire someone at a special meeting Monday afternoon. But Keene said the director's name cannot be released for about two weeks so he has time to notify his employer.

"We have hired someone and are very pleased to have somebody of this caliber coming to us," said Keene. "He will be very advantageous to the port."

Keene would only say that the new director was a resident of Missouri.

Allan Maki, who became executive director of the port authority in August 1988, caught board members by surprise when he announced his resignation at the end of the open session of a port meeting March 8.

Maki cited differences with some board members over the way the port should be managed as a key reason for his decision. Maki also complained that some board members were attempting to micro manage the port authority rather than focus on policy decisions.

Although Maki has said he will help with the transition of a new executive director, Keene said Maki indicated shortly after submitting his resignation that he was no longer working for the port.

"Allan will be available as a resource to the new director," said Keene. "Everything is being handled now by board members and our new administrative assistant, Leslie Simmons."

When Maki submitted his resignation, Keene asked him to begin running ads for a new director in the Waterways Journal, a publication that focuses on port authorities and river commerce. Keene said a number of applications from the ad have been received.

But after interviewing several people last week the board decided to take action on hiring a director immediately.

"We just felt this person was so outstanding, and that it was very important to have somebody in that position to move the port forward," explained Keene. "We felt this person was so exceptionally qualified we should move ahead with it."

Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, who had expressed some concern about what led to Maki's resignation, said Wednesday he was willing to let the board members do their jobs.

Said Huckstep: "Naturally, we get concerned if there is any appearance of turmoil. We never at any time tried to inject our feelings into this thing, but I did speak to our members one-on-one and expressed concern that there should be continuity down there. This is especially needed on pending grants and in seeking new tenants.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's a closed matter at this time."

But in reaction to his concern, Huckstep has refused to accept a letter of resignation from Board Member Jim Limbaugh, who advised the Cape County Commission on Feb. 8 that he wanted to step down as a port commissioner.

"I asked him if he would continue to serve and hold the resignation for a while, and he said it was fine," said Huckstep. "I informed the chairperson that we had never accepted his resignation so he was still a Cape County port commissioner."

Huckstep said asking Limbaugh to stay on for a while was a matter of helping keep continuity on the board. "He has a lot of knowledge about the port, and with the director leaving I thought it was best to have a person of experience like Jim stay around," said Huckstep.

"With some of the turmoil over there with the resignation and all, it was the best move to make. We just appreciate his continuing to serve for the time being."

The SEMO Port Authority is a joint venture between Cape Girardeau and Scott counties. The board of commissioners has nine members, with four appointed by each county commission and a fifth rotating between the two counties every two years.

Keene stressed Wednesday that the port authority is still going well and that board members are united in their goal of making the port succeed.

Keene said: "We are moving along. All the business is being handled and the marketing committee was busy meeting with two prospective tenants last week. All the board members are chipping in to help. We are working together and seeing that a lot of details are getting taken care of that Allan normally would have.

"We are still bent on making our port succeed. That goal has not changed," said Keene.