Board picks real estate agent to fill vacancy

The Cape Girardeau school board appointed longtime real estate agent Martha Hamilton to fill a vacancy on the board Monday night.

The board voted unanimously for Hamilton, selecting her from among four finalists. The decision followed a preliminary secret ballot in which five board members listed Hamilton as their top choice. The sixth board member listed Saint Francis Medical Center clinical pharmacist Carrie Beth Smith as the top choice.

During the special meeting, board members gave no reasons for choosing Hamilton. But after the meeting, board president Steven Trautwein offered his reasons.

He said she did "a lot of homework" in learning about the district before being interviewed by the board on June 18. The board interviewed four finalists chosen from among eight applicants.

Trautwein said he liked Hamilton's remark that board decisions should be driven by the data.

"She also stressed the importance of a work ethic of cooperation," Trautwein said.

The board president said all four finalists would have been good additions to the board. Besides Hamilton and Smith, the finalists included Southeast Missouri State University assistant nursing professor Twila Brown and former middle school PTA leader Brynda Dickson.

"With the quality of these four applicants, the school board was the winner all the way around," Trautwein said.

Hamilton replaces Sharon Mueller, who resigned to move with her family to St. Louis. Hamilton will serve until the school board election in April.

Building at soccer fields

In other action, the board voted to seek bids for construction of a building to house a concession stand and restrooms adjacent to the Cape Central High School soccer fields.

The proposed 17-by-40-foot structure would have a concrete block and brick exterior that will match that of the high school, local architect Tom Holshouser told the board.

Superintendent Dr. David Scala estimated the project could cost more than $150,000.

Scala said the concession stand/restrooms could serve not only the soccer fields but also a future football stadium if the board decides to build one.

But Scala said the current project -- which has been on the drawing board for about two years -- wouldn't obligate the district to build a stadium.

The concession stand and restrooms would border a new sidewalk and steps to be constructed with funding from the All-Sports Booster Club. The sidewalk and steps would provide a new formal entrance to the athletic fields north of the high school.

School officials said the steps and sidewalk would create a safer entrance, eliminating the need for fans to walk up and down a grassy slope that can be slippery when wet.

The school board approved the booster club project at its June 18 meeting.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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