BOLLINGER COUNTY EXPERIENCING GROWTH

MARBLE HILL -- City Administrator David Jackson preaches of community progress.

He is proud of the efforts of merchants who have given a facelift to their storefronts.

The federal government spent $660,000 on a new post office, which opened about two years ago.

Jackson readily talks about new businesses taking root. A Dollar General Store has set up shop on the outskirts of the city, along Highway 34.

Construction is under way on a Country Mart supermarket. It is scheduled to open this summer.

The city has an industrial park that is home to several businesses.

Businessman Loyd Ivey has opened several businesses and has purchased land at Marble Hill's small, grass-strip airport where a high-tech electronics plant may be built some day.

Preaching comes naturally to Jackson, a former insurance agent who pastors a United Pentecostal church in Marble Hill.

Jackson grew up here. He attended Southeast Missouri State University and graduated from the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minn.

Jackson never thought he would return to Marble Hill to live. But he did in 1988. He was appointed a city alderman in July 1991, to fill an unexpired term. In November 1991, he resigned to take the job of city administrator.

Jackson wears plenty of hats as city administrator. "I replaced the street foreman, secretary and city administrator when I took this job."

Jackson is also the city building inspector. In addition to the city administrator's office, city hall houses the offices of city clerk, treasurer and collector.

Jackson said the town's residents are more than just customers at city hall; they are friends and neighbors. "I made a personal commitment to never lose that compassion for people," he said.

Marble Hill's efforts to attract new businesses and industry are welcomed by the Bollinger County commissioners.

Business growth generates more sales taxes for the county.

The rural county of 12,000 people prides itself on its rustic environment.

"We don't want to lose why people move here," said Rod Jetton, 2nd District commissioner. But Jetton, who sells real estate, said business expansions and new industry are needed too.

The county operates on a $1.8 million budget, with half of that going to maintain roads and bridges.

Most of the county's revenue comes from sales taxes. Property taxes bring in about $280,000 a year.

"We have to have sales tax," said Jetton. "Unfortunately, the region goes to Cape Girardeau County to shop."

First District Commissioner Jerry Woodfin said that is good news to Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones. "He laughs about it; we cry about it," said Woodfin.

The county's $900,000-a-year road-and-bridge budget goes largely to maintain the county's 960 miles of gravel roads.

Jetton said the county can't afford to pave gravel roads. Asphalt paving costs about $68,000 a mile, he said.

If the county spent $1 million a year to pave gravel roads, it would still take about 70 years to pave them all, he said.

Elwood Mouser, Bollinger County presiding commissioner, said the county has invested in new road equipment in recent years. The county has seven trucks and six graders.

The commission recently bought one patrol car and leased two others for the sheriff's department rather than continue to pay mileage to sheriff's deputies.

The county had been required to pay 30 cents a mile under state law. With no mileage cap, it was costing about $2,400 a month to operate three patrol cars, Mouser said.

Jetton said county government has to be run economically. Residents don't want more regulations or taxes, he said. "I think they want us to work with what we've got."