Cape capital projects come under review

The city of Cape Girardeau may be facing financial hard times in its operating budget, but that hasn't stopped it from planning for future capital improvements.

The city council will meet at 5:30 p.m. today to review Cape Girardeau's five-year capital improvements plan, which annually -- as mandated by the city charter -- must be updated and approved by the council.

The council will hold a public hearing on the plan on March 1, with the council expected to adopt the capital improvements program at its March 15 meeting.

The city's latest capital improvements plan outlines 129 projects totaling more than $109 million over the next five fiscal years.

But Mayor Jay Knudtson said many of those projects aren't funded yet and there is no certainty when funding will be available.

"It really serves as more of a plan or road map as to where the city is headed," he said. "What they represent is priorities should funding become available."

One such priority is the extension of Fountain Street, from Morgan Oak to William, to provide downtown access for motorists coming off the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

The extension, estimated to cost $860,000, is currently projected for the fiscal 2006-2007 year. But city planner Kent Bratton said the city plans to proceed with preliminary engineering work on the project later this year. The exact route of the street extension has yet to be determined, he said, although it is likely it would run along old railroad right of way.

Bratton said the city ultimately is counting on securing federal funding to help build the road. Until Congress passes a new federal highway bill, it is hard to predict how soon funding might be available, he said.

The projects blueprint includes $14.38 million in transportation projects, including more than $8 million in improvements to the regional airport that are expected to be funded 95 percent by federal money.

An estimated $62.8 million worth of sewer, water and drainage projects are on the drawing board. Parks and recreation projects total $13.45 million.

Community development projects, including police station renovations and a new fire station and a new public works building, add up to another $18.87 million.

City manager Doug Leslie said the city has an "aggressive capital improvements program."

"We have had capital money to work with," he said. "What we have been struggling with is operating money in the general fund."

Depending on sales taxes

Some of the projects on the capital improvements drawing board depend rely on earmarked sales taxes, such as those for transportation, sewers and the water system, and state and federal funding.

Many of the city's future street projects won't get done unless voters approve a second extension of the half-cent transportation sales tax, Leslie said. Voters approved the tax in August 1995 and extended it for another five years in 2000.

Leslie said the city will have to ask voters next year to extend the tax in order to continue with major street projects.

Many projects on the drawing board depend on securing future revenue, officials said.

The relocation of Cape Girardeau's oldest fire station, for example, depends on voters approving a fire sales tax in June.

A proposed $5 million family aquatics center remains on the drawing board for fiscal 2005-2006 even though city officials aren't pursuing funding for a water park at this time.

Nor is there any funding available to build a new public works building, estimated to cost $9 million.

Voters rejected a tax package last April that would have funded a number of projects including a new fire station and a water park.

Some voters said they viewed the water park project as an unnecessary luxury.

Knudtson said projects seldom get dropped from the capital improvements plan, although they often are moved farther back in the planning schedule.

The plan is revised yearly but never totally rewritten, he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123