Cape City Council hears input on capital improvements program

Cape Girardeau residents advocated at a public hearing Tuesday for money to preserve the historic Glenn House, and urged city council members to keep the city's south side in mind when making decisions on a capital improvements plan.

The hearing on the 2013-2018 capital improvements program was part of the council's regular meeting, held Tuesday because of Monday's Presidents Day holiday.

The program, which the city council will vote on in March, has an estimated price tag of nearly $218 million for projects in three categories: transportation, environment and capital improvements. The city's charter requires a capital improvements program be adopted by the city council before April 1 as part of a long-range strategic plan.

Tom Grantham, representing the Historical Association of Cape Girardeau, spoke for consideration of funds to go toward the maintenance and preservation of the historic Glenn House.

"The house is 130 years old," Grantham said. "Anything that old is in need of repairs."

Councilwoman Loretta Schneider, who represents Ward 4, agreed with Grantham.

"I think we owe it to Cape Girardeau to find a revenue stream for the Glenn House," Schneider said. "I think it's very important."

Lloyd Roth, a retiree, urged the council to be cautious with how it spends capital improvements funds.

"It seems like all governments are in a state of spend, spend, spend," Roth said. "Even so, I would hope the money will be used to help everyone and not just a few."

Don Howard told the city council he hopes funds wouldn't just be spent for projects in Cape Girardeau's downtown.

"You should remember to help south Cape, too," he said.

The five-year program contains $67.9 million in proposed projects that can be funded with existing and anticipated revenue, and about $150 million in unfunded projects, or projects that fall into the "contingent program," which can't be paid for without the continuation of existing sales tax revenue.

One sales tax stream is the city's hotel/motel/restaurant tax, which pays for bonds issued for construction of the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University and funds the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau. The city expects the bonds to be paid off in 2014, which would end collection of a portion of the tax. Other sales taxes are the fire sales tax, which will cease at the end of 2014, and a Transportation Trust Fund tax, which pays for projects such as street upgrades and repairs and is set to expire in 2015.

City manager Scott Meyer said after the city council meeting that extending those three taxes to help fund the "contingent" projects would be considered, but action on them won't be taken until later this year.

Members of the city council can make changes to the capital improvements program before they vote on a resolution. The entire capital improvements program can be viewed at www.cityofcapegirardeau.org.

Other action

In a study session held by the city council before the regular session, Meyer reported that economic development in Cape Girardeau as a whole was taking a turn for the better. He noted a sustained increase in sales tax revenue, and that unemployment during the last year had dropped two-tenths of a point. Employment was staying level, and requests for business licenses and building permits had remained steady.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO