Cape council approves $71 million budget

The Cape Girardeau City Council gave final approval to a number of budgetary items at its regular meeting Monday and discussed the renewal of the fire sales tax.

The question to extend the one-eighth-cent portion of the fire tax was initially planned to go before voters in August. The council voted May 27 to repeal the ordinance after Gov. Jay Nixon announced the three-quarter-cent state transportation tax measure also would appear on the August ballot, citing concern for voters to have adequate time to research both issues.

The council now must begin the process of calling the election in November.

No action was taken on the fire sales tax at Monday's meeting, but the council discussed what steps needed to be taken as the fall approaches.

"I think moving was the right move for a number of reasons," councilman Mark Lanzotti said of the measure.

He said the city council needed to have more discussions with staff about what the tax would be able to do, if passed, so it could share those details with the public.

Mayor Harry Rediger and the rest of the council agreed it was important to have a list of projects and equipment purchases that could be funded by the measure to show taxpayers how their money would be spent.

City manager Scott Meyer said he has spoken with public safety officials and believes a reasonable list has been assembled.

The council will meet in a special study session at 5 p.m. June 26, during which it plans to continue the discussion about the fire sales tax and the projects it could possibly fund.

Minus the vote of Lanzotti, who was present for study session but absent for regular session, the council unanimously approved the city's 2014-2015 operating budget of $71 million. It also gave final approval to a $110,000 contract with Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority to continue providing shuttle services and to an ordinance appropriating $73,000 from the Convention and Tourism Fund for Cape Splash improvements.

A resolution authorizing the city manager to submit a grant application to the Delta Regional Authority for funds that would go toward improvements in the Greater Cape Girardeau Area Business Park was approved with little discussion. The new business park requires "significant public improvements including new streets, water, sewer, electric and natural gas service," according to reports from city staff. If the city is awarded the grant, it will receive $250,000 for those improvements.

Councilman Wayne Bowen asked if the grant required a match from the city and if a timeline was available on when the grant might be awarded. Molly Hood, assistant city manager and director of Development Services, said no match was required and it was not yet known when funds would possibly be received.

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Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.