Cape council approves nearly $1M in park, sculpture projects with little public discussion

The Cape Girardeau City Council approved almost $1 million for baseball-field improvements and a sculpture at Monday night's city council meeting with virtually no public discussion.

The city entered into an agreement with Southeast Missouri State University to improve Capaha Field -- where the university's baseball team plays -- and erect a 15-foot-tall sculpture in the middle of the Fountain Street roundabout near the River Campus.

Under the agreement, the city will pay 50 percent of the cost of the baseball-field improvements and the sculpture project. The ball-field improvements, which would include installation of artificial turf, are expected to cost $1.84 million. The ball-field project is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, according to the written agreement.

The city will maintain the field, while the university will maintain the indoor batting cage and storage facility, the agreement states.

The sculpture project will cost an estimated $64,000.

In all, the agreement calls for the city to pay nearly $1 million toward the projects. City manager Scott Meyer said the money will come from casino-tax revenue.

This artist's rendering shows the proposed sculpture, designed by Southeast Missouri State University professor Chris Wubbena, that is to be placed in the roundabout on South Fountain Street near the River Campus.Submitted

Private meetings

Mayor Harry Rediger and several council members said Thursday that Meyer discussed the projects in private meetings with individual council members. Meyer regularly meets individually with council members and weekly with the mayor.

Julia Thompson, director of parks and recreation for the city, said the modern sculpture design was reviewed and approved by Meyer, Rediger and university president Carlos Vargas-Aburto as well as the city's ad hoc Public Art Committee.

The committee includes Thompson, Murielle Gaither of the local arts council, Marla Mills of Old Town Cape, Tim Arbeiter of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and Southeast Missouri State University art professor Chris Wubbena, who designed the sculpture.

The committee, which meets irregularly as needed, met without public notice.

Several council members said Thursday they had not seen the sculpture design.

The ball-field and sculpture projects were detailed in a "memorandum of agreement" approved by the city council.

The agenda listing, one of 22 items considered Monday night, made no mention of improvements to the baseball park, the new sculpture or the cost involved.

The description of the agreement mentioned only "improvements within the city."

Vargas, the university president, attended the study session before Monday's regular council meeting. He said he was prepared to answer questions, but no one on the council asked any.

Vargas said he probably should have made a few remarks regarding the project.

"I am very happy with the attitude of the city. They are very supportive of the university," he said. The ball-field and sculpture projects "benefit everyone," he said.

Monday's decision comes on the heels of a citywide rejection of a use tax earlier this month, which city officials hoped would pay for more police officers.

Opponents to the measure voiced frustrations they are taxed enough and criticized spending money on things such as parks rather than public safety.

Newly elected Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard said he believes the council and city staff need to be more open about such projects.

"We as a city council and city manager have to do a better job of communicating where we are at on things," he said.

Guard, who was attending his first regular meeting Monday night, said he did not realize the issue had not been discussed at a previous council meeting.

If there is no public discussion on an issue, "it doesn't look right," he said. Guard added he believes open discussion at council meetings would lead to greater public trust in city government.

The sculpture

The 15-foot-tall sculpture will be made of stainless steel and bronze. Titled "Commence," it will consist of two jagged, angled pieces, which serve as a "gateway" to the city, designer Wubbena said.

"It is kind of an uplifting form," he said. "It is a monument overall to inspiration, imagination and knowledge."

Wubbena said the mayor reviewed and approved the design of the sculpture in January.

The art professor said about six sculpture students at Southeast will help with the creation.

Wubbena said the goal is to install the sculpture in August 2017. Ground lighting will illuminate the sculpture at night.

Under the agreement, the city will be responsible for ongoing maintenance of the roundabout, including lighting and landscaping.

Rediger said he first began talking seriously about the sculpture project about six to eight months ago.

Funding, priorities

Rediger said the city's commitment to the ballpark and sculpture projects involves money that would not be used for public-safety expenses.

Meyer said city council policy prohibits the use of casino revenue for ongoing operations and expenses, such as hiring police officers.

The university will pay the upfront cost of the Capaha Park project, with the city reimbursing its share in annual payments ending no later than June 30, 2027. Those payments will be added to what the city owes the university for the purchase of the Cape Girardeau business-park property along Interstate 55.

Since buying the property bordering LaSalle Avenue, the city has been paying $460,000 annually to the university, city finance director John Richbourg said. The annual payments from casino-tax revenue were scheduled to expire Feb. 4, 2025.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Capaha Park, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Fountain Street roundabout, Cape Girardeau, Mo.