Cape Council chooses Ryan Essex to fill Ward 5 vacancy

Ryan Essex, who voiced concern about drug crimes in the city, was named the temporary Ward 5 Cape Girardeau City Council member Monday.

The council made the decision on a 5-1 vote at the close of Monday�s regular meeting. Ward 1 Councilman Daniel Presson cast the dissenting vote. Essex was immediately sworn into office, filling the vacancy created by the election of Bob Fox as mayor last month.

At the study session before the regular meeting, council members heard from the two applicants: Essex, chief operating officer with Gibson Recovery Center; and Eric �Red� Redinger, associate director of recreation services at Southeast Missouri State University.

Redinger said he was willing to serve for the �short term.� He told the council, �I would fill in the role because there is a need.� But he said he is �about 90 percent sure� he would not run as a candidate for the council seat later this year.

Essex, on the other hand, said he would be interested in running in a special election to fill the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends in April 2020.

Essex will serve on the council until a successor is elected Aug. 7 or Nov. 6, depending on the number of people who file as candidates, officials said.

Council members asked several questions of both Redinger and Essex at the study session.

Redinger said keeping streets free of potholes is a major challenge facing city government, as well as �keeping Cape a clean, beautiful place for all our residents.�

Redinger described himself as a friend of former mayors Harry Rediger and Jay Knudtson.

Essex said crime, particularly drug-related offenses, is �a huge challenge� for Cape Girardeau.

Infrastructure development also is a challenge facing city government, he said.

Essex said he could bring a �unique perspective� to the council regarding drugs and alcohol and mental illness.

At the regular meeting, Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard said Essex�s interest in running in the special election was a factor in his decision to vote for him. Guard said Essex�s concern about violent crime also entered into his decision.

Fox and other council members said both Essex and Redinger were good applicants for the post.

Guard said, �I wish they were both running (in the special election).�

In other action, the council, led by Fox, voted to change the council meeting format so the study session and regular session will follow each other, rather than have a break of as much as an hour between the two meetings.

�I think it will improve attendance at our regular meetings,� Fox said.

If the council needs to hold a closed session, it can after the regular meeting, the mayor said.

Such closed-door meetings, allowed under Missouri�s Sunshine Law, currently are held between the two meetings, forcing residents to wait around or leave and come back for the regular meeting, council members said.

Council members also agreed the city no longer needs to order in food for such closed-door meetings. Fox said eliminating that practice would �save the city a lot of money.�

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.