Cape council gives final OK on new transfer station

The road to a new transfer station in Cape Girardeau has required approval of several measures by the city council, but Monday's approved agreement was the last step before work begins.

City staff long have placed the project among the city's top capital-improvement needs, and several factors fell in place to help make it financially possible.

The council in December approved an agreement with Republic Services that included hauling solid waste from the city's transfer station to the company's landfill. Another provision calls for Republic to run its hauling operation and process all solid waste through a new city-owned, multiuse transfer station.

The city would benefit from revenue generated from the additional solid waste processed by the city, plus lease payments from Republic for using city-owned facilities. Special obligation bonds and casino revenue also fund the project.

The process continued in January, when the council approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with Cambridge Companies Inc. for professional and construction management services for the new multiuse transfer station. It reached the next step Monday night, as the council approved a guaranteed maximum price for the project of $3,812,614. The cost is nearly $57,000 lower than the initial estimate.

City manager Scott Meyer said the council approval will be followed by a groundbreaking ceremony next week at the location of the new facility, across from the new wastewater plant on Corporate Circle and near the public works station.

Public works director Steve Cook said the new location is more ideal because of the additional space and improved traffic flow. The existing transfer station in the 2500 block of South Sprigg Street has become more difficult to access in recent years because of sinkholes shutting down a nearby part of the roadway.

Other business

A public hearing was held at Monday night's council meeting about proposed property-tax rates for the 2016 fiscal year, though no one spoke. The council voted after the hearing to approve the rates.

Tax levies per $100 valuation are $0.3027 for the general fund, $0.567 for the health fund and $0.6866 for the Downtown Special Business District. The rates for the general and health funds remain unchanged from the previous year, while the special business district rate decreased from $0.6869.

"It's tiny, but any decrease is good," said Councilman Wayne Bowen of the change in the special business district's rate.

Rates were set based on preliminary assessment figures the city recently received from Cape Girardeau County, which considers factors such as assessed values on new construction, annexed property and the current year's increased personal property.

Based on those rates, a homeowner with a house worth $200,000 would pay $136.57 in real-estate tax to the city, according to city documents, and residents would pay $11.98 for each $10,000 of personal property they own.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

2500 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.