Cape County Commission hires assistant to collect easements for road work

~ An advisory commission found there are some holdout landowners along many roads slated for paving.

The lengthy task of collecting easements from landowners along county roads will fall to Robb McClary, hired by the Cape Girardeau County Commission to be their assistant.

McClary will be paid $2,000 a month for the part-time position, which will require him to work at least 1,500 hours a year, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones said Saturday. Easements are a big concern for commissioners who persuaded county residents to approve a half-cent sales tax last year to pay for road-paving projects.

While the plan approved by commissioners called for paving more than 50 miles of roads during the coming six years, a new Road and Bridge Advisory Commission has found that there are one or more holdout landowners along many of the roads slated for paving.

And with Commissioner Jay Purcell suggesting that the county issue bonds to further accelerate paving, obtaining the necessary land for the improved roads to meet standards could become an even bigger task.

Not 'argumentative type'

McClary seems to be the right person to persuade skeptical landowners, Jones said. "He can charm your socks off, and he doesn't get into debates with you," Jones said. "He is not an argumentative type person."

McClary resigned in March 2006 from the job of director of city inspections for Cape Girardeau. Since that time, he has worked as a consultant, and last summer he helped smooth neighborhood opposition to a low-income senior housing project near Clark Avenue.

In addition to working on road easements, which Jones said would consume the bulk of McClary's time during the first year on the job, McClary will also work on budget issues, a storm-water ordinance and economic development issues.

In addition to his work for the city, McClary has been the city administrator or city manager for five cities, including Park Hills, Mo., Bullhead City, Ariz., and Sebastian, Fla.

"I've got a lot of respect for what he has done and what he has accomplished," Jones said, noting that he has known McClary since he was a student at Jackson High School. "But that doesn't have a thing to do with him getting the job," Jones said.

Not paid with new tax

The salary for McClary will come from county general revenue, not from the new tax, Jones and other commissioners emphasized in a news release. While a portion of the sales tax revenue is reserved for raises and new deputies in the county sheriff's department, commissioners promised that they would not add staff for road purposes with the proceeds of the tax.

McClary will not be a county administrator, Jones said.

McClary will be allowed to continue his other consulting work as long as he puts in the required hours for the county, Jones said. Because of the nature of the work talking with landowners, much of McClary's work may be done at hours outside normal county business hours.

"I told him he could do whatever he wants to do as long as it doesn't interfere," Jones said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126