Cape Girardeau City Council action limited due to absent members

Only four members of Cape Girardeau city council were present for Monday's session, giving the council a bare quorum and forcing it to table certain items.

"We are open for business, but open with some parameters," said Mayor Jay Knudtson of the night's proceedings.

City charter requires four of seven votes to be cast in favor of or against a resolution for the council to take action.

Council members Charlie Herbst, Marcia Ritter and Debra Tracy were absent Monday for differing reasons.

Because of the absences, a request by JJP Investments to rezone property at 1610 N. Kingshighway and allow contractors to construct a building at a height of 52 feet was put on hold.

The council will also wait to appoint a mayor pro-tem to replace Matt Hopkins who will be relieved of his post after serving the maximum two-year term.

The council was still able to get some business done. It approved applications for state grants for Fountain Street enhancement, North Trail extension and the Riverwalk project.

"These are projects that are critical to our development and enhancement as a city," said Knudtson.

On Fountain Street, the city is seeking to continue the boulevard design that begins at Highway 74 by adding concrete pavers and lighting between Morgan Oak and William streets.

The trail extension will connect Cape LaCroix Trail at Lexington Avenue with the White Oak Trace nature tail system in North County Park. The design calls for an 8-foot-wide trail with a low-water crossing at Cape LaCroix creek just north of Kingshighway and two bridges spanning ravines.

The Riverwalk extension will be 12 feet wide and 2,531 feet long extending northward from the Broadway floodwall to Sloan Creek. A future project would connect it to the newly refurbished Red Star Landing boat ramp.

Council members called it money well spent. "It's a small price to pay because these trails give recreation and exercise for any age level," said Loretta Schneider. "Anybody can use them, and the ones we do have are used heavily. So I think it's a good investment for us."

The grants are handed out by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the city will likely hear of the status of its requests in late July. Each grant will be a maximum of $400,000 and will require 20 to 23 percent matching funds from the city. If approved, construction would not start until spring of 2007.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245