Cape Girardeau County gets $580,000 for communications upgrades

Cape Girardeau County commissioners agreed Thursday to accept equipment purchased with a $580,000 Homeland Security grant received by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission.

The planning commission received the grant for improving communications equipment throughout the county, particularly for emergency response along the Mississippi River.

Chauncey Buchheit, executive director of the planning commission, said the money will be spent on new radios and improving and extending radio coverage for county emergency responders.

Because the county will benefit from the grant and no administrative costs were built into the grant, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones and Commissioner Paul Koeper approved a motion to reimburse the planning commission for $20,000 in administrative costs. Commissioners did not know exactly where the money would come from but said they would look at several options, including the sheriff's department and taking a little money from several departments.

Commissioner Jay Purcell was not present at Thursday's meeting.

Jones said he was excited to be receiving new communications equipment for the county.

"It is an amazing thing. Every once in a while you get a pleasant experience in county government. This is something we've been wanting and needing. I really appreciate the effort everyone put in," Jones said.

Other action

In other business:

• Commissioners approved a recommendation from Scott Bechtold, county highway administrator, concerning the lease of two used backhoes. The county will lease two used backhoes for two years for $6,000 per year.
• The commission opened bids for purchasing a van to be used by the juvenile department. Ford Groves of Cape Girardeau submitted a price of $22,719 for a 2011 Ford E350 extended-length van. The amount reflects a $550 trade-in value for the department's 1995 Ford Aerostar van. Morlan Dodge of Sikeston, Mo., submitted a price of $19,268 for a 2009 Ford Econoline XLT with 21,413 miles. The price includes the installation of running boards. Cape Auto Sales of Cape Girardeau submitted a price of $15,000 for a 2008 E350 with 31,000 miles. Commissioners approved a motion to refer the bids to Randy Rhodes, chief juvenile officer.
• The county received $823.75 from the state of Missouri for the reimbursement of labor and other costs accrued during the 2008 ice storm. The check is a correction to an error in the original amount issued by the state.
• Koeper reported the drilling to remove a rock discovered during the elevator shaft repair project in the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse was awarded to Aardvark Drilling and Excavation of St. Louis for $8,000. The drilling is complete, and the elevator project could be complete by early next week.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600

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