CAPE, JACKSON TO DISCUSS JOINT ISSUES MONDAY

JACKSON -- One year ago, resolutions on highway projects and annexation were passed at the historic first joint meeting of the Jackson Board of Aldermen and Cape Girardeau City Council. Progress reports on these and other issues will be presented when the cities' second joint meeting is held at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Jackson City Hall.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen set the special meeting during its regular meeting Monday night.

The agenda is still being formulated, but Jackson Mayor Paul Sander said Monday that reaffirming the cities' positions on a Highway 34-72 bypass and the East Main Street extension in Jackson are possible actions.

Sander said the work the cities have done together on highway issues has been the single biggest benefit of the new spirit of cooperation born at the first meeting.

"In dealing with MoDOT issues, this has been a tremendous source of cooperation, not only by Cape and Jackson but the County Commission as well," he said.

"There's pretty much a consensus among the three entities of what we would like to see done."

The cities and the Cape Girardeau County Commission are unhappy with the Missouri Department of Transportation's decision to expand Highway 34-72 to five lanes instead of providing a bypass that would route traffic around Jackson and with the lack of importance MoDOT has attached to building an interchange at I-55 for Jackson's East Main Street extension project.

Sander said they are not dissatisfied with the response from MoDOT locally but with the agency's performance statewide. "There seems to be some disarray," he said.

"We don't know which way to turn from the city's standpoint. We're not getting the amount of improvements we should get in relation to the growth we've had."

A report from the cities' joint annexation committee also is anticipated. The committee was formed so that both cities are aware of each other's plans for friendly annexations.

For instance, City Administrator Steve Wilson said Cape Girardeau currently is considering de-annexing property at Center Junction that Jackson may consider annexing.

Another possible report will be on progress made toward establishing an emergency water supply shared by the two cities.

A joint bus tour that would allow the council members to view the facilities in each other's cities also is being considered.

In other business Monday, the board:

-- Authorized the city's payment of an additional $16,236.01 as its part of the local use-tax liability. These were revenues from catalog sales local communities were ordered to refund to the state. The state had underestimated how much Jackson owed.

Jackson Board of Aldermen

Monday, Jan. 4

City Hall

Action items

Power and Light Committee

-- Authorized the mayor to sign depository agreements with NationsBank, Peoples Bank and Bank of Missouri.

-- Set a special joint council meeting with the Cape Girardeau City Council for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, at Jackson City Hall.

-- Amended the contractual agreement with Southwestern Power Administration relative to power transmission fees.

-- Authorized payment of $40,506.74 to Horner & Shifrin, Inc., relative to preparation of Wastewater Facilities Plan.

Street Committee

-- Authorized purchase of two 1999 Ford Crown Victoria patrol vehicles under the State of Missouri Cooperative Procurement Program for a total cost of $40,870.

-- Authorized city's payment of additional local use tax liability in the amount of $16,236.01.