Cape optimistic about early reception of neighborhood initiative

A program designed to improve neighborhoods within Cape Girardeau has garnered plenty of interest in pilot areas. As it moves forward, city officials said the goal is to continue to identify the program's exact role.

The Neighborhood Development Initiative has been in the works for more than two years, and the first presentation on the matter was made to the city council in July. City staff at the time touted it as a way to promote more self-governance and enforcement while creating meaningful change within local neighborhoods.

Two pilot neighborhoods were identified to begin the program in October. The first was in south Cape Girardeau, with its borders stretching north to south from Highway 74 to Hackberry Street and east to west from Ranney Avenue to Beaudean Lane.

Neighborhood 2, the Red Star area, stretches from Second Street to East Cape Rock Drive and spans east to west from Rand Street to Big Bend Road.

Those were the suggested borders, open to adjustment as needed.

Molly Hood, assistant city manager and director of Development Services, said in a recent telephone interview that education and communication were key goals for the initiative to teach residents how to resolve issues in their neighborhoods.

"It's really about empowering the neighborhoods to take things back for themselves," she said. "We wanted to show them how to come to the city council with their concerns, how to work with the planning department on a neighborhood grant application, or who to work with on public works if a streetlight's out. That's really what NDI is about, is filling that gap. They know they're supposed to call the police if there's a crime, but who do they call for other issues?"

She called the Neighborhood Development Initiative an "organic initiative" and said the city and participating neighborhoods are learning as they go. While city staff help facilitate the meetings, the goal is for residents to lead meetings and determine the needs and focus for each neighborhood. Hood said the city recognized in the first round of meetings that focuses may shift because there are so many existing groups taking similar action to improve the city. She said the idea is to team with those groups eventually to help eliminate redundancy.

"We may shift our focus a little bit in the coming year to try and work within the framework that's already in existence," she said. "We've talked to United Way about working with their Authentic Voices group, as you know, we've worked with [ward 2 councilwoman] Shelly Moore and the Cape Leaders Alliance group, and there are numerous groups out there that are doing the same thing we've talked about doing with NDI."

The program may be in its early stages, but Hood said participation has not been an issue. Meetings in the first neighborhood in south Cape Girardeau averaged about 30 people attending.

The city hopes that enthusiasm continues when it begins neighborhood meetings in the Red Star area Jan. 13.

Hood said the city has made efforts to make residents aware of the upcoming meetings.

Information was distributed at the Red Star Food Pantry on North Main Street, and she said other ideas, including door-to-door trips, have been discussed.

The eventual goal is to introduce the Neighborhood Development Initiative to all neighborhoods in the city.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641