Cape rejects housing plan for recovering mental patients

It was a vote that produced no winners, Cape Girardeau city officials said.

"This is probably the toughest decision since we've been on council," said Councilman Charlie Herbst.

A request to rezone 3.88 acres of land at the corner of Silver Springs Road and Bloomfield Road was denied by Cape Girardeau City Council by a vote of 6 to 1 Monday. The request made by the Community Counseling Center would have allowed the construction of an apartment complex of up to 21 units for recovering mental patients.

In March, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of the request in a 5-5 split vote. Also, since 30 percent of the homeowners living within 185 feet of the site signed a petition objecting to the proposal, the request required a supermajority or five yes votes to pass Monday.

But the vote was about more than zoning. The mostly elderly residents of the surrounding neighborhood said they were frightened by the prospect of recovering mental patients wandering the streets.

Don Shelton of 402 Penrod Place called the proposal unsettling.

"People with such mental problems tend to be wanderers, and from time to time they may not take their medication," Shelton said.

Jerry Club, of 428 S. Silver Springs Road, agreed, "We're talking about 42 more people I don't know. I don't know what their problems are, and to be honest with you, I like to know my neighbors," he said.

The complex was to be supervised 24 hours per day by a facility manager. Opponents, though, insisted "it would only take one bad apple" to cause a catastrophe.

But proponents of the plan say patients who have fought and overcome mental diseases like bipolar disorder and depression are wrongly stigmatized.

"We have a long way to go to try to educate people about mental illness. If anything is disappointing, it's the extremity and depth of the myths that persist about the mentally ill," said John Hudak, executive director of the counseling center.

To prove this point, three patients who have sought treatment at the center spoke in support of the proposal.

"I've worked hard in my life and I would think I would be an asset to the neighborhood rather than a negative thing," said Maryln Rastl, who was treated for severe depression and now works as an advocate at the Community Counseling Center.

After the votes were read, Mayor Jay Knudtson led council in a standing ovation for the patients.

Councilwoman Debra Tracy cast the lone vote in approval of the plan.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

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