CAPE SCHOOL BOARD PLOTS LONG-RANGE CONSTRUCTION

The long-range outline has been drawn and the puzzle is almost complete for the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. Only the financing of a construction and renovation project in the school district remains incomplete.

The board met Saturday morning at the Holiday Inn to gather more financial information and begin forming a complete long-range plan.

A special committee should complete its study of the district's finances by the end of September.

The final product will be something of a compromise on everybody's part but a consensus of the group, said Superintendent Dr. Dan Tallent.

"It's not a rubber stamp of what the board wants to do. We are trying to find the timing and sequence."

Before the school board can proceed with its long-range plan, it must know how to finance the plan. The long-range plan will help the district chart its goals for the next five to 15 years.

The tentative plan includes closing some elementary schools, building and remodeling other elementary schools, renovating the junior high and high school buildings and constructing a new high school and vocational-technical school. The construction work will be done in phases.

However, financing the work should be done in one step, said Dr. Bob Fox, school board president. "I'd rather generate enough the first time and not increase taxes anymore."

No definite action has been taken to place a bond issue on the ballot, but tentative plans call for a vote in April 1997. In the meantime, the board has studied options for a possible 20- to 50-cent bond issue to finance the construction and renovations.

However, it is likely that a bond issue will be nearer to a 30-cent tax increase. "The real decision is how quick do want to pay it off and how quick do you want to put it together," Tallent said.

Board members met with Kent Bratton, city planner for Cape Girardeau, during a closed session to discuss real estate.

Before any real estate purchases are made, the board wants to know what areas of the city are growing and where annexations are planned so that city services will be available.

"It's a matter of talking before we make our mind up on a location," Fox said.

The board hopes to have a complete long-range plan ready for an October meeting.

CAPE GIRARDEAU BOARD OF EDUCATION AGENDA

Monday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m.

Vocational-Technical School, Room 214

Old Business

-- Transportation of students less than one mile.

Action Items

-- Purchase lot for Vo-Tech House.

-- Application for bar near Alternative School.

-- Fund Transfer.

-- Wireless radio bid.

-- Professional Development Committee Guidelines.

-- School Nursing Program.

-- Office of Civil Rights Agreement.

-- Lease for additional vocational space.

Non-action Items

-- Board policy updates

-- Summary of disciplinary actions for 1995-96 school year.

-- State Incentive grants.

-- Financial statement for August.

Executive session to consider real estate, personnel records and scholastic probation, expulsion or graduation.