CAPE VOTERS OK ALL FEE HIKES EXCEPT HAUNTED HALL OF HORRORS

Adults will still pay $3 to get into the Haunted Hall of Horrors this Halloween. But voters approved increasing all of the other user fees on the Cape Girardeau ballot Tuesday.

Mayor Al Spradling III said he was happy for the most part with the results, pointing out that everything except the proposal to increase licensing fees for dogs and cats passed by a large margin.

"The people who did vote obviously had paid attention to what was going on," Spradling said.

He said, however, that he was "very disappointed" with the low voter turnout.

Voters were asked to approve 12 fee increases for everything from swimming pool admission to storm-water management.

The haunted house fee increase, which would have raised adult admissions from $3 to $4, was defeated, with 1,648 "no" votes to 1,569 "yes" votes.

The user fees were based on the theory that people using the service should pick up the cost for providing it.

City officials said the fees increases were necessary to help cover increasing costs of providing services, such as costs for publications, labor, supplies and chemicals.

The licensing fee for dogs and cats, which was approved 1,453 to 1,448, was aimed at encouraging pet owners to spay or neuter their pets, according to Spradling.

The measure voters approved Tuesday will increase the licensing fee from $1 to $3 for altered dogs and cats and $15 for non-altered dogs and cats.

The license will apply to cats for the first time. Licensed kennel owners will be exempt.

The impoundment fee for animals also increased from $2 to the actual daily rate.

In addition, voters approved two amendments to the city charter. The first change amends the filing period for city candidates. The second change alters April election dates in even-numbered years from the first Tuesday in April to the first Tuesday after the first Monday.

These fees increases were also approved by voters:

-- Publication fees for rezoning or special use permit applications and for Board of Adjustment appeals applications, from $25 to $50.

-- Floodplain development and floodway development fees, both new $25 fees.

-- Storm-water management fees from $25 to $35 for less than 25 acres; from $50 to $70 for 25 to 200 acres; and from $100 to $140 for more than $200 acres.

-- Subdivision review fees from $5 per lot with a $25 minimum for single family lots to $18 with a $90 minimum; two-family or multiple family lots from $5 per unit with a $25 minimum to $19 per unit with a $90 minimum; and nonresidential lots from $5 per acre with a $25 minimum to $18 per acre with a $90 minimum

-- Swimming pool fees, including increasing daily admission fees to from $1.50 to $1.75 for seniors and from $1 to $1.50 for children, and coupon books from $30 to $35 for seniors and from $20 to $30 for children.

-- Municipal golf course fees. Weekday greens fees will increase from $8 to $9, while weekend and holiday greens fees will increase from $10.20 to $11. Season pass fees will increase from $31 to $350 for individuals, $437 to $475 for families, $187 to $225 for senior individuals and $312 to $350 for senior families.

Pull cart rental fees will increase from $1.65 to $2 for 18 holes, club rentals from $3.40 to $5 and private cart use from $5.65 to $7.