CHANGES IN LAKE PROPOSAL FAIL TO SATISFY FOES

JACKSON -- Even with recommended changes to the legislation, landowners from Bollinger and Cape Girardeau county still oppose a recreational lake project.

"Why don't you just drop the lake and leave us alone?" asked Ed Sebaugh, a landowner opposed to the lake.

About 150 people attended an informational meeting Tuesday night to discuss recommended legislative changes to a Missouri law that creates such a lake.

The proposed 7,680-acre lake would be located near Millersville by damming portions of the Whitewater and Little Whitewater rivers. It was first suggested in 1987 but never reached voter consent. The recreational lake would be funded by a 1-cent sales tax in both Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties.

But landowners near the proposed lake site are opposed to the project. About 90 percent of them attended the meeting.

"I don't want to leave my land," Sebaugh said. "I'm opposed to the idea. Essentially it's a development project supported by the taxpayers."

But engineers and lake supporters believe the lake could support itself if the tax issue was approved. However, their biggest stumbling block in the process has been getting the issue to voters. When the lake was first suggested, the tax issue was never voted on. The Bollinger County Commission refused to put the issue on the ballot in 1990.

Another major complaint was the wording of the law. Now the committee has drafted changes that give landowners more rights, access and limit the lake authority's power.

However, there are some still opposed to the project, despite the change in wording.

Landowner Steve Bright's biggest complaint isn't the idea of a lake project, but the way it's being presented.

"It won't do anything to bring industry to this area," Bright said. "Sure there will be some increase in job opportunity, but not to the overall economy. This is a land grab."

Many landowners whose property would be sold to a lake authority don't believe they will get a fair value for the land.

"They want to buy my land for $250 an acre and sell it for $100,000 so that people can build cabins," Bright said.

But an eight-member steering committee has been meeting since July 2 to ensure that everyone is treated fairly.

"The group has been working on your behalf," W. B. Sandlin, a consultant hired by the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, told landowners. "They argued among themselves to come up with proposals that we hope will take a lot of steps to making this a much more fair bill."

When all revisions are made to the bill, committee members will send it to area legislators. But some landowners say they will continue to oppose the project.

"I've been fighting this since 1987," said Jim Roche. "It's the same stuff, they've just shortened it or substituted words."

Roche's land will not be submerged or purchased by the lake authority if the issue is approved.

"I live on the periphery so I'll get the leftovers," he said.