CITY CONSIDERS LEASE-PURCHASE FOR NEW PUBLIC WORKS SITE

Cape Girardeau could get a new public works site for $491,000 if the council approves a lease-purchase agreement tonight during its regular meeting. The council meets at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 401 Independence.

The new site, a 12-acre tract along Corporate Circle near Southern Expressway, would give the city's public works division a chance to spread out and work better.

The council will consider, on first reading, an ordinance that authorizes the city to finance $491,000 through a lease-purchase arrangement.

The money will cover costs of underwriting the project over a five-year period and can retire the debt anytime after two and a half years, said John Richbourg, city finance director.

The city will only be required to make semi-annual interest payments during the term of the agreement. A final interest rate had not been set by Friday afternoon, but is expected by tonight's meeting.

The existing public works building, situated among other commercial businesses on Kingshighway, poses some problems for the city because of its location. There is often a lot of traffic on the road, making it hard for workers to move heavy equipment like bulldozers and backhoes necessary for public works jobs.

Moving to a new site will make it more convenient because there is truck access to the facility, said Doug Leslie, public works director.

Another problem with the current site is that there isn't adequate storage space for all the city's equipment. Off-season equipment is stored at two other locations and changed as needed, Leslie said.

Moving sites would help all three areas of public works water, waste removal and transportation work better. At the new site, the department would be closer to the transfer station, where trash is hauled, and to Water Plant No. 2.

It has been a long-range plan for the city to move its public works facility south. Finding property was the key factor in the plan. "Until we had a place to go, we really had no options," said Leslie. "We'd been concerned about not having a place to go if we had the opportunity to move."