CITY COUNCIL APPROVES INTERSECTION PROJECT

The New Madrid-Henderson intersection will be improved next year under a plan worked out between the city of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University.

The City Council voted Monday night to let the university proceed with the $320,000 realignment of the intersection. The university foundation temporarily will cover the city's share of the cost.

The city will reimburse the foundation on Jan. 1, 1999, if projected revenue from the transportation tax is available to complete all 20 projects on the road and bridge improvement plan.

If not, the city will reimburse the university by April 1, 2000, at the latest.

As part of the agreement, the city will publish a monthly progress report on the road projects.

University officials initially wanted an earlier payback, but councilmen balked at spending tax money on the project before higher-ranked projects on the transportation tax list. The intersection is ranked 19th.

The city will begin collecting the five-year sales tax in January.

"Certainly, this intersection needs fixing," Councilman Melvin Gateley said.

He said the project probably should have been ranked higher on the priority list to begin with.

But Gateley insisted that the council action hasn't changed the city's road-project priorities.