CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS

The Cape Girardeau City Council will vote tonight on whether to hold a Fourth of July fireworks display along the riverfront.

With council approval, the city would enter into a $15,000 contract with J & M Displays Inc. of Yarmouth, Iowa, to conduct the fireworks show. City taxpayers would contribute $5,000 for the event through the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The city hopes to raise the remaining $10,000 through sponsorships from area businesses.

The show would take place at 9 p.m. July 4 or the first rain-free evening thereafter in case of bad weather.

The council will also hold a public hearing on the proposed $33 million city operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The proposal calls for increased expenditures of $168,000, or 0.51 percent, more than the current budget. The new spending would be largely offset by $136,500 in utility fee hikes.

The proposal includes raising solid waste collection fees by 40 cents a month, or 2.96 percent, bringing the monthly charge to $13.90. The increase is expected to raise approximately $48,000.

Hike in water rates

The budget also calls for a 2 percent hike in water rates that would generate $88,500 in additional revenue. Average monthly water bills for residential customers would rise 22 cents to $16.54. Commercial users on average would pay $69.94 a month, or $1.37 more than at present.

City officials say the rate hikes are needed to cover increased operating expenses. Average total utility bills would grow by 1.79 percent, from $40.13 to $40.85 cents a month.

The council is slated to take a preliminary vote on the overall budget proposal, plus separate votes on the two suggested fee hikes.

The council is also scheduled to take a final vote on transferring $20,000 to the Cape Girardeau School District for operation of a radio and television broadcasting studio at the new Career and Technology Center.

In December 2000, the council entered into an agreement with the district under which the city would give the district a one-time sum of $50,000 plus annual payments of $20,000 for four years. Transfer of the one-time sum was finally authorized last month.

The money comes from a grant under the city's cable television franchise agreement. In exchange for its contributions, the city will receive services from the school district using the studio.