CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER TRANSIT STUDY RESULTS

The Cape Girardeau City Council tonight will consider the results of a just-completed "transit study," which evaluated the city's taxi coupon program.

The council also will consider a ban on parking on the south side of the 400 block of Good Hope an effort aimed at further curbing illicit drug sales in that part of the city.

The transit study was authorized last year and dealt with current public transportation needs and alternatives. The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission in Perryville performed the study with an 80 percent grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Tom Tucker, director of the commission, and Dave Awbrey of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department will attend tonight's meeting to present a brief summary of the project.

The no parking ordinance along the 400 block of Good Hope already was implemented by the Cape Girardeau Police Department on an "emergency" basis.

The council tonight will consider first reading of an ordinance that would make the emergency traffic regulation permanent.

The parking ban would take effect in an area adjacent to the site where several buildings recently were razed. Law enforcement agencies considered the site an "open-air market" for illegal drug trade.

In a letter to city council members, City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said that although the demolition of the buildings was aimed at reducing drug trafficking, more should be done.

"Following the demolition of the buildings, it was noted by police officers that persons known to be actively engaged in the illegal sale of drugs continued to park along the south side of Good Hope Street in front of the demolition site," Fischer said.

"Since the implementation of the emergency traffic regulation, the police department has noticed a drastic reduction in the number of loiterers in the area."

The parking ban would be for that part of the south side of Good Hope Street from its intersection with Rear South Fountain east 172 feet.

In February, the "Chicken Shack" and three other dilapidated buildings in the block were torn down. The area outside and around the Chicken Shack was considered by law enforcement officials a "staging area" for illegal drug sales particularly crack cocaine.

The owner of the buildings, Cape Girardeau businessman Robert Blank, agreed in concert with police to have them demolished.

Since then, Police Chief Howard Boyd Jr. has said drug activity in the area has decreased dramatically, although some drug trade likely has moved to other areas of the city.

In other business tonight, the council will conduct a public hearing on the city's $27 million five-year capital improvements program. The council also will consider a resolution to adopt the program.

The capital improvements plan this year proposes about $4 million more in projects than last year's proposal, which was scaled back to reflect reduced tax revenue estimates.

But Fischer said last month that sales tax revenue has since rebounded, which will enable additional projects in the updated five-year proposal.

The largest program area in the plan is for environmental projects, where $12.2 million is budgeted for improvements. Last year $14.5 million was earmarked for sewer projects.

The most significant projects include the Army Corps of Engineers' flood-control project on Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch and construction of sanitary sewer mains.

Public Facilities Authority (PFA) bonds and a capital improvements sales tax would finance $6.9 million of the cost of the environmental projects.

Revenue bonds also would finance the largest share of all projects included in the overall capital improvements program. Of the total budget, $8.7 million would be financed with the bonds.

A capital improvements sales tax approved by voters to fund the city's share of the Cape LaCroix Creek-Walker Branch flood-control project is expected to generate $4.5 million for that project in the next five years.

Special assessments would be used to finance much of the street and lateral sewer projects in the plan. The tax bills would be used to finance about $3.4 million in improvements.

The transportation category of the plan includes 18 projects totalling $8.7 million. In the $1.3 million recreation programs, the most ambitious item is $750,000 for construction of 10 miles of hiking and biking trail that's part of the Cape LaCroix Creek-Walker Branch flood-control project.

Overall, the five-year plan covers 53 projects, up from 43 in last year's proposal.

Other agenda items include:

20A public hearing regarding the necessity to extend Minnesota Avenue south from Shawnee Park to Southern Expressway, formerly Route 74.

Motions to approve plans to extend the city's water system to Randol Farms Sixth and Seventh Subdivisions, and the Senior Nutrition Center site on Clark Street at New Madrid.

An ordinance to authorize two easements to the state for construction of the interchange of Interstate 55 and a relocated Highway 74 (bridge route).

An ordinance to authorize the city's fire and public works departments to assist other public safety agencies in emergencies.

Ordinances approving the record plats of Foundation Park Subdivision, Cape West Fourth Subdivision, and Mt. Auburn Subdivision No. 4.