CITY HAS SUFFICIENT MEMBERS FOR ETHICS PANEL; TWELVE MORE FILE BY NEW DEADLINE

The city of Cape Girardeau has found that if it asks long enough, it will find enough applicants to staff its Ethics Commission.

After only five people applied for a place on the seven-member commission before the March 1 deadline, the City Council reopened filing and set a new deadline of April 15. Twelve more people applied before the second deadline, and based on their applications seven meet the exacting qualifications for membership.

With the other four applicants, the City Council should have more than enough people to choose from.

Two of the applicants work for Southeast Missouri State University. Employees of any political subdivision of the state are not eligible to be on the commission. City Attorney Eric Cunningham said that the university is a subdivision of state government.

Two applicants said on their applications that they contributed to political campaigns last year. No one who has contributed to a political campaign in the last year is eligible to serve on the commission.

One applicant moved to Cape Girardeau in July 1995. Commission members have to live in the city for two consecutive years before being appointed.

In addition, members may not be employed as lobbyists, be a member of any other government board, be an officer of any political organization, participate in any political campaign or be a convicted felon. After the City Council appoints the members, the ordinance calls for them to submit financial disclosure forms within 30 days.

The names will go before the City Council at its meeting Monday. Mayor Al Spradling III said he expects the council to make its choices May 5.

Under city statutes, the Ethics Commission can investigate the official conduct of Cape Girardeau's mayor, council members, city manager, chief purchasing officer, city judge or board members. It can act on complaints or its own initiative.

Four of the previous applicants -- William Donnelly, a semi-retired insurance marketer; John Egbuka, a cook; Bo Shantz, a State Farm insurance agent; and Stephen Stigers, an anesthesiologist -- applied immediately before the first deadline after hearing that no one else had applied. One applicant, Jim Ramage, district superintendent of Union Electric, applied in September for the Ethics Commission or the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Bill Killian applied April 2. When he heard about the lack of applicants by March 1, he said, "Part of it was my fault." So the technician who works at Orthopedic Associates said he discussed it with his wife and decided to apply.

Dennis Dobson, technical manager for Lone Star Industries, applied April 2. Dobson said he had talked to Shantz, his insurance agent, about the commission. LIke Shantz, he said he wanted an ethics commission. "Any city has to have honesty within its government," he said.

He said he agreed with Shantz that since the city "didn't have enough people, I thought I would step forward."

Kerry Aden, director of Cardiovascular Services at Southeast Missouri Hospital, said he thought about applying before the first deadline, but wasn't motivated enough to do so until the city fell short the first time.

Kenneth Green, a clinical social worker, said he didn't know about the earlier shortfall. He found out about the vacancy while watching public access cable channel 5. "I've worked on committees and task forces, and I enjoyed that kind of work," Green said.

The other new and apparently qualified applicants are: Euley Simington, a soil conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Mark Slinkard, a foreman with Lloyd Slinkard Painting; and Thomas Koehler, a student.