CITY PLANS PROJECTS FOR 5 YEARS

Cape Girardeau plans to spend nearly $59.2 million on capital improvements over the next five years.

Improvements include everything from streets and sewers to construction and relocation of two fire stations.

Also on the drawing board are a new public works building, a Convention and Visitors Bureau administrative office, a community center at Osage Park and a soccer-softball field complex at Shawnee Park.

Revenue and Public Facility Authority bonds already issued will provide $26.8 million for the improvements.

State grants and loans will provide an estimated $8.68 million and issuing new revenue and public facility bonds will provide another $8.36 million.

The city can issue PFA bonds without voter approval, but City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said the city has insisted on having a dedicated source of revenue such as a sales tax or fees to retire the bonds.

Some projects could be funded with a transportation sales tax, assuming the council puts such an issue on the ballot and the voters approve it, Fischer said.

The city council will meet Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. to review the proposed projects.

The council could revise the plan, deleting some projects and adding others. But typically, Fischer said, there are few revisions.

Council members say they want to study the capital improvements plan before deciding to seek voter approval of a transportation sales tax.

Under the city charter, each year the city staff must submit and the council approve a five-year plan.

Fischer said the capital improvements plan doesn't take into account riverboat gambling revenue the city might receive in the next few years.

The riverboat development is still taking shape.

"We don't know how to project an income stream from that," he said. "There are so many ifs out there."

Fischer said the five-year plan "is a very good working tool" for city officials to have before them to look at the needs of the community and try to look to the future as to how to fund those needs.

The plan includes nearly $37 million in sewer, water and flood control projects. The largest share of that amount, slightly more than $20 million, has been budgeted for sewer improvements.

Transportation and public works projects are expected to cost $17.5 million, including $7.8 million for airport improvements and $8 million for street and bridge work.

The city plans to spend $25.5 million on capital improvements in fiscal 1996, which begins July 1. The budget projects spending of $14.2 million in fiscal 1997, $13 million in fiscal 1998, $3.7 million in fiscal 1999 and $2.7 million in fiscal 2000.

Fischer said the capital improvements program would lead to the creation of new jobs, business growth and increased tax revenue to local governments.