CLEAN-UP PROGRAM LAUNCHED

Two Cape Girardeau city councilmen this week introduced an ambitious plan to "beautify" a large section of the city's east side.

Councilmen Melvin Gateley and Doug Richards announced the clean-up proposal at Monday's city council meeting. The council unanimously approved a motion to endorse the two-year project, which would rely heavily on volunteer labor.

The entire project area divided into four sections extends west from the Mississippi River to Sprigg Street and is bordered by Hackberry Street to the south and Roberts Street to the north.

"In the project area identified there's a real basic need for improvement," said Gateley Tuesday. "As the city's progressed and grown, we've just kind of neglected these parts.

"I think this is something that will promote community pride and neighborhood pride."

Richards said he became interested in a beautification plan for the city's east side after spearheading efforts in 1990 to clear an abandoned railroad right-of-way that aligns with Fountain Street in the south end of town.

"It's something that in my opinion is proactive in that I can actually do something other than sit in meetings and talk about it," Richards said of the new proposal.

Titled "Community Investment in Cape Girardeau," the proposal calls for formation of "teams" in each of the four group areas.

Team leaders will gather information regarding clean-up efforts and will organize and schedule team members for work activities.

Gateley said the team members will consist of residents, businessmen, members of service clubs and other volunteers from the targeted area.

He said team leaders will take an inventory of their block or area, then "go door-to-door" to try to garner volunteers and support for the work. "I think the city could help by hauling the trash away, like they do with Help Cape Shine," he added.

Both Gateley and Richards said that although they're seeking cooperation from the city, the involvement of residents of the targeted area is paramount to the program's success.

"That's our thrust, to go into neighborhoods and zones and get people involved," Gateley said. "I've already talked with businesses in a couple of those areas that are interested.

"It's not just a matter of beautifying and cleaning up the area; we want people to buy into the community and be part of it," he added. "We have to have ownership or it's not going to be a real meaningful situation.

"When we own something or do something to improve our neighborhood, we're just prouder of it."

Richards said he received 14 or 15 calls Tuesday from residents who support the project.

"That's going to be a key," he said. "We're really relying on volunteers to make this thing work. The people who live and own property in those areas have to get involved in this.

"I think it has a better chance to succeed because people will take more pride in something they've done themselves."

The effort will include trash and weed removal, and an attempt to abate deteriorated sidewalks, abandoned cars and dilapidated, vacant buildings.

"As far as the trash collectibles and weeds, we can go out, and with civic organizations and property owners, we can clean up and take care of it," Richards said.

He said abandoned vehicles and buildings present a more complex problem: It's sometimes difficult to get sloven property owners to cooperate.

"There are some areas we're going to have problems in," Richards said. "But I think once we get the momentum going, and get property owners involved, we'll be able to at least identify the problems and begin to work on correcting them."

Richards said he spent about an hour Tuesday driving through the project area and counted 54 abandoned vehicles. He said there also are a number of buildings that are "literally falling down."

"They're health hazards, they don't look good, and property owners beside them with the weeds and trash, and old houses falling in they know that it brings down their property value," Richards said.

"We can at least make a concentrated effort to identify those problems and then enforce the laws we already have on the books."

The project area is divided into four zones, all bounded to the east by the Mississippi River. The first zone's borders include Pacific Street to the west, Hackberry Street to the south and Good Hope to the north. The second zone's borders are Pacific, William to the south and Bellevue to the north.

The third zone is bounded by Sprigg to the west, North Street to the south and Olive Street to the north; and the final zone's borders are Sprigg, Olive to the south, and Roberts Street to the north.

Richards said that, as with the Fountain right-of-way project two years ago, the clean-up area will have to be reviewed in subsequent years.

"This is going to be an ongoing project," he said. "Follow-up is going to be very important. Once we get the area cleaned up, we're going to have to get property owners involved, and it's going to have to be a continuing program."

Richards said he hopes residents see the project as something positive the city is trying to do for residents.

"We're involved in a lot of things at the city council that, let's face it, are not always popular," he said. "This is something that will involve the community and something that the city will benefit from."