Commission bans fireworks in Cape Girardeau County parks

The Cape Girardeau County Commission on Thursday voted to ban fireworks in the county parks due to drought conditions.

Associate Commissioner Jay Purcell, who oversees the parks, said he will be contacting residents who have reserved park shelters to advise them of the ban. He and assistant park superintendent Bryan Sander will be driving through the parks to make sure that no fireworks are being set off that could spark a fire and will contact law enforcement, if necessary, to assist in upholding the ban, he said.

In other action, the commission awarded a bid for demolition of a home at 205 N. Hope St. in Jackson to Ronald Kucera Jr. of Jackson for $18,988. The home is being cleared to create space for a public parking lot. Demolition funding will come from moneys created through the refinancing of county jail bonds last October.

The county also agreed to a request by Patti Wibbenmeyer, deputy circuit clerk, to replace a defunct computer workstation that records courtroom proceedings at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse. The $999 purchase will come out of the circuit clerk's budget.

The Cape County Board for Developmental Disabilities will be left with fewer members than required for a quorum once chairman Larry Tidd and vice chairman Jeff Baer's terms are up this weekend. Both have applied for reappointment and the commission said it will place the matter on its meeting agenda once applications received have been reviewed.

Other county advisory boards have terms expiring in 2012. By Thursday afternoon the commission confirmed that appointments are planned for Monday for the Cape Girardeau County Welfare Commission.

Advisory board members with terms expiring in 2012:

* Senior Citizens Service Fund Board: Bill Adams, June 24

* Riverside Regional Library Board: Joann Hahs, June 30

* Cape Girardeau County Board for Developmental Disabilities: Larry Tidd, June 30; Jeff Baer, June 30

* County Welfare Commission: Sara Stanley Holt, May 3, Ed Kaiser, May 3; E. Chris Edwards, May 3

* Cape Cape Girardeau County Transit Board: Bill Berry, June 15

* Cape Girardeau County Sewer District No. 1: Kevin Smith, July 1

Overall, Cape Girardeau County has four openings on the Cape County Board for Developmental Disabilities and two openings on the Road and Bridge Advisory Board, one for Hubble Township and an at-large position. There is one opening each on the Board of Park Commissioners, Senior Citizens Service Fund Board and Cape County Sewer District No. 1 Board. Anyone interested in serving on a county board should submit a letter to the commission office or call 243-1052.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

1 Barton Sq., Jackson, MO