Commission finds advisory panel proposal to its liking

Cape Girardeau County Commissioners took a step Thursday toward turning questions of county road policy over to an appointed advisory council.

A discussion of the proposal, offered Monday by Commissioner Jay Purcell, showed a consensus in favor of the idea from commissioners. They plan to vote at their Monday meeting on Purcell's full proposal to guide the use of revenue from a half-cent sales tax for roads and law enforcement on the Aug. 8 ballot.

"I like the idea more and more," Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones said of the citizens advisory panel. "It relieves a lot of headaches."

The advisory panel would help write a new policy for choosing roads for paving and set standards for a dust control program. Both issues have raised concerns from county residents.

Commissioners voted in late May to place Proposition 1, a half-cent sales tax, on the primary ballot. The tax, expected to raise $5.9 million the first year, would pay for an accelerated paving program for county roads and expanding the sheriff's department.

If approved, the revenue would also be used to replace the property tax paid for county roads and bridges.

When first proposed, commissioners had no specific list of roads to be paved with the new revenue and they had not held any public meetings on how to use additional money. A list of roads has been prepared and a public hearing showed a strong sentiment for dust control efforts on gravel roads.

If Purcell's proposal is approved Monday, commissioners will commit themselves to a list of roads to be paved, a program for short-term dust control and the advisory panel.

"It has to be clear what our intentions are," Purcell said.

Replacing property tax

Of the $5.9 million generated by the new tax, about $3.1 million would be available for new spending after revenue from the property tax is replaced. That fund would be split evenly between road work and the sheriff's department.

Sheriff John Jordan has identified only $800,000 worth of spending for immediate expansion and pay raises. Purcell's proposal deals with how to use the share not consumed immediately by the sheriff.

Any money not used by the sheriff would be dedicated to a dust control program or paving under Purcell's proposal.

"If this passes, we could utilize some of this money, but not for the long term," Jones said.

The sales tax would also make the interest income on the county's $5 million emergency fund, about $250,000 to $300,000 annually, available for other uses. The interest income is currently used to pave about 5 miles of county roads each year. On Thursday, Purcell said the interest funds should be returned to the county general fund, which can be used for any purpose.

"As long as we are open and transparent, the citizens will understand," Purcell said.

While commissioners seemed ready to agree to Purcell's proposal, Commissioner Larry Bock seemed to question the need for some aspects of the idea.

"I didn't agree with long-term choosing of the roads," Bock said. "All I've done is caught hell up one side and down the other."

And later in the meeting, Bock again raised objections. "Things have to be worked out from year to year," he said.

While Bock said "the advisory board is fine with me," he later questioned the need to have it review aspects of county policy for choosing roads: "We have a written policy already."

That policy has flaws, county residents have told the commissioners. In a public hearing and at commission meetings, residents have said the process of persuading their neighbors to grant an easement to the county for road construction creates burdens and allows a single landowner to thwart their efforts.

And commissioners in recent years have begun moving road projects up the priority list when landowners come forward with a private contribution to help pay the costs.

Both issues have raised objections in past meetings.

During Thursday's meeting, Purcell said the commission should create the advisory panel however voters act on Proposition 1.

"We are still going to have issues regardless of whether it passes," he said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126