COMMISSIONER HUCKSTEP WILL RETIRE AT END OF TERM

Gene E. Huckstep, who transformed Cape Girardeau County government into one of the most financially stable local governments in the state, has decided not to seek re-election to a fifth term in 1994.

"I will not be a candidate for re-election," Huckstep said Saturday. "I indicated the last time I filed it would probably be my last term, but I want to make it official.

"It'll be a little tough when I have to pack up my papers and leave, but everyone is expendable. I've certainly enjoyed the time I've had in this position. She's a good ole county."

Huckstep's decision to retire was sealed March 11 when he was elected chairman of the board of Cameron Insurance Companies, where he has been a board member since 1981. At the meeting, he was elected chairman of Cameron Mutual Insurance Co., Cameron Country Mutual Insurance Co., Cameron Central Mutual Insurance, and Cameron Management, all based in Cameron, Mo. He was also named chairman of Cameron Life Insurance Co., headquartered in Columbia, and Eagle National Assurance Corp., based in Des Moines, Iowa.

The position will require Huckstep to do quite a bit of traveling and spend time at the company home offices. Though authorized to do business in most Midwestern states, the companies primarily do business in Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, and Nebraska.

In 1992, Cameron observed its 100th anniversary.

Huckstep offered to resign his position on the county commission; however, the other Cameron board members felt adjustments could be made to enable him to serve out his term that expires Dec. 31, 1994.

"I told them I would give whatever time was needed to the position, and they felt I should try to fulfill my term here," explained Huckstep. "It will be a strain, but with proper scheduling, I believe I can do both."

When Huckstep first assumed the duties of presiding commissioner Jan. 1, 1979, money was being borrowed the first of April on anticipated tax receipts for the following January. "It was pretty sad," recalled Huckstep, "but we got it stabilized quickly."

Passage of a half-cent sales tax in 1981 proved to be Cape County's salvation, because it provided a sound revenue source.

Because of the sales tax potential, one year later the commission voted to end the county general revenue property tax.

With the strong support of Associate Commissioners J. Ronald Fischer and Leonard Sander, and later E.C. Younghouse in 1988, Huckstep led Cape County toward financial stability. He never hesitated to lambaste officeholders or groups seeking county tax money he felt was not appropriate, and vowed to establish an emergency fund so Cape County would never be in poor condition again.

Now, Cape County has a capital trust account of over $3.5 million - a figure he hopes to have at $4 million by the time he retires - that is used solely for emergencies or major capital improvements. That fund has already provided nearly $2 million to purchase a block in the city of Jackson and pay for a new administrative office building, that was completed in 1987; funds for major road and bridge damage incurred in a 1986 flood; and to pay for several new bridges and equipment for the highway department.

But while the financial condition of Cape County is certainly a point of pride with Huckstep, that is not the proudest achievement of his tenure.

The presiding commissioner reserves that for the spirit of cooperation that has prevailed among officeholders and employees throughout county government during his tenure.

"We have had some very good and devoted county employees, and we have a good group of officeholders from both parties who work together. There is very little partisan politics in our county government," declared Huckstep.

That spirit of cooperation, and willingness to put the interests of the taxpayers ahead of politics and personalities, "has saved the taxpayers of this county a bunch of money," contends Huckstep.

During his tenure as presiding commissioner, Huckstep has developed a reputation as a tight-fisted manager of county resources, who thrives on controversy.

Two county sheriffs resigned amid scandals during Huckstep's tenure; confrontations with the public defender, prosecutor, circuit judges, juvenile department, and several state and federal agencies have been well publicized. Huckstep has often warned that the criminal justice system will eventually bankrupt the county unless its growth is contained by strong-willed commissioners.

Cooperation with other governmental entities has also been a trademark of Huckstep's career. Cooperation with the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson and the state and federal governments led to the construction of a veterans nursing home on some unused park land. Later, a joint venture with the state led to construction of a nature center/regional headquarters for the Department of Conservation in the county park.

Other joint efforts have focused on the port authority and economic development.

One of Huckstep's few failures was an effort to construct a 7,700 acre recreational lake with Bollinger County. The issue died in 1991 when Bollinger County's commission declined to send a one-cent sales tax to pay for the project to voters.

Despite his combative, outspoken style, Huckstep has also displayed a soft side during his tenure. He has been a strong supporter of developing county parks, and has spared no expense each year in seeing that the fishing lakes are well stocked.

Huckstep theorizes if more kids got an opportunity to do things like fishing, there would be less need for juvenile officers.

He admits that his first impression of the Cape County park was not good. "When Ronnie (Fischer) showed me the park after I came on board, my first reaction was to shut it down," confessed Huckstep.

But despite tight financial times, Huckstep agreed to allocate $35,000 a year to the park, and as the county improved financially, the parks became a showcase for Cape Girardeau County.

Said Huckstep: "I love parks. It is one of the few additional perks the taxpayer can relate to and see the direct benefits of their tax dollars."

Huckstep's "soft side" was no more evident than with the emergency extrication service he operated through Huckstep Body Shop from 1965-87. Eventually, costs of insurance and equipment led Huckstep to give up the service, turning it over to the Cape Fire Department.

The work was extremely dangerous, and Huckstep can recall dozens of close calls for himself, family members and body shop employees. "I had so many close calls, that the Good Lord had to have a purpose for me," said Huckstep.

"If one or two people are alive because of it, it was worth it ... and, it made us all a lot better individuals."

In honor of his extrication efforts and 20 plus years on the hospital board, St. Francis Medical Center named its new trauma center for Huckstep in 1989.

A lifelong resident of Cape County, Huckstep started a body shop with his father at the age of 19 after leaving the Army.

He served nine years on the Cape school board, before quitting in 1973. After leaving the school board, Huckstep missed his involvement in government, and was looking to retire from active work in the body shop business. He was encouraged to run for presiding commissioner by leaders of both political parties, and in 1978 decided to file as a Republican.

Kit Bond, who was between terms as governor, made a visit to Cape Girardeau to convince Huckstep to run as a Republican. Huckstep, a stauch supporter of Bond during his political career, decided it it would be difficult to continue his strong support for Bond unless they were of the same party.

Circuit Judge A.J. Seier, who was then prosecutor, introduced Huckstep to Bond in 1969 when he was running for state auditor. The two hit if off from the start.

During one of Bond's visits to Cape County, Huckstep received word that his son Gordon had been wounded in Vietnam, and that the extent of the injuries was unclear.

Bond made some calls to friends in the military, and stayed with Huckstep several extra hours in Cape until he determined the wounds were not serious. Bond's extra effort made Huckstep a friend for life.

"We got to be pretty good buddies over that incident; it impressed the hell out of me," said Huckstep.

One of Bond's first visits back to Missouri as a U.S. senator was to attend the trauma center dedication in February of 1987. Three years later, he attended an Arthritis Foundation-sponsored roast of Huckstep and made his public singing debut with lyrics to the tune of "Old Man River" he had written about Huckstep.

With 21 months left in his term as presiding commissioner, Huckstep is looking ahead, rather than back. "There are no special projects on the horizon, I'm just trying to keep things on an even keel," said Huckstep.

When his time comes to leave, Huckstep will go with sadness and pride, but no regrets.

"I'm very proud to have been a part of good government. I've been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time," said Huckstep. "No one person makes a government - certainly not here."