COUNCIL APPOINTS TASK FORCE; CITIZENS TO STUDY SOLID WASTE ISSUES

The Cape Girardeau City Council tonight is expected to appoint a nine-member citizens Solid Waste Task Force to examine volume-based trash billing and other solid waste issues.

At least 16 citizens already have notified the city that they're interested in serving on the task force, but many more residents are concerned about the issue particularly a trash-fee increase.

Last week, about 30 residents who met to discuss a petition drive to convert to ward-style city council elections spent a majority of the evening criticizing a recent trash-fee increase.

A split council approved the fee increase last month as part of the city's fiscal year 1993 budget. But those at last week's meeting referring to themselves as the "Citizens Action Group for Responsive Government" said they would attend tonight's meeting to again protest the higher fees.

City officials have said they hope the Solid Waste Task Force can recommend volume-billing options that would allay some of the complaints about the fee hike. The task force also will examine the city's role in the formation of a solid waste district in Southeast Missouri.

Other responsibilities will include a look at Missouri's solid waste law often referred to as Senate Bill 530 and how it relates to Cape Girardeau's solid waste plan, and recommendations regarding building and equipment needs for the city's recycling, trash and compost programs.

The council also will consider two ordinances aimed at making property owners more accountable for excessive weeds. One of the city laws is related to "nuisance abatement," and the other to "excessive weed growth."

According to a letter to the council from Public Works Director Doug Leslie, the changes will help "clarify and simplify the methods used for notice, abatement, and payment for dealing with weed problems."

The two ordinances would eliminate repetition within the existing code and change billing procedures to allow for either "direct and/or tax billing" to take care of weed problems.

The changes also are expected to speed the abatement process to within 12 days of receipt of a complaint.

Leslie said the public works department also will implement other polices to speed the process.

"We hope to shorten the time frame for dealing with weed problems by city-wide inspection of properties in advance of receiving citizen complaints," he said. "The process can be initiated by the weed abatement officer before the situation gets out of control."

The department also will notify owners of properties that have traditionally been a problem to remind them of their "property maintenance responsibilities," Leslie said.

The public works director said two part-time employees will be hired for weed control during summer months, and the city already has the needed equipment to enable enforcement of the policy changes by the middle of the month.

In other business, the council will consider a resolution that the city further contest court-awarded costs paid to owners of eight properties the city needs to acquire as part of the Cape LaCroix Creek flood-control project.

The city was forced to condemn the eight properties to obtain rights of way for the flood work. But court-appointed commissioners awarded the property owners amounts greater than the appraised values for the right of way, said Planning Coordinator Ken Eftink in a letter to the council.

"It is the staff's opinion that these awards are excessive and we should proceed with court action to try and have the awards reduced," Eftink said.

He said the city has continued unsuccessfully to negotiate with the property owners, some of whom now are seeking compensation higher than what was awarded by the court.

The resolution before the council will authorize property appraisers to "verify what is just compensation" as part of court testimony.

The flood-control work is part of an overall $35 million Cape LaCroix Creek-Walker Branch flood control project. The flood-control work is expected to reduce by 70 percent damages from a 100-year flood.

The project which includes three miles of channel modifications on the two creeks and construction of a 157-acre dry detention basin north of the city and a recreation trail along Cape LaCroix is being funded by the city and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The project, which could be completed by 1994, also will involve replacement of eight bridges along Kingshighway. Bridges at Bloomfield Road, Route K and Independence will include concrete underpasses for the fitness trail.

Other items on the agenda for tonight's meeting include:

The request of Jerry and Melba Keele for a special use permit to operate a day care center for 10 children in the 1800 block of Delwin while they live off the premises. The center is zoned single-family residential.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the request be denied citing neighbors' objections that the permit would establish a commercial business in a residential neighborhood.

Melba Keele appeared before the city council June 15 and requested a public hearing on the matter. The hearing will be conducted tonight.

In a letter to the council, City Planner Kent Bratton said that recent changes in state licensing regulations allow a family day care center to be operated in a location other than the operator's residence.

But, Bratton added, "the state regulations do require that the owner comply with all local zoning and building codes."

City zoning codes require that home day care centers have six or fewer children and that operators must live at the residence.

A $133,000 contract with Thermo-Flex Corp. of Salinas, Kan. for replacement of the Central Municipal Swimming Pool "bubble." The Thermo-Flex bid was the lowest of four that ranged from $133,000 to $213,000.

Through an agreement approved earlier this year, the city and the Cape Girardeau School District will share the cost of replacing the decaying pool cover. The city will pay for the bubble, with the school district reimbursing its share with payments over three years including interest.