COUNCIL CONSIDERS RECREATION PROJECT'S DIRT WORK CONTRACT

The Cape Girardeau City Council tonight will consider a contract that will initiate construction of a $4 million parks and recreation project approved last year.

On Aug. 5, seven bids were opened for the excavation of the two sites for the recreation project Shawnee and Osage Parks. Dumey Excavation submitted the low bid of $622,961, which was below the engineer's estimate of $879,585 for the work.

The city council tonight will consider a resolution authorizing the contract with Dumey.

Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink said the grading for the project will be completed this fall.

"Once the paperwork is taken care of, the contractor will have 90 days to complete the site preparation and excavation work.," Stoverink said.

The parks and recreation proposal will include construction of softball and soccer fields at Shawnee Park; development of Osage Park at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Kingshighway; construction of a 32,000-square-foot, multiuse building at Osage Park; and completion of a fitness trail through Arena and Osage Parks.

The project will be funded by bonding excess tourism funds, which are financed by a quarter-cent tax on motel and restaurant receipts, and through donations to the city's Parks Development Foundation.

The total project is expected to be finished by 1995.

Other bids for the excavation work included: Bloomsdale Excavating of Bloomsdale, $973,063; H.R. Quadri Construction of Van Buren, $700,683; Penzel Construction of Jackson, $924,316; Potashnick Construction of Cape Girardeau, $772,836; Robertson Contractors of Poplar Bluff, $937,084; and Robertson Inc. of Poplar Bluff, $807,772.

In a related matter, the council will consider a contract with Tony Sebek and Dave Alberson for engineering and architectural services for the recreation project.

Sebek and Alberson already have provided services related to the grading of the two sites.

In a letter to council members, City Engineer J. Kensey Russell said: "A contract for the balance of services, including buildings and other improvements, has been negotiated for a sum of $162,800."

In other business, the council will conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance adopting the proposed city property tax rates for the fiscal year that began July 1.

The proposed levy per $100 of assessed valuation is set at 62 cents, an increase of 2 cents over last year's levy. The property tax is divided between the city's general fund, 33 cents; health fund, 4 cents; debt service fund, 10 cents; and library fund, 15 cents.

The council also will set the tax rate for the special downtown business district at 80 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That's the same rate as last year.

In a letter to council members, City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said the city might have to adjust the tax rate later.

"Under current state law, the state auditor's office is responsible for calculating the allowable property tax rates for each political subdivision," Fischer said.

"These calculations and the allowable property tax rates have not been received from the state auditors office, therefore, the tax rates proposed may have to be adjusted accordingly."

Other agenda items include:

20A public hearing on the request of William H. and Betty Kuss, James H. and Rita V. Kuss, and Joseph R. and JoNeal G. Kuss to rezone property in the 2800 block of William Street.

The tract is on the north side of Route K, between Shoney's Restaurant and Silver Springs Road. The Kuss family has asked to rezone the site from single family residential to two-family, multiple family and general commercial district. The city's Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that the council deny the request.

20An ordinance to amend the city's ward boundaries approved in a special election Aug. 3. The amendment would include Twin Lakes subdivision, which also was annexed in the Aug. 3 election, in Ward 6.

20An ordinance to transfer city property in Shawnee Park to the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department for the new Highway 74/Mississippi River bridge route.

20A resolution to authorize a contract for the extension of sanitary sewer to a portion of Belleridge subdivision. Three bids were received, with Robertson Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff submitting the low bid of $98,393. Other bids included: Dutch Enterprises of Jackson, $105,205, and R.L. Persons Construction of Poplar Bluff, $111,135. The engineer's estimate for the work was $106,771.

20A resolution authorizing the city manager as the city's agent in applying for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief money for city expenses incurred as a result of the 1993 flood.