COUNCIL CONSIDERS SUNDAY LIQUOR SALES; GROUP SEEKS REPEAL TO ALLOW PLAY ON STREETS

The Cape Girardeau City Council tonight will consider a law that would allow the sale of package liquors on Sundays.

The council earlier this month delayed a similar measure to allow for additional public comment on the matter.

The Missouri Legislature approved Sunday liquor sales in the last session, but cities must approve local ordinances and merchants must apply for a Sunday sales license.

In a letter to council members, City Attorney Warren Wells said, "The state law provides for a special liquor license which cities may issue should they so desire to permit these Sunday liquor sales."

In other business, a group of citizens will bring a petition before the council asking that a city law be repealed to allow playing on city streets.

The petition is signed by 21 residents of the 2800 block of Luce Street in Cape Girardeau. In a letter to City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, Drake J. Kambitch asked that the ordinance be repealed or modified based on the following reasons:

20The ordinances that ban children from playing in city streets don't take into account the design of many modern subdivisions with dead end streets or cul de sacs.

20Children historically have played in the street where it is safe, and residents of dead-end streets and those that end in cul de sacs are aware of children playing.

20The ordinances are ignored and not enforced in Cape Girardeau and other cities.

20Many cities either don't have such ordinances or have modified laws for subdivisions or dead-end streets and those that end with a cul de sac.

Ball fields and play areas in the city's parks and school grounds are monopolized by older youth or adult teams.

The parks and school grounds aren't safe for children because of criminals and "other socially unacceptable individuals."

Parks and other play areas aren't conveniently located for every resident.

Kambitch said: "Ordinances pertaining to the play of children only provide a means for certain individuals to harass children while they are at peaceful play."

But Police Chief Howard Boyd recommended the council not change the city's ordinance.

"The police department has reviewed the petition and the accompanying letter and are adamantly opposed" to the idea, Boyd said. "It is the police department's position that modifying or repealing this ordinance would set a dangerous precedent."

Boyd said public streets and alleys have a single purpose to move traffic. "Allowing children to play upon public streets by ordinance is unheard of, unsafe and unnecessary," he added.

He said the request for the 2800 block of Luce "contradicts every premise of traffic safety."

Also on the agenda for tonight's meeting is an appearance by proponents of riverboat gambling in Cape Girardeau, who are expected to bring a petition with a sufficient number of registered voters to put riverboat gambling back on the city ballot in Nov. 2.

Voters here rejected riverboat gambling earlier this month, and it's unlikely the council would place the matter back on the ballot without a petition initiative.

In other action the council will consider:

20A resolution to authorize an agreement to provide $2,000 monthly to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri for housing animals picked up by the city's animal control officers. The fee is an increase of $247 per month over the amount paid the past two years.

A resolution to authorize a contract for $30,664 with Apex Paving Company for paving of Quince Street, Ferguson Drive and Vista Lane. Apex had the lowest of two bids for the work, with ASA Asphalt Inc. submitting a bid of $33,518.

A resolution to authorize a contract with Apex in the amount of $74,000 for resurfacing of the City Hall parking lot. It was the only bid submitted on the project.

Appointments to the Special Business District Advisory Commission and Public Library Board.

20An ordinance that would make the president of the Chamber of Commerce a non-voting, "ex-officio" member of the city's Convention and Visitors Advisory Board.