COUNCIL DESCRIBES NEW CITY MANAGER AS PEOPLE ORIENTED

Cape Girardeau's new city manager, Michael G. Miller, will be people oriented and won't spend all his time behind a desk, City Council members said Monday night.

"Our new manager will be a goal-setter. He is a walk-around kind of guy," said Councilman Richard Eggimann.

Miller, 58, of Ferguson was chosen from among five finalists. The council made the decision at a closed-door meeting Saturday.

"It was a tough decision," said Eggimann.

"We have had a great selection process over the last several months," Mayor Al Spradling III said.

Spradling announced the hiring at an afternoon press conference. Miller wasn't on hand for the announcement at City Hall.

Miller is closing his management consulting business to return to his true vocation: city management. "I truly love it," Miller said in a telephone interview.

Miller will begin his duties as city manager here Oct. 16.

He will make a salary of $65,000, about $5,000 more than his predecessor, J. Ronald Fischer.

Miller will visit Cape Girardeau Wednesday afternoon to meet with staff at City Hall.

"I firmly believe that government and all organizations are about people," Miller said.

To Miller, Cape Girardeau is a good fit. "First and foremost, I wanted a community which would be a good place to live. I wanted a Midwestern community."

He said he also was looking for a challenge in a growing community that has a good city staff.

Miller opened a consulting business after serving as city manager of Ferguson from April 1989 to November 1993.

Eggimann said Miller is interested in "privatizing things to save money."

As city manager of Ferguson, Miller contracted for garbage collection and disposal with a private firm, resulting in a $600,000 savings over a three-year period.

"It is very exciting today to know Mr. Miller is coming to Cape Girardeau," Councilman Melvin Gateley said.

Miller and his wife, Janice, have five children.

CAPE GIRARDEAU CITY COUNCIL

Agenda

Monday, Aug. 21, 7:30 p.m.

City Hall, 401 Independence

Consent ordinances

Granted a special use permit for a sign/craft business at 2031 Brink. Second and third readings.

Extended a special use permit to Boyd Missouri Inc. for a riverboat gambling development. Second and third readings.

Amended historic preservation ordinance. Second and third readings.

Issued tax bills for sewer work along North Kingshighway. Second and third readings.

Approved tax levies. Second and third readings.

Reaffirmded conflicts of interest regulations. Second and third readings.

Accepted a deed and an easement from MidAmerica Hotels for the Cape LaCroix/Walker Branch Flood Control Project. Second and third readings.

Accepted a deed and an easement for the wastewater treatment plant access road. Second and third readings.

Accept eda deed for the flood control project. Second and third readings.

Established grade of Sprigg from Bertling to the proposed Lexington. Second and third readings.

New ordinances

Established no parking on South Sprigg Street. First reading.

Approved application for flood buyout program. First, second and third readings.

Resolutions

Authorized a contract with Hilbert & Associates Land Surveying for $22,550 to survey 41 parcels along Walker Branch for the flood control project. Reading and passage.

Executed a contract with Lappe Cement Finishing Inc. and Fronabarger Concreters Inc. for construction of Lexington from Old Sprigg to Big Bend Road at a cost of $752,844. Reading and passage.

Executed an agreement with Burns & McDonnell Engineering for the water treatment and distribution system project. Reading and passage.

Entered into a license and indemnity agreement allowing Amoco Oil to place monitoring wells on city right of way at the former service station at Farrar and William. Reading and passage.

Other

Accepted sewer relocations at Kingsway Drive and Joanne Street for the flood control project.

Approved the improvement plans for Red Oak Estates Subdivision.