COUNCIL DISCUSSES ROAD WORK, FLOOD BUYOUTS

If Perryville Road residents band together behind the city's road improvement plans, they may get the work done for free. If not, it will cost them.

At Monday's Cape Girardeau City Council meeting, councilmen voted unanimously to fund improvements on Perryville from money in the Transportation Trust Fund. The offer stands only if residents donate right-of-way to the city.

If the land has to be purchased, residents will be assessed $35 per frontage foot. The amount also will cover additional engineering fees.

Cost was the big question Thursday at a city-sponsored public meeting concerning road improvements. Landowners were invited to view the plans and speak with engineers from Black & Veach. About 50 attended.

Under the current proposal, Perryville Road would be widened to 36 feet from just past Meyer Drive out to the city limits. Sidewalks would be added, and several ditches changed to storm sewers.

The winding, hilly stretch was high on the city's list of priorities last year after citizens passed a half-cent sales tax to fund transportation improvements.

At Monday's meeting, the City Council also received an update on flood buyouts in Cape Girardeau. Ken Eftink, development services coordinator, said the city made offers to buy 50 properties and has closed on 23 of them.

Only nine property owners turned down the city's offer, and another 18 are considering their options or are in the process of closing a deal.

Now the big issue is an additional $750,000 grant the city may receive from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Eftink said. If the money comes through, he can begin making offers to the people in Meadowbrook, a neighborhood on the city's west side. It includes Younghouse Distributing.

Eftink said all the Meadowbrook residents he spoke with were interested in the buyout program.

The neighborhood was part of the city's initial application for funds, but FEMA only agreed to grant $1.2 million for buyouts in Red Star and Smelterville. That was enough money to buy about 50 homes, even though 99 properties were affected by Mississippi River flooding in 1993 and 1995.

Those 99 properties were prioritized based on how quickly they flood and how long the floodwaters remain on them.

"Some communities figured their priorities based on who came and applied for aid first," Eftink said. "But we knew there were older people and people who wouldn't hear about public meetings and would end up last on the list.

"Communities get the greatest benefit by buying out the homes that flood the most."

CAPE GIRARDEAU CITY COUNCIL

Appearances- Appearances before the City Council on items listed on the agenda.- Appearances before the City Council on items not listed on the agenda.Consent Ordinances- Tabled changing the zoning of the southwest corner of the northern intersection of Kingshighway and Boulder Crest Drive from R-1 to C-2.- Amended the city code relating to licenses.- Amended the city code by changing the zoning of 620 East Emerald from R-4 to C-1.- Granted a special use permit to Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center for constructing, maintaining and operating a 4-by-8-foot sign at 1121 Linden.- Granted a special use permit to East Missouri Action Agency Facilities Inc. to construct, maintain and operate a sign, parking lot and driveway at 1111 Linden.- Accepted a general warranty deed and temporary construction easement from Kenneth E. and Teresa D. Cantrell for the Cape La Croix Creek/Walker Branch flood control project.- Accepted permanent easements and temporary construction easements for Twin Lakes Subdivision sanitary sewer project.- Accepted a permanent easement and temporary construction easements for the Twin Lakes Subdivision water main extension project.- Appropriated funds for the Department of Parks & Recreation.- Approved the record plat of Hillcrest Place Subdivision.New Ordinances- Tabled granting a special use permit to Gennettia P. and Gordon L. Galbreath for the purposes of maintaining and operating a double-wide manufactured home at 133 East Cape Rock.- Amended the city code by reducing the speed limit on a portion of Lacey Street.- Annexed land to the city of Cape Girardeau upon the request of Lynwood Baptist Church.- Amended the boundaries of Ward 4 to include property of Lynwood Baptist Church.- Accepted grant funding from the Missouri Department of Social Services for an emergency shelter with money going to the Safe House for Women Inc. and the Salvation Army.- Accepted permanent easement and temporary construction easements for the Phase II facility plan for sanitary sewer improvement program.- Accepted a general warranty deed from Robert H. and Mary J. Irlbeck for the Cape La Croix Creek/Walker Branch flood control project.- Authorized the city manager to execute a utility agreement with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for Route 74 at Silver Springs Road.- Accepted a general warranty deed from Stephen E. and Patricia F. Strom, trustees, for a stormwater retention basin serving Northfield Subdivisions 15, 16 and 17 and remaining lots extending south to Lexington.Resolutions- Authorized the city manager to execute an amendment to an agreement dated Feb. 24, 1994, with Sverdrup Civil Inc. for engineering services for various sanitary sewer projects in Twin Lakes Subdivision.- Authorized the city manager to execute an agreement with Nip Kelley Equipment for the Good Hope/Fountain bridge replacement.- Authorized the city manager to execute a contract with the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission for administration of an economic development grant under the Community Development Block Grant program.- Authorized the city manager to execute a T-hangar rental agreement with Thomas D. Royle, doing business as Saganaska Group, at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.Other- Approved the request of Dave Gerlach to withdraw the improvements plans for Randol Farms 8th Subdivision, and reallot the estimated inspection fees paid for this project to the estimated inspection fees assessed for Randol Farms 11th Subdivision.- Accepted into the citys system the sanitary sewers, storm sewers and street improvements for Melrose Place II Subdivision, and approve a partial release of escrow covering these improvements.- Discussed special assessments of Transportation Trust Fund projects.- Adjournment.