COUNCIL GETS REPORT ON `2000'

Vision 2000, a community service effort launched by civic minded Cape Girardeau residents in 1987, is slowly coming closer to attainment of a set of goals to achieve by the year 2000.

Members of the Vision 2000 Community Relations Council Monday presented the group's annual report to the city council.

Melvin Gateley, a member of the council who has spearheaded Vision 2000, told the council that the organization is making progress on nine goals it set in 1988 for continued community growth and development.

The goals, to be attained by 2000, include:

Increase citizen awareness and participation in the community.

Foster cooperation between citizens and city government to enhance community pride.

Work toward a system of education that encourages each citizen to develop his full intellectual capacity from childhood through adulthood.

Assist existing, relocating and new businesses throughout the area.

Increase citizen awareness of long-range city development plans and help insure a well-planned, maintained and attractive physical environment.

Improve the quality of planning and zoning.

Development of a comprehensive storm and flood-water management plan for the city.

Insure that Cape Girardeau is a city with smooth traffic flow, adequate parking and well-maintained streets.

Redevelop the city's historic district to include the riverfront and surrounding areas.

Members of the Community Relations Council reported progress on the nine goals.

Objectives of the first goal include a plan to increase voter registration 90 percent and voter participation 75 percent by 2000. Vision 2000 has helped establish additional voter registration booths in the city and has encouraged plans to keep voter registration rolls current.

Another objective of the first goal is to undertake three "community pride" projects annually. Last year, citizens and organizations planted 6,000 jonquil bulbs and 500 roses throughout the city, bringing the total flowers planted as part of Vision 2000 to 32,000 jonquil bulbs and 3,300 roses.

Other community projects last year include a mural on the east side of the Mississippi River flood wall and an "Adopt A Street" program.

To achieve the second goal, Vision 2000 has developed and presented programs throughout the city on vital community issues.

Objectives of the third goals include fostering of early childhood education programs, adult literacy programs, and use of non-school educational facilities such as libraries and museums.

Vision 2000 has established an area-wide labor-management committee to help improve communication and productivity between labor and management groups and encourage economic development.

To meet goal six, Vision 2000 has worked with the city staff to revise and upgrade city zoning and subdivision regulations and building codes.

The city and Vision 2000 also produced a brochure and video depicting the city's storm and flood-water management plan goal number seven.

The city also last year completed a new "major street plan" that addresses Vision 2000's goal 8, to assure adequate streets.

Many of the objectives of the final goal already have been accomplished, council members said, and development of an historic district will continue.

Officers of the Community Relations Council are Dave Kaempfer, chairman; Curt Smith, vice chairman; Carol Carter, secretary.

Other members include: Al Stoverink, Linda Cochran, Martha Bender, Harold Tilley, Steve Green, Lauchette Low, Jeff Krantz, John Mehner, Dorothy Hardy, and Bill Yuede.