Council raises utility fees despite concerns over effect on low-income residents

Cape Girardeau City Council members approved utility fee increases Monday despite opposition from several ministers of black congregations, who said raising disconnect and reconnect fees would hurt low-income residents.

In other action, the council voted to rename Common Pleas Courthouse Park as Ivers Square in recognition of the contributions of two former slaves.

Ward 2 Councilwoman Shelly Moore, who is black, said it marked the first such recognition of the contributions of black people in the Cape Girardeau community.

“I thought it was outstanding,” Moore said of naming the Courthouse Park after James and Harriet Ivers, who experienced both slavery and freedom.

James Ivers enlisted in the Union Army at the Common Pleas Courthouse in 1863 and later died of consumption.

His widow ended up buying a home in Cape Girardeau.

The council approved city utility fee increases on a 4-1 vote, with Moore casting the lone dissenting vote.

Councilmen Robbie Guard and Joseph Uzoaru were absent.

Raising the disconnect and reconnect fees by 5 percent will “hurt a lot more people,” pastor William Bird Jr. told the council before the vote.

Pastor Scott Johnson said some people in south Cape Girardeau have resorted to asking others for jugs of water to flush their toilets because their water has been turned off.

“Most of the people on that end of town are struggling,” he told the council.

Pastor Renita Lamkin-Green said higher fees “would create more hardship.”

But Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox said raising the disconnect and reconnect fees would encourage city utility customers to pay their bills to avoid paying disconnect and reconnect fees.

City officials said the goal is to have fewer disconnects.

The city sends out about 1,000 disconnect notices a month. The city disconnects about 250 utility customers each month, according to city staff.

In addition to increasing disconnect and reconnect fees, the council raised water, sewer and trash fees.

The average residential customer will see his or her monthly bill increase by $1.56, city officials said.

The transfer-station disposal fee will increase from $59 a ton to $60.25 a ton.

Council members approved the operating budget for fiscal 2018, which begins July 1.

Ward 6 Councilman Wayne Bowen suggested the city increase fees at the municipal golf course by 5 percent because the city is experiencing a “tight budget year.”

But Mayor Harry Rediger said he was not prepared to approve such an increase at Monday’s meeting.

The proposed amendment to the budget won support from Fox, Bowen and Moore.

Rediger and Ward 3 Councilman Victor Gunn voted against it.

The measure failed because it didn’t receive the minimum four votes for passage.

But Bowen said after the meeting the issue could be revisited at the next council meeting when the operating budget comes up for second and third readings.

In other business, the council approved a $523,265 project to improve drainage, irrigation and turf at the Shawnee Park Sports Complex.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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