COUNCIL SPLITS ON ELECTRICIAN LICENSING

The Cape Girardeau City Council shorted out Monday night over a plan that would require electricians to pass a test to be licensed to perform work in the city.

A divided council tabled the first reading of a proposed ordinance that would implement such testing because council members remained divided over the regulatory measure.

The measure was tabled on a 4-3 vote. Councilmen Richard Eggimann, Melvin Gateley, Jack Rickard and J.J. Williamson voted to table it.

Mayor Al Spradling III and councilmen Tom Neumeyer and Melvin Kasten voted against the postponement.

The council will hold a work session at 6 p.m. Feb. 15 to review regulations. Electricians, contractors and others in the construction trades will be invited to attend.

Council members agreed that a decision needs to be made even as they tabled the matter. "We have fiddled with it so long, we need to get it out of the way," Eggimann said.

Gateley suggested tabling the issue after Rickard, who owns a number of apartment units, offered a series of amendments.

Rickard sympathized with fellow apartment owner and former councilman Frank Bean.

Bean, who is also a developer, expressed concern that some of the proposed regulations would make it hard for landlords to perform simple maintenance without hiring a licensed electrician.

"I'm going to try to stop some of this with amendments," Rickard told him.

But city staff said work not requiring construction permits, such as replacement of switches and fixtures, won't require a licensed electrician.

Spradling said Tuesday that Rickard opposes the bill because he doesn't want to have to obtain an electrician's license to work on his apartments.

"That is a selfish motive," Spradling said.

Cape Girardeau currently licenses electricians, but no testing is required.

The on-again, off-again issue was tabled last July after earlier efforts to pass the measure failed. Council members said they wanted to wait until a new city manager was hired and had time to review it.

Supporters, including the city's Board of Examiners, have argued that the licensing issue is one of safety. But opponents have argued that it is just more government regulation.

City Manager Michael Miller was hired last fall. Monday night, he offered a revised bill that would test applicants for electrician licenses.

In a letter to the council, Miller said a number of concerns were expressed about the regulatory measure. They included concerns that politics may play a part in the issuance of licenses, longtime electricians might not pass the tests and subsequently lose their livelihoods, and simple electrical jobs would require the services of a licensed electrician.

Miller said the bill has been changed to require the city to use a nationally recognized test in an effort to ensure that politics doesn't enter into the picture.

The measure includes a five-year grace period to allow current electrician-license holders to prepare for and pass the required test.

"The grace period will also allow time for the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational Technical School to develop training programs for test preparation, if interest is shown by members of the trade," Miller said.

The plan calls for the city to offer five different electrical licenses. Different written tests would be given depending on the license being sought.

Licenses from other communities with similar requirements would be accepted without testing if those in the Cape Girardeau construction trades are given the same courtesy.

Twenty-three of 25 Missouri cities with populations of 20,000 or more include a written test as part of their licensing of electricians, Miller said.

Cape Girardeau currently requires plumbers, mechanical installers or gas fitters, and drain layers to pass tests to be licensed.

Cape Girardeau has tested plumbers since the 1950s, Miller said.

ACTION

Cape Girardeau City Council

from Monday's meeting

Public Hearings

Petition for voluntary annexation of Hanover Lutheran Church.

Request of Gospel Assembly Church for a special use permit for a church in the 2400 block of Boutin Drive.

Request of Mary J. Gerlach and Iris J. Ford for a special use permit for a golf driving range in the 800 block of Hawthorne Road.

Appearance

Approved $6,000 in funding for the Small Business Development Center.

Consent Ordinances (Second and third readings)

Tabled plan to prohibit parking on section of South Sprigg.

Accepted easements for the Twin Lakes Subdivision sewer project.

Approveed ordinances expanding size of eight city advisory boards.

New Ordinances (First readings)

Placed on the April 2 ballot 11 proposed amendments to the city charter.

Named new connecting street between Ellis and Pacific as Pear Street.

Retained College as the name for a relocated section of the street.

Granted a special use permit for a church in the 2400 block of Boutin Drive.

Granted a special use permit for a golf driving range in the 800 block of Hawthorne Road.

Approved placement of a stop sign on Minnesota at New Route 74.

Approved placement of traffic lights on New Route 74 at South Kingshighway, West End Boulevard and Sprigg Street.

Approved placement of yield signs on South Kingshighway, New Route 74, Minnesota Avenue, West End Boulevard and South Sprigg Street.

Established 45 mph speed limit on New Route 74.

Established a Cable Television Advisory Committee and the terms of its members.

Approved revised record plat of Red Oak Estates.

Approved exchange of property with the Cape Girardeau Country Club.

Amended city utility billing practices.

Amended city code to license and test electricians.

Resolutions

Established public hearing for Brucher Street paving project.

Amended city's investment policy.

Approved lease agreement with the Missouri Conservation Commission for Cape Woods Conservation Area.

Other

Discussed council Committee recommendations on city advisory boards.

Approved annual city audit for year ending June 30, 1995.

Withdrew proposal to create a board of governors for the Convention and Visitors Fund.

Approved contracts for appraisal and title services for the flood buyout program.