COUNCIL TABLES TRASH DECISION TO ALLOW DEBATE

The Cape Girardeau City Council agreed Monday to table a proposed trash fee hike until its Dec. 20 meeting to allow for citizen comments and a staff presentation regarding the plan.

In other business, the council voted to solicit riverboat gambling proposals from as many gaming companies as possible, and refused to approve a six-month extension of the city's cable television franchise.

A trash fee increase imposed less than two years ago was one of the more contentious issues faced by the present city council, and members said Monday they didn't want to be accused -- as they were last time -- of ramming the hike through without an adequate public hearing.

The latest proposal calls for a $1.46-per-month increase, which would bring monthly trash bill to $12.

But Councilman Mary Wulfers questioned whether the city first has done enough to trim expenses in the solid waste budget.

"There doesn't seem to be any effort by the staff to further cut costs," Wulfers said.

Assistant City Manager Doug Leslie said there are many factors beyond the city's control that have increased solid waste expenses.

He referred to new solid waste regulations that forced the closure of many landfills and will limit the types of materials allowed in those that remain.

Also, the price of a new trash hauling contract rose this year, as did the membership dues in the Region R Solid Waste Management District.

The cost of closing the city's landfill will total $600,000 next year alone.

"The matter of a $1.46 increase we feel reflects the impact of (new regulations)," Leslie said. "Early on, we thought it would be much more significant than that.

"It's less than anticipated," he added. "However, we feel that will continue to increase as (the new state landfill law) is implemented and the effects are felt in Cape Girardeau and around the state."

Leslie said the city has kept staff levels the same despite the added responsibilities of its curb-side recycling program and increased operations at the transfer station.

"We're doing more with the same number of people," he said. "But there are only so many ways these things can be cut or reduced.

"I think we have a program that stacks up very well against other cities, particularly those with a recycling program."

But Councilman Doug Richards said he wished there were other ways to avert continued fee hikes. He said that in February 1989, the city's monthly trash fee was $4.50.

"A 160-percent increase in three years and nine months is a big increase," Richards said. "I wish there were other methods to pay for this."

Councilman David Limbaugh said the council should at least allow time for further study and citizen remarks before giving first-round approval of the fee hike.

"It seems every time we address these critical issues, it seems when it comes to a head, we have to vote on it right away," Limbaugh said.

He said the 1992 trash fee increase was "divisive" and "polarizing."

The council voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the matter at the Dec. 20 meeting, where the city staff also will have an opportunity to make a report on solid waste operations.

The riverboat gambling issue was raised by Wulfers, who questioned whether potential riverboat gambling companies are aware that Cape Girardeau is poised to welcome a boat.

Her motion to solicit all major gambling interests with information on the city and its riverboat gambling proposal won unanimous council approval.

"In my opinion, our job is to cut the best deal for the city, taking the whole city into account not just a select group," Wulfers said. "Let's face it, Cape Girardeau isn't known country-wide as St. Louis is, and to entice people in here, all we need is a good sales pitch."

Wulfers also indicated that she was approached last week by representatives of the Boyd Gaming Corp., the Las Vegas gaming company that campaigned for passage of the riverboat gambling issue.

She said the officials wanted to meet with her. She declined the offer and told the council Monday that she thought such a meeting would be inappropriate.

Councilman Melvin Gateley said he also declined to meet with Boyd Group representatives because it would "appear improper."

"We really need to keep ourselves squeaky clean and objective in this selection process," said Wulfers.

But other council members who met with the Boyd company said there was nothing wrong in doing so.

Limbaugh said it's no different than any person or group lobbying the council on a matter of personal interest.

"People are lobbied all the time in all levels of government, and I don't think that taints you," he said. "They didn't offer us anything."

Councilmen Al Spradling III and Doug Richards also have met with the gambling company. Mayor Gene Rhodes and Councilman Melvin Kasten did not attend Monday's council meeting.

The cable television franchise extension with TCI-Cablevision of Missouri was withdrawn from the agenda after council members and a citizen, Tom Carns, questioned TCI's compliance with the agreement.

Spradling said he thought TCI was "not operating in good faith" by proposing to replace the Prime Sports Network with a pay movie channel while negotiating a new franchise agreement.

Carns lives in Stonebridge Subdivision, which was annexed into the city last year. He said TCI's franchise with the city calls for cable service to be provided to newly annexed areas within months, not years.

The council will reconsider the matter at its Dec. 20 meeting.