COUNCILMAN WITHDRAWS PLAN FOR NEW BOARD

A Cape Girardeau city councilman Monday night withdrew his plan for a board of governors to foster economic development.

Councilman Melvin Gateley last month proposed that the council create a five-member board to formulate a plan for economic development and look at funding public-private partnerships.

Gateley said the board could look at how to use excess motel and restaurant tax money going into the city's Convention and Visitors Fund.

He argued that the city didn't have an advisory board that focused on economic development.

But other city officials, including Mayor Al Spradling III, said the Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board already had the duty of advising the council on how to spend the money.

On Monday night, Gateley said he had been "enlightened" about the issue and doesn't believe a separate board is needed.

But Gateley said economic development still needs to be addressed. Upon Gateley's recommendation, the council unanimously approved a motion directing the CVB to explore the matter.

Mary Miller, director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, has said that the CVB board would be willing to look at the whole issue of econmomic development.

City laws call for the motel and restaurant taxes to be used first to retire Show Me Center bonds and then to promote tourism, conventions, and programs dealing with a wide range of economic development items from manufacturing to retail.