County commission approves nature center bonds

The Cape Girardeau County Commission will issue $4.7 million in bonds to help finance a new Missouri Department of Conservation nature center in the county park.

The commission unanimously approved the issuance of bonds at its meeting Thursday in Jackson, culminating more than three years of planning for the project. The arrangement still must be approved by the Missouri Conservation Commission, which expects to sign off on the deal on Dec. 20.

Gerald Jones, the county's presiding commissioner, said the state will pay off the bonds over 10 years.

"We are the financiers so that this project can move forward a lot earlier," Jones said. He said the funding plan involves lots of paperwork, but doesn't put the county in debt.

Construction of the center in Cape Girardeau County Park North is scheduled to begin next year with the project completed by fall 2004.