CVB DISCUSSES FUTURE OF PADDLEWHEELERS, RENOVATION PLANS

The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau's Paddlewheelers worked nearly 1,750 hours for wages totalling approximately $11,000, according to a CVB report.

The report, which outlines what the Paddlewheelers do and how much they are paid, was passed out the CVB advisory board Thursday night for review.

The advisory board is studying whether to eliminate the Paddlewheelers' salary scale altogether or try to recruit more volunteers to perform the tasks, which range from working in the CVB office to leading walking or bus tours around the city.

Mary Miller, executive director of the CVB, pointed out when the salary question came up that it would be difficult to recruit volunteers and that cutting back on the Paddlewheelers will impact the quality of service provided by the CVB.

Paddlewheelers' pay ranges from $5.25 an hour for a weekend office worker to a $10 flat fee for people working group tour departures or Missouri Jeopardy events to $7 an hour for step-on guides, who give an overview of the city's history and development during bus tours of the city.

Step-on guides earn a maximum of $40 per day.

Most of the job descriptions come with a $6 an hour salary. Among those are working registration tables, acting as a hospitality host, boat greeter or walking guide, data processing during the weekend, working an information booth during special events or providing information about shuttle buses.

During FY96-97, 64 Paddlewheelers worked a total of 1,749.75 hours for wages totalling $11,199.75.

"If you had to hire an individual and they're going to work a standard work week, they're going to work 2,080 hours (in a year)," said board member David Ross. "Seventeen hundred hours for $11,000, that's not bad. If you're looking for a basis of comparison or a point to make, that's not a bad base."

Individual Paddlewheelers earned from $10 to $1,404.25 during the course of fiscal year 96-97, according to the report.

When the CVB first began operations, the Paddlewheelers were all volunteers, according to Miller.

As the workload grew, CVB staff would have to leave their tasks to lead tours or greet visitors, she said. The CVB started paying Paddlewheelers to help ensure they would show up for work.

In other action, board members got an update on plans to renovate the CVB building.

The city has contracted with architect John L.E. Boardman for the renovations of the building, which will house the CVB, the public awareness department and Cable Channel 5 staff and studio and customer service.

The city has budgeted $186,000 for the renovations, which include removing some walls and tearing out others to create an area for customer service, a visitors center, office space for the various departments and expanded restrooms, Miller said.

Work should start by the end of this summer. The city will seek bids for construction.