Effort to overturn City of Cape Girardeau deer ordinance to launch

Signatures will soon be sought seeking a referendum aimed at repealing the new managed deer hunt ordinance passed Feb. 15 in a 4-1 vote by the Cape Girardeau City Council.

If this seems like déjà vu, then your memory is intact.

Eight years ago, in April 2013, the last Cape Girardeau city deer hunt ordinance was repealed by a citizen plebiscite of 1,485-1,279, with 53.7% favoring overturning the hunt.

The then-City Council, none of whose members are still serving, was divided about the earlier hunt, voting 4-3 in July 2012 to OK the later-repealed deer ordinance.

Dianne Sheppard and Keith Lear, a married couple and residents of Old Sprigg Street Road in Ward 4, are spearheading this latest petition drive.

Gathering enough signatures, they believe, will be an uphill battle.

"It's going to be nearly impossible during a pandemic to get the petitions out there," Sheppard said.

"It'll be very difficult," agreed Lear, who added, "no one wants to have me come to their door with a clipboard (that) someone has to touch to sign his name."

The couple is undaunted, however, and points to cyberspace as a source of support.

"Use of Facebook and other social media are much more prevalent now (than in 2013) and we hope to use (the platforms) to stir up enough signatures," Lear said.

Referendum realities

Obstacles facing a referendum petition are the number of signatures needed and a firm deadline for submission to the city clerk.

To be successful, 10% of registered voters from the last city general election June 2 must sign the referendum petition.

According to Mayor Bob Fox, there were 23,821 city residents registered for that election, meaning the one-tenth threshold requires 2,383 certified signatures need to be gathered to set in motion a referendum.

Getting the measure on the ballot means 898 more verified signatures will be needed to get an authorized referendum than the 1,485 who passed the repeal vote eight years ago.

Additionally, the petition organizers have a little over a month to meet the deadline to turn in signatures.

According to Section 8.03(d) of the city charter, the referendum petition(s) must be filed within 40 days after the ordinance passed Feb. 15, meaning Sheppard and Lear — who hope to add three more people to their petition committee — have until March 29 to present signatures to the office of City Clerk Gayle Conrad.

Technically, 40 days after passage of the deer ordinance is March 27, a Saturday, when City Hall is closed, so March 29 is effectively the deadline.

Deer survey

The City of Cape Girardeau launched an unscientific online deer survey in the weeks leading up to the 2021 ordinance's passage.

Citizen input, according to Nicolette Brennan, the city's public information manager, ran against deer hunting with 53% opposed, 44.6% in favor and 2.4% answering "maybe," with 112 total responses received.

The city has launched an online information piece aimed at educating voters about the differences between the 2012 and 2021 deer hunt ordinances. It may be found at www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/news/whats_new/managed_deer_hunt_fall_2021.

Objections

"I don't think (the council) has done a good job figuring out how the majority of people feel (about a deer hunt)," Sheppard said, "and that's why it needs to be brought to a (public) vote."

As partial support for her point, Sheppard points to the Facebook group "Deer of Cape Girardeau," boasting 272 members, with many posts in opposition to the ordinance.

Lear, who was part of the 2013 successful referendum drive titled "Keep Cape Safe," said this year's council effort is improved but not enough to win his support.

"Eight years ago, I didn't think the city had a plan," said Lear, an employee of Blattner Steel.

"This time, it's a little better, but once again, the city is moving ahead with something we don't know will work," he added.

"I don't think this (hunt) will be effective," said Sheppard, whose home is near Delaware Park, one of the four designated hunt areas authorized this fall by the deer measure.

Sheppard said an unsafe situation is being unwittingly created.

"Deer are going to be wounded and running across Lexington and inevitably ending up on my property and dying with an arrow stuck in them," she said.

"The main reason behind this deer hunt is people are complaining about their plants being eaten and about their doorbell and alarm systems going off," Sheppard added.

Sheppard said people should adjust to the deer in their midst.

"People who live in my area have learned to adapt," she continued, adding, "(the hunt) is not going to control deer eating the roses in Capaha Park or the ones who end up on Mayor Fox's property."

Mayoral support

Fox, in office since 2018, told the Southeast Missourian editorial board Wednesday the new deer ordinance is "very, very different" from the one previously struck down by voters.

The first-term mayor invites Cape Girardeau residents to check out a new post on the city's Facebook page, which delineates differences between the 2021 managed hunt and one the rejected by the 2013 referendum.