Elected officials to participate in town hall meeting next month

Quarries, casinos and former federal buildings -- the area's top elected officials can expect questions about these and other high-profile topics at a town hall meeting scheduled for next month.

The League of Women Voters of Southeast Missouri is hosting its second such meeting at noon Dec. 6 at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Officials scheduled to attend include Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr, Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger, Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy and state Reps. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, and Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson.

"There's plenty for people to be interested in," league president Sue Brockett said. " ... It's where you live. It impacts your daily life what the city council does or what the county commission does. There's a lot going on in the city and I think people are interested in it."

Each official will be given 10 minutes to speak at the outset of the meeting and a Q-and-A will follow, Brockett said. Audience members will be given a chance to write questions on cards beforehand and the league is also accepting suggestions via email at lwvsemo@starband.net.

Rediger will likely talk about such topics as road projects, Isle of Capri's new casino and Broadway corridor enhancement work, he said.

"I'll just kind of touch on the obvious things," Rediger said. "I always like to join the League of Women Voters on any project they're working on. They're a dedicated group that's trying to get more information out there."

Brockett also expects questions about other issues, including the sale of the former federal building on Broadway, the quarry near Saxony Lutheran School and possible state legislation.

Brockett also would like to see more involvement from the public at these town hall meetings. Last year, only a small crowd attended, though she noted that it was a wintry evening.

State legislators were the only participants in the meeting last year, so the league added Rediger, Lohr and Tracy in an effort to generate more interest.

"We wanted to broaden the scope and broaden the audience," Brockett said. "There's a lot to talk about and we're trying to make it relevant to the people who are here."

smoyers@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

711 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO