Engineer pitches expansion of water district to Cape County Commission

Koehler Engineering and Land Surveying engineer Rich Meyer pitched an idea to the Cape Girardeau County Commission on Thursday to sponsor a grant for an expansion of services offered by the Millersville Public Water District No. 2.

The plan would add another well and reservoir just east of the Highway 34/72 interchange. Meyer said the move is necessary to accommodate a growing number of people in that area.

The area that would receive the addition now gets its water from other wells and reservoirs in the district.

"You can either expand or stay stagnant," Meyer said. "If you stay stagnant, you'll be in trouble because you won't be able to provide the services."

The district serves the communities of Millersville, Gravel Hill and Burfordville. The district has two wells and reservoirs on Route B north of Millersville and one well and reservoir on Highway 34 west of Gravel Hill.

The proposal would increase the storage capacity from 290,000 to 490,000 gallons. Water bills that serve as the only source of revenue could eventually pay for the new well and reservoir, but Meyer said a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture would provide funding at first.

The district board will schedule public hearings on the plans for the project.

The commission requested Meyer supply a letter stating the county was the grant sponsor for the commissioners to sign at an upcoming meeting.

Other action

In other action, the commission opened bids on chip-and-seal surfacing on existing asphalt to preserve and extend the life of six roads. The four companies that submitted bids were Missouri Petroleum Products of St. Louis, $227,836.25; Blevins Asphalt Construction Co. of Mount Vernon, Mo., $246,475; Donelson Construction Co. of Clever, Mo., $255,443.75; and Apex Paving of Cape Girardeau, $267,072.50. The project is expected to begin after the winning bid is awarded and complete by Aug. 1.

The commission also approved director of information systems Eric McGowen to go out for bids on a software upgrade to the Graphic Information System that allows the mapping department to share information with other departments. Public works director Don McQuay received permission to go out for bids to replace cylinders in the Jackson courthouse elevator.

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