Hot coffee and the 'state of the city'

They don't have magic wands to fix all the city's problems, but they'll sure talk them out.

Cape Girardeau's monthly First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center was a town hall forum with Mayor Jay Knudtson and Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner presiding. They responded to questions on the "state of the city."

"We just want to break it down and be informal, take some time to drill down on some questions you might have," he said.

In a revealing question, each man was asked what he would do if he had a magic wand to change one thing about the city.

Knudtson answered first, saying, "I would wave that thing all day long to try to figure out a way to keep our young people in Cape Girardeau."

Knudtson told the group of about 200 attendees he'd love to see more graduates of Southeast Missouri State University move straight into high-paying jobs in the area. He conceded there still aren't enough of those jobs.

Another way to attract younger, educated people is to have more cultural events, he said. The soon-to-be-open River Campus for the Performing and Visual Arts will supercharge Cape Girardeau's culture quotient, but Knudtson said that's no guarantee people will attend high-brow events.

"If we have an opera on Friday night and a tractor pull on Saturday night, the tractor pull will outdraw the opera four to one; that's just the way it is," he said.

Mehner had a different response. He said he'd like to see stronger faith-based influence on young people.

"The best shot we've got is through those efforts," he said.

Later, responding to a different question, he elaborated giving three things teens fail to do. "Finish high school, stay away from drugs and stay away from sex," he said.

Young people "just have massively more opportunities in life to be successful if they don't get saddled with one of those three things early."

Both men discussed the minimum-wage increase implemented in Missouri by Proposition B and likely to be augmented by a federal increase.

Knudtson said Missouri will be at a disadvantage attracting industry from other states because of the escalator clause of Proposition B. The clause stipulates the wage must rise with inflation based on the Consumer Price Index.

"That escalator part was a terrible part" of Proposition B, said Knudtson.

Knudtson stuck by the city's interpretation of Proposition B, which held municipalities are exempt from following the state law.

"It was never our intent to defy the will of the citizens," he said. He also said the projected $110,000 increase took the city by surprise and took effect a scant two months after the November election.

"We don't budget to make a profit and you don't want us to budget to make a profit," he said of the city's financial status.

Knudtson reserved his highest hopes for the Interstate 55/East Main Street interchange and its connection to LaSalle Avenue under construction north of the city.

"This is going to be phenomenal," he said of the development the highway will spur.

"It's probably going to be the biggest thing to happen to the region in the past 25 years."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245