INDUSTRY GROUP TO OCCUPY CAPE CHAMBER OFFICE

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association will operate out of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce building.

The association's Board of Directors Monday voted to accept the chamber's offer of free office space and support staff for the new industrial recruitment group.

The action came after the board voted down a motion by Jackson City Administrator Carl Talley, secretary-treasurer of the board, to decide the issue at the group's next meeting.

Talley said he was concerned that other organizations offering office space might not have realized the board was to vote on the issue Monday.

"I move that we allow other entities to make a written proposal, if there was some confusion," he said. "It's not going to change anything, and it would give other groups interested an opportunity to give us a proposal."

But Gene Huckstep, Cape Girardeau County presiding commissioner, said he disagreed. "I don't believe in shopping one of these" proposals, he said.

The board last month received verbal offers for free office space from Capital Bank in Jackson and the Cape Girardeau chamber. The board then agreed to receive written summaries of the offers and any others by its meeting Monday.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes, chairman of the board, last month outlined the Capital Bank proposal but didn't attend Monday's meeting.

Boatmen's Bank also reportedly offered office space for the association at its downtown Jackson facility, and at Monday's meeting a representative of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce said that group would provide free office space.

But the Cape Girardeau chamber's offer was the only written proposal received by the board.

"We all fully knew we had a meeting today," Huckstep said. "I think if Boatmen's or Capital Bank were interested, they should have made an effort to contact us."

After Talley's motion was rejected, Cape Girardeau Councilman Melvin Gateley made a motion to accept the Cape Girardeau chamber proposal. Talley seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.

The proposal, offered by John Mehner, who also serves on the association board of directors, includes:

Free use of a 144-square-foot office for the association's director and a 100-square-foot office for a "support person."

Availability of the chamber's board room, with seating for up to 28 people.

20Use of the chamber's office staff for support and reference materials.

Use of chamber office machines, including telephones, facsimile machine, copier, duplicator, calculators, postage machine and others.

Mehner said that since the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is considering new facilities, if the chamber moved, it would "take the association" with it.

He also said that the association could change its mind and relocate at any time.

Joe Gambill, vice chairman of the board, said: "I think the association would reserve the right to change locations if it deems it necessary."

"Absolutely," said Mehner.

The Cape Girardeau City Council last week recommended the association's office be placed in the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. The council tabled action on appropriating its share of $50,000 toward the association's operating costs until the matter was resolved.

Board members Monday questioned why some of the members of the Cape Girardeau City Council seemed to make the city's share of funding for the association contingent upon the office location.

"I'm more concerned with the success of the organization and not where it's located," said Talley.

Huckstep said city of Cape Girardeau's resistance threatened the success of the association before it ever started. "If this petty bickering does not cease, I may very well go to my commissioners and say to hell with it, and cease our participation and do economic development for the county on our own," he said. "Otherwise, the thing's doomed to failure. I don't want to see the county commit $50,000 to something that's a doomed failure."

To date, the only entities in the association to contribute to the association are the county and the Cape Girardeau chamber, which Monday paid the first quarterly installment on its annual share. It includes the cities of Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Scott City, Cape Girardeau County, and the Jackson and Cape Girardeau chambers,

The city of Jackson has authorized payment of its share for the first year pending a contract with the association, and the city of Cape Girardeau will consider its share Jan. 20.

Under the initial bylaws, the association will be in place for three years with an annual budget of $140,000. The city of Cape Girardeau and Cape County will contribute $50,000 each per year; the city of Jackson, $20,000; the Cape Girardeau chamber, $15,000; and Scott City, $5,000.

The city of Cape Girardeau and the county have two representatives on the board of directors; the other entities have one member each.