Jackon board wants more info on school venture

The Jackson Board of Aldermen has had an opportunity to mull over the school district's basic, and preliminary, sketches of a major high school addition that could include a community center or community library.

The high school plans were one of several topics the board discussed Monday night during a study session meeting.

The board said it was interested in both scenarios, but it wasn't about to make any recommendations. Jackson Mayor Paul Sander said it would be up to the school district to come back to the board with more details.

"This is their horse," Sander said. "Until we know what they really want to do, we don't want to guide their horse. I'm very open to either possibility, but there are a lot of issues to discuss."

Two weeks ago, Jackson schools superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson and two other school officials presented the board with three options that could expand the campus and address overcrowding. Two of the plans included the city's involvement with either a community center -- which would house a swimming pool, among other things -- or a library to be shared by the city and the school. The third plan wouldn't have any shared ventures.

Anderson said the plans could be amended to include both the community center and library.

However, Alderman Val Tuschhoff warned that working out the details of a shared venture with either facility could be a tedious process.

"I think they are some good ideas, but the biggest thing is maintenance," she said. "Who is going to maintain what?"

More transit money

Maintaining affordable transportation for county residents could be easier with a one-time gift from the Jackson board.

The alderman likely will vote to make a one-time $5,000 donation and more than double the city's annual contributions to the Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority.

The additional funding was recommended by Alderman Larry Cunningham. Currently, the city pays $200 a month to the authority, which primarily serves elderly and disabled county residents who cannot drive.

Jeff Brune, the authority's director, asked at the last study session that the board consider increasing its contributions.

For discussion purposes, Sander threw out a figure of $5,000 per year, but Cunningham didn't think that was enough. He suggested $500 a month, which would make the city's annual contribution $6,000.

Alderman Barbara Lohr said she was in favor of the increase, but she wanted to see better organization for scheduled pick-ups that carried more than one person at a time.

"Virtually every time I'm at Wal-Mart, one person calls and the van comes and picks the person up," she said. "That can't be cost-effective." At the last study session, Brune said he would like to organize such a system.

Center Junction lights

Better communication between the city and the Missouri Department of Transportation could help resolve a question about lighting at Center Junction.

Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger said he could not get an answer from MoDOT on whether it would pay for lighting at the Interstate 55 and U.S. 61 interchange that touches both the Jackson and Cape Girardeau city limits.

Bollinger said a MoDOT official was confused over the joint resolution signed by Jackson and Cape Girardeau in December. He said the official thought the ordinance was requesting the extension of street lights from the interchange toward both cities. The cities asked for lighting at the interchange only.

City administrator Jim Roach asked Bollinger, "With all the confusion, did you get any phone calls from MoDOT?" Bollinger said no one from MoDOT called the city to talk about the request.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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