KELSO: A RESPITE TO MANY

KELSO -- Resting along Highway 61 in north Scott County, minutes away from Interstate 55 and quick access to more populated areas, retail centers, and employment, is the quiet village of Kelso.

And, at a time when many small towns are dying, Kelso is thriving and looking forward to a bright future. It is a town with a mix of longtime residents and young people looking for a peaceful place to raise their families.

Since 1966, when the town had a population of about 250, Kelso has grown slowly but surely, primarily because of new residential subdivisions that have provided a quiet place for people to come home to after a day of work in Cape Girardeau or other nearby towns.

Because of that residential development, Kelso now has between 550 and 575 residents. And, with planning under way for a city sewer system, the outlook for growth in Kelso is good. The village has only a handful of businesses, and there is little prospect for major industrial or retail growth in the future.

That suits most residents of Kelso just fine, including Village Board Chairman Georgia Carman and lifelong resident Jim Reinagel.

"We've enjoyed kind of a slow, gradual growth, and I have had a lot of people tell me they like the town like it is," said Carman, who was raised in Kelso and is now raising her own family in the town. "They have a straight shot to the interstate and Cape Girardeau, but still have the peace and quiet of a small town when you go home.

"Most people don't work in town; they commute to Cape and other places. It has always been a `bedroom' town, and I think people like it that way."

Reinagel has spent all 66 years of his life in Kelso, and as far as he's concerned there is no better place to live. For 43 years, until his retirement, Reinagel drove to Cape Girardeau to his job at Boatmen's Bank.

"It is peaceful, out in the open, fresh air. We have neighbors who look after each other, and if somebody has a problem, someone is there to help them," said Reinagel. "That is what makes this community different -- the consideration for other people."

Reinagel has two children raising families in Kelso. One of the nice things about the town, he said, is that many of the residents are related or are close friends.

"The nicest thing about it is a lot of people just work together trying to help each other make this place a lot nicer town to live in," said Reinagel.

"I think Kelso has always had a very good reputation," said Carman. "For one thing, people keep their property up; they don't let it run down and are proud of what they have. For a long time life centered around the school and church here, and that has strengthened a lot of the ties to the area."

Besides the church and longtime ties, Carman said Kelso provides "a pretty safe place to raise your kids."

Evidence of strong community support is the fact that the village has just one employee whose main job is to take care of the water system.

Other responsibilities for the village are divided among town board members, and citizen boards take care of maintaining the parks, dealing with zoning issues and other matters to improve the town.

While Carman serves as chairman of the board, the other members have specific responsibilities. Joe Lumsden is the village clerk, Roxanne Ziegler is treasurer, Ann Glueck serves as collector, and Chuck Miller is the street commissioner.

A focal point of Kelso is St. Augustine Catholic Church and school. There is a new school building. The church was formed in 1888, and for many years Kelso was primarily a town of German Catholics. The village was incorporated in 1905.

Reinagel estimated that about 75 percent of the town is Catholic, as more and more people are looking to Kelso as a nice, quiet place to live.

"We have a lot of young families moving in who are employed in Cape or work at Procter and Gamble or even Noranda in New Madrid, who want to live here because it is a nice place to raise a family," said Reinagel.

The public elementary school that residents attend is Kelso C-7, situated in nearby New Hamburg. For high school, many students attend Notre Dame in Cape Girardeau or go to Scott City or Kelly High in Benton.

The primary businesses in the village are Kelso Supply, which sells building materials, and Kelso Milling Co. There is also an accounting office, a quick shop, automotive repair shop, day care center, and a few other small businesses. In the old part of town, a popular gathering spot for decades is the Red Bones tavern.

There is also a new Post Office building.

Perhaps the town's greatest claim to fame is its fast-pitch softball team. Following World War II a group of veterans started playing softball with nearby towns, starting a tradition that is alive and well today. Kelso has captured the state championship two times in the last five years. Kelso also has competed well at the national level and placed fifth in the nation in Class A softball two years ago.

There is also a Little League baseball program, a large park for children to play in, and in recent years the Scouting program has thrived in Kelso. A variety of programs for senior citizens are also offered.

Reinagel sees continued growth in Kelso. "We have a water system in place, soon we will have sewers, and we are close to Cape. I think it will continue to grow as long as there are places to build," he said.

Said Carman: "They tell us after our sewers go in it will grow even faster. At this point in time there is not a lot of land available in the city limits to build on, but it is possible other land might be developed and the city limits extended."

But even in a community filled with caring citizens and almost entirely residential focus, there are growing pains.

Carman said the village board has been busy dealing with issues related to growth. Construction of sewers should begin this summer, and last fall a new zoning ordinance was enacted. The city now has a board to oversee zoning.

In November a 911 emergency telephone system went on line with the city as part of a joint venture with Scott City. Currently, fire protection is provided by contract with Scott City, but Carman said the board is discussing other options for fire protection.

There is no town marshal, but the town is patrolled by the Scott County Sheriff's Department. Crime is not a big problem, but as the town grows the need for law enforcement will increase.

Despite the problems associated with growth, Carman and Reinagel are satisfied that citizens of Kelso will continue to work together and meet challenges.

Said Reinagel: "We are lying perfectly for more expansion. As you grow, naturally you have some problems. But the town board has done a good job dealing with all these issues. I'm just proud to be a member of this community and hope to contribute to it as much as I can. It's a wonderful community to live in and raise your family. People are always willing to help each other. I'm proud to be a citizen of Kelso."