Lights fixed along Kingshighway

Ninety percent of the malfunctioning lights along Kingshighway and Mount Auburn Road are now fixed, according to the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department.

AmerenUE, which is responsible for maintaining the lights, declined to comment on their status.

As reported Monday in the Southeast Missourian, 26 lights were out along Kingshighway and nine were out along Mount Auburn Road.

The length of time these lights were dark is disputed, but the Public Works Department records show a majority of the Kingshighway lights were first reported to Ameren in late September and early October.

A report from a business owner at 861 S. Kingshighway store were out longer than six months. The report was confirmed by a second source.

Mayor Jay Knudtson said he had not been informed of the progress on streetlights but was happy to hear of it.

"If that is the result, then it's good progress," he said.

He added that he respects Ameren's need to prioritize its responses to problems and that this might leave street lights near the bottom of a to-do list.

"I'm acutely aware of the challenges they have; in fact, the city deals with similar situations," he said.

But Knudtson was frustrated that Ameren was seemingly able to spring to action on the problem after media reports.

"The fact that they could -- no pun intended -- flip the switch and fix that many lights tells me that maybe we all need to be a little sharper and on the ball," he said.

"There are things you just have to make a priority."

City manager Doug Leslie had similarly not been informed of the work by Ameren.

He said the city is not currently considering altering its contract with Ameren. The city pays $265,000 annually for operation and maintenance of the lights.

"There would need to be a study to determine the cost versus benefit of doing that," said Leslie of public suggestions that the city would be better off taking over maintenance responsibilities.

"It would certainly be a challenge," he said.

Leslie added the price of that contract is fairly standard and established by the Missouri Public Service Commission.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245