Little funding to go around for ports

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Only four out of 13 Missouri river ports will get state financial help with operating expenses in the coming fiscal year because of a 49 percent funding cut to the Department of Transportation's waterways program.

Of Southeast Missouri's five port authorities, just those in Pemiscot and New Madrid counties will get assistance for operations, and then, only at sharply reduced levels.

Development of fledging ports in Mississippi and Ste. Genevieve counties will come to a standstill without financial support. However, river ferries operated by those port authorities will continue to be funded.

The SEMO Port Authority at Scott City, Mo., will lose its state subsidy. Port director Dan Overby said the facility will survive through the fees it collects.

"We, fortunately, have had enough time and funding in the past to reach a stage of development where we are in a position to be self-sufficient," Overby said.

The General Assembly included $239,987 for ports in the state budget it sent to Gov. Bob Holden earlier this month for the fiscal year beginning July 1 -- a $230,000 reduction from the current fiscal year appropriation.

Holden could further reduce the amount using line-item veto power reserved for budgetary matters.

Ferry funds

In the past, port funding had been allocated at the discretion of MoDOT officials, but this year lawmakers earmarked all but $19,987 of the waterways appropriation.

The Dorena-Hickman ferry in Mississippi County and the ferry in Ste. Genevieve County will get $75,000 apiece to stay in business. The Dorena-Hickman ferry is a joint venture with the state of Kentucky, which will match Missouri's appropriation. The Ste. Genevieve operation is funded solely by Missouri without assistance from Illinois.

The Mid-America Port Commission, a three-state regional compact with Iowa and Illinois, is slated to receive $40,000. However, Holden vetoed the commission's appropriation last year.

Sherrie Martin, MoDOT's waterways program manager, said that is possible again this year as it is uncertain whether Iowa and Illinois will provide funding for the group.

The remaining $30,000 in earmarked funds are for the new St. Joseph Port Authority, which is expected to receive its first shipment within a week.

"We just put in a big investment and wanted to make sure they would be operating this year," Martin said.

Three ports funded

That leaves less than $20,000 for the remaining 12 Missouri ports.

With such a limited funding pool and the fact each port receiving money must pay $2,000 in audit fees, Martin said MoDOT decided to distribute the money among just three ports.

In addition to the New Madrid and Pemiscot facilities, the Marion County Port Authority will receive money for operating expenses. Martin said the exact funding figures among the three authorities hasn't been determined.

"None is going to be a big grant," Martin said. "Historically, they've gotten quite a bit. This year it's going to be a very minimal amount."

Despite still getting some state money, they will still take serious hits. Timmie Lynn Hunter, director of the New Madrid port, said that facility alone is getting $24,000 from the state for the current fiscal year.

"We would like nothing better than to get on our own eventually where we don't need state money," Hunter said. "But we have to add infrastructure before we can do that."

Martin said the SEMO Port Authority was offered a small share of the remaining funds but Overby declined.

"He said he thought he could operate without it and other ports could use it more," Martin said. "It was a really magnanimous gesture."

Hunter, who is also president of the Missouri Port Authorities Association, said port officials around the state are hopeful that Missouri voters will endorse a $511 million transportation tax increase going on the Aug. 6 ballot.

Though the bulk of that money would be set aside for roads and bridges, ports would share in $63.6 million earmarked for other transportation modes, including rail, aviation and mass transit.

"That would help us tremendously," Hunter said. "We really need a designated funding source and don't ask for much."

mpowers@semissourian.com

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