Local officials say they may have found SEMO Port dredging money

The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission and the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority told the Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday that they have found a grant opportunity that will cover dredging at the port. The county, which would administer the $400,000 community development block grant, gave its support to the economic development commission to apply for the grant.

Port officials had previously been told the grant money was not there to cover the cost of dredging, but were informed Friday that it was now available. Economic development commission executive director Chauncy Buchheit said the grant deadline is early October, but should they be awarded the money there would be enough time to take advantage of a dredge barge passing through the port around Oct. 10.

Port executive director Dan Overbey said county lines zigzag through the port, but part of the harbor needing dredging is located in Cape Girardeau County and that is why they asked the commission to administer the grant money.

Overbey and Buchheit said they will deliver a more detailed presentation about the grant at Thursday's commission meeting.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for dredging the port until recently, when the port's five-year average of shipped tonnage dropped below 1 million tons a year. The port's average is 850,000 tons per year. Since they were notified several months ago that engineers would no longer perform this maintenance, authorities and elected officials have been trying to secure the estimated $250,000 to dredge the port.

In other business

* Commissioners approved a request from Eric McGowen, county IT director, to send out request for proposals for a document imaging system to be used by multiple government agencies.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600

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