MARKETING BLUEPRINT APPROVED; PORT AUTHORITY WILL TARGET LIKELY USERS

SCOTT CITY - Commissioners of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority approved a marketing plan Monday they hope will attract more industries to use port facilities.

The plan, recommended by the board's marketing committee, outlines a plan for targeting certain markets, establishes goals for the next five years, and provides for a $60,000 marketing budget that includes funds for hiring a marketing assistant.

After a brief executive session, the board approved the hiring of Mark Eldridge of Cape Girardeau for a nine-month probationary period at a salary of $15,000.

Eldridge has been working as a Southeast Missouri State University intern for the port authority in surveying businesses for the port's Foreign Trade Zone and Port of Entry application.

Executive Director Allan Maki explained that the time had come for the port to get aggressive in signing new tenants and in identifying businesses that could use port facilities. Maki explained that allocating funds for this purpose and putting a plan in place should help get the port moving.

"We decided to focus our efforts on certain markets that are suitable to this port," said Maki.

Until now, Maki said, the port has attempted to accommodate any company that expressed an interest.

Identified as niche markets in the plan are grain, wood and paper products, minerals and chemicals, coal, steel and metals, container traffic, recycling, plastics, international trade, and connections with a sister port.

Besides the salary for a marketing assistant, the budget approved Monday provides $15,000 for travel and personal contact; $10,000 for advertising; $8,000 for promotional materials; $3,000 for presentation booths; $3,000 for direct mail; $3,000 for local seminars and receptions; and a contingency amount of $3,000.

Goals from the first year to the fifth year of the plan call for increasing total tonnage from 100,000 to 500,000; operational income from $100,000 to $500,000; acres under lease from 25 to 150; and warehouse space under lease from 10,000 to 50,000 square feet.

Earlier in the meeting, Eldridge gave the board an update on his survey with area industries to determine their present involvement or future interest in international trade and their interest in shipping by container.

Eldridge and Maki reported that some of the area's large industries have not yet been surveyed, but preliminary indications are that the SEMO Port will be able to submit a strong application for a Foreign Trade Zone and Port of Entry designation later this year.

Maki also announced that a grievance against the port has been resolved. It was filed by the Operating Engineers with the U.S. Department of Labor over the prevailing wage included in a contract for the first phase of construction on a rail line into the port.

That clears the way for the port to negotiate a contract with the low bidder on the project, Maki said.

The port executive director also reported that 7,433 tons were moved through the port in March, giving it a year-to-date total of 16,108. For all of 1990, total tonnage was about 28,000.

"We are in pretty good shape to make our goal of 50,000 tons this year, and right now we are on track for 60,000," Maki said.

He attributed the increase this year to good weather and efforts by Lanny Koch of Girardeau Stevedores, the operator of the public dock, to bring business to the port.

At the end of the meeting, Charles Blattner of Cape Girardeau, the senior member of the board of commissioners, told his colleagues that he had asked the Cape County Commission to appoint someone to replace him.

Blattner, who served three years as chairman, was appointed in 1980 to replace Bob Earley, who was one of the original port commissioners.

Blattner said he did not know when a replacement would be named, but stressed he would continue to serve until someone else is named.

"We'll really miss you," said Board Chairman Morty Potashnick.