Mayor highlights debt repayment, crime prevention efforts in city

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder touted debt repayment and investments in crime prevention while speaking to a Republican women's group Friday.

Kinder told the group city officials have lowered the city's debt by about $8 million and continuing to show such "discipline" will help the city's financial condition in the future.

"We want to continue to see how we can pay down that debt load as soon as possible. This will go a long way toward improving the financial health of our city," she said.

Regarding public safety -- gun violence in particular -- the mayor contended the city's residents expect action.

"I don't believe Cape is unique from other cities of our size and stature in what we are seeing, but what is unique is our community's resistance to accepting the status quo, to not throw up our hands and just admitting that our culture is what it is. That doesn't seem acceptable to our community," she said.

Kinder said the city's police department has made some progress in filling its ranks, adding a half-dozen patrol officers in recent months, though some positions remain unfilled. She pointed to preventive law enforcement efforts -- cameras, additional lighting in public areas, social media monitoring, outreach and demolition of abandoned buildings -- as components of a comprehensive program to address public safety.

Responding to a question about how social media monitoring is a legitimate law enforcement tactic, Kinder explained that it is not uncommon for people to post their plans for nefarious actions on social media platforms.

"It is a widespread thing that law enforcement is engaged in," she said. "It's simply a way of keeping your ear out for what might be being generated in the community."

Audience members asked several questions, including one regarding a rumor that "illegals" had been dropped off in Cape Girardeau. Kinder said she has "not heard anything of the sort."

An audience member, who declined to provide her name after the meeting, tried to ask Kinder about the recently formed Cape Girardeau group Global Shapers, an offshoot of the World Economic Forum. The Forum has been a target of some who claim it has unsuitable goals, including enforcing global standards in efforts to combat climate change.

However, Debbie Colyott, first vice president of the women's group and leader of the meeting, said the group had addressed the issue at a previous meeting.

"So, it's censored?" the questioner asked.

After the meeting, the questioner said she had wanted to hear from Kinder on the issue.