MDC Regional Office to expand in Cape Girardeau County Park North

Construction will begin soon on a few projects in Cape Girardeau County: an addition to the Missouri Department of Conservation Regional Office, a gravel parking lot near the Justice Center construction site, and a sign added to the satellite offices on Bloomfield Road. Those projects and purchase of an emergency backup generator were discussed Thursday at the County Commission's regular meeting.

Parks superintendent Bryan Sander said at the meeting the Missouri Department of Conservation's Regional Office in Cape County Park North is expanding to accommodate more offices.

In a phone interview after the meeting, MDC resource science division regional supervisor Dave Herzog said the resource science division office on Jackson Boulevard between Jackson and Cape Girardeau had closed in December 2017 after 24 years, as the building had become unsafe.

"We needed the space to have the staff at the regional office," Herzog said.

Seven full-time staff occupy the space, he added.

The project is not yet out for bid, Herzog said, so a timeline hasn't been established.

Since the regional office building is leased by MDC from the county, Sander said at the meeting, the request for project approval was made as a courtesy.

The motion was approved unanimously.

The Justice Center is about to have more parking as well: a gravel parking lot will soon be under construction at Missouri and Cherry streets, Commissioner Paul Koeper said.

Two houses were razed to make way for the parking lot, and, Koeper said, the site is now ready to have rock put in and concrete entrances built.

A small retaining wall on the Cherry Street side would also need to be built, Koeper said.

Koeper estimated the cost at $12,000, to be paid from the use tax fund.

"The lot will probably remain gravel for a couple of years until it settles," Koeper said. "If we decide to do something different with it, we can decide at that time."

The motion was approved unanimously.

In August 2018, the county's satellite offices moved from the Common Pleas Courthouse Annex on Lorimier Street in Cape Girardeau to a strip mall at 2311 Bloomfield Road, and at that time, Commissioner Charlie Herbst said, officials elected not to put up a sign, as the developer had specific rules complicating the matter.

Bids received were for an illuminated and a non-illuminated sign: $28,000 and $1,820, respectively, from SignMaster, said Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy.

Koeper asked if an illuminated sign was necessary, as the offices are not open at night.

A motion to spend $1,820 from the capital expense fund was approved unanimously.

In other action:

• Koeper suggested an intergovernmental agreement between the county and the village of Glen Allen, Missouri, to purchase a 2011 generator for $20,000. Koeper said the generator is compatible with the Highway Department shop's electrical system, and is in excellent condition. The generator is on a trailer, so it could be transported if needed by Emergency Management Services. The motion was approved unanimously.
• Sander asked to renew the parks department's janitorial services contract with VIP Industries, at a cost of approximately $29,000 for April through November 2019, based on last year's 630 hours of work. "We bring in $30,000 in shelter rental fees," Sander said, which covers the cost. The motion was approved unanimously.
• Herbst said he met with the Justice Center architects earlier this week to make final decisions on design elements including wall color, finishes and carpet. "It's hard to believe we're already finalizing all of that," Herbst said, but the builder wants supplies ordered and ready to go once the walls are up. Structural steel is going up as well, Herbst noted.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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