MERCHANT LICENSE UPDATE URGED BY CHAMBER PANEL

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Retail Steering Committee will continue its actions in seeking a revision of the city's retail merchants licensing process following a vote of support from the Chamber.

"The merchants want a revision," Curt Smith told the Chamber Board of Directors Tuesday, during an open meeting held at the Show Me Center on Southeast Missouri State University campus here Tuesday. "We surveyed retailers here and the majority of those responding felt a revision was in order."

The merchants license ordinance has been on the book here since 1936, Smith told the board.

Smith said that he was disappointed in the amount of survey returns.

"We sent out 2,000 questionnaires," he said. "We received only 140 back, but that seven percent return is still about the going average, and the results indicate that most merchants are unhappy with the present system."

Only 25 percent of all those responding to the survey indicated they were satisfied with the current tax system. Fifty-four percent expressed dissatisfaction. Only eight percent indicated they would not support a revision.

Following Smith's appearance, the board recommended that the steering committee pursue actions toward a revision.

Smith was one of several people who appeared before the board during the two and a half hour session.

Glenn Reeves and Ray Duffy, of the Chamber's Small Business/Business Research Committee; Judy Wilferth, of the University Relations Committee; and George Hathhorn of the Surface Transportation Committee reported on the progress of their respective committees, and Judy Moss, economic development director, gave a report on her department.

Lyn Muzzy, director of the Visitors & Convention Bureau, was not present, but submitted a written report to the board.

Harry Rust, chairman of the board, was conducting his first "open" meeting of the board.

"The board holds an open meeting twice a year," said Rust. "All chamber members are invited to attend these meetings."

The board meeting preceded the monthly "Business After Hours," which was also held at the Show Me Center.

The board, in its first action Tuesday after approving the January expenses and last month's minutes, approved 24 new memberships, before discussing bids for new videos.

"We need four new Cape Girardeau videos," said Bob Hendrix, president of the Chamber of Commerce. "The videos we now have are four years old and are outdated."

The chamber currently has three videos on topics of conventions, tourism, and industry.

"We'd like to add a fourth, on the airport," said Hendrix. "We feel we can get the four produced at a cost of about $20,000. Then, for $6 each, we can have copies made."

The board approved obtaining bids.

Moss, in her presentation, said the tapes were a valuable asset for her department.

"I attended a Quint-State Business Conference recently at Jonesboro, Ark.," she said. "Our tapes were the big hit at the conference."

Moss told the board three new businesses were looking at the Cape Girardeau area.

"We're talking with a distribution center, a plastic company, and a big retail operation," she said. "The retail firm is looking for an empty building, ranging from 55,000 to 80,000 square feet.

Moss also reminded the board of the Southeast Supplier Trade Conference and the Business Conference, both of which will be held at the Show Me Center next month.

"We have 65 companies registered for the supplier conference, which will be held April 23," she said.

The keynote speaker for the event will be John P. ("Jack") Stack, president and CEO of Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation (SRC), which remanufactures gasoline and diesel engines for the automotive, truck, and off-highway markets.

The keynote speaker for the Business Conference, to be held April 2 will be Michael J. Roarty, executive president of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.

The board also voted to support the Missouri Riverboat Gambling concept, with the provision that each individual county would have to approve any operation within a county.

The board deferred its support on the proposed higher education funding bill until additional information was obtained, and voted to oppose a proposed health bill that would result in tax increases.