Mixed reaction at Cape City Council to P&Z members' apology

Two members of Cape Girardeau’s Planning and Zoning Commission sent a formal apology for words spoken off-mic at a P&Z meeting last month that seemed to criticize the Black Lives Matter movement.

P&Z members Tom Welch and Kevin Greaser submitted a two-sentence statement addressed to the commission and to the City Council.

The short missive was read aloud to City Council members meeting in their chambers Monday.

“On July 8, 2020, prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, we had a private conversation and did not realize that the microphone was live. If anything in that conversation offended anyone, we certainly apologize,” the statement said.

Reaction was swift at Monday’s City Council meeting.

“I would have liked to have seen an apology in person,” said 5th Ward Councilwoman Shannon Truxel.

Shelly Moore, 2nd Ward councilwoman, concurred.

“I think (their) words are a sign of what’s in your heart,” said Moore, the council’s only Black elected member.

“The (offending) words were spoken in a public setting, so the apology should be public, too,” she added.

Mayor Bob Fox suggested Welch and Greaser may wish to offer an in-person apology at the next P&Z meeting, scheduled as per the city calendar for 7 p.m. Aug. 12.

“I hope we can look at the actions of a person,” said 4th Ward Councilman Robbie Guard, who lauded the community work Greaser has done with the Salvation Army and United Way, among others.

Patrick Koetting, P&Z vice chairman, who chaired the July 8 meeting, quickly disavowed the remarks of Greaser and Welch on his personal Facebook page.

COVID remarks

Mayor Fox made reference to the mandatory face-covering requirement instituted last month by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center.

“(It’s) beginning to work,” said Fox, mayor since 2018. “As of Aug. 3, there are 14 new cases in the county and 49 people have recovered.”

Fox urged city residents to continue to wear masks, to social distance and to use hand sanitizer.

“If we’ll do those things,” he added, “we’ll get rid of this (COVID-19).”

Other business

• Final approval was given to the Rialto Retail and Redevelopment Project, a nearly $5 million initiative to redevelop several vacant buildings at 418, 420 and 430 Broadway to accommodate restaurants, retail stores and apartments. Other facets of the plan: A structure at 222 N. Middle St. will be removed and a building at 260 N. Middle St. will be renovated to accommodate a behavioral and therapeutic services company; creation of outdoor seating adjacent to 440 Broadway for use of by one of the proposed restaurants at 430 Broadway; and 80 off-street parking spaces will be created. All properties are owned by Rust Communications, parent company of the Southeast Missourian.
• First reading was given to a new ordinance to bring the city into compliance with relaxed motorcycle helmet requirements recently implemented by the State of Missouri.
• First reading was given to a new ordinance to make the city compliant with the state’s new policy on methamphetamine precursor drugs.
• First reading was given to a new ordinance annexing 4072 Route K, at the request of Midamerica Highway K LLC.
• First reading was given to a new ordinance changing the zoning of property at 1017 and 1019 Harmony St. from R-3 to CBD.