More CARES Act distribution ok'd by Cape County

Cape Girardeau County commissioners approved the distribution of $60,105.97 in coronavirus relief money to non-public sector entities at its meeting Thursday.

Businesses seeking COVID-19 expense reimbursements were required to produce receipts or invoices to Cape Girardeau Area Magnet, which, in turn, submitted reimbursement applications to county commissioners Clint Tracy, Paul Koeper and Charles Herbst for their consideration.

In the fifth approval of Magnet pass-through applications, what Koeper called the “final” round since the deadline for businesses to submit documentation was set for Oct. 16, the commissioners green-lighted the following reimbursements:

• SoutheastHEALTH Foundation: $22,976.01.
• Jackson Medical: $13,989.24.
• Big River Telephone: $13,649.00.
• Kimbeland Country Club: $3,123.84.
• Glendale Assisted Living: $2,280.05.
• Regional Eye Care Center: $1,317.28.
• Cape Precision Machine: $1,175.95.
• MedStop One: $895.15.
• Trinity Egypt Mills: $614.80.

The commissioners also gave their consent to additional reimbursements for St. Andrew Church in Cape Girardeau for $84.45, and 20 cents to Heartland Family Pharmacy.

The reimbursements, as well as other expenses related to COVID-19, are being paid through Cape Girardeau County’s $9.2 million Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act fund, approved by Congress and allocated to the county by the State of Missouri.

Qualified expenses include the cost of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment, as well as cleaning supplies and other items directly related to the pandemic.

Equipment

Commissioners also approved the following purchases for use by the county’s highway department:

• 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup truck: $29,663.
• 2021 John Deere 670G motor grader (trade-in price): $90,400.
• 2021 Ford 550 truck: $39,661, with mechanic’s bed: $39,129 for a total of $78,790.
• 2020 John Deere compact track loader (trade-in price): $30,750.
• FH-R remote-operated road widener: $36,750.

Antenna relocation

Commissioners approved a lease agreement with the City of Jackson to move, for safety reasons, a radio antenna on the old courthouse site to the water tower on U.S. 61, the latter deemed by the Federal Aviation Administration to be the best location in the county to send out a signal for fire operations and fire dispatch to all rural fire departments. The county will put out for bid the job of tower removal.

Miscellaneous

• The commission reappointed Mark Puchbauer to the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority (SEMO Port) until Dec. 31, 2024.
• State holidays were adopted for 2021 with no change from the current year.