PROPERTY STANDARDS PLAN SENT TO COUNCIL

Members of the Minimum Property Standards Review Committee are confident the document they will take to the Cape Girardeau City Council Sept. 6 will be enacted into law.

The eight-member committee represented various factions including renters, property owners and landlords. The group, which was selected by the council in May, met for the final time Aug. 23.

The city council will hold a public hearing on minimum property standards before voting on the committee's document.

Among the more difficult issues the committee dealt with were standards on lead paint, government intrusion of privacy and who should assume ultimate responsibility for damaged property: landlord or renter.

Several members felt lead paint was the most complex issue. "I had more trepidation with that than any other topic we dealt with," said Dorothy Hardy, who represented landlords on the committee.

"There were some mixed feelings," she said. "I don't want to do anything harmful to children, but in order to stay in business I have to think about what it would cost to remove any lead paint that might exist in a building I own. I'm confident that what we came up with is something that will work."

Charles Kupchella, who was representing the Downtown Neighborhood Association, said every issue received the proper amount of discussion. "Everything was discussed at length and by people who represented virtually every faction," said Kupchella. "There were a lot of compromises and close votes that ended up 6-4. I think we've come up with something that will serve the purpose of providing minimum standards for property in the city."

Much of the minimum property standards have been taken from the BOCA code. "There were some adjustments made from the original BOCA code," said Hardy. "But there is still a lot left. The city council might want to make some amendments, but as a whole I feel like the final draft helps us deal with a lot of problems that will come up."

Members of the committee felt they fulfilled a civic duty and received an education about the role of city government. "After meeting some of the people on the committee and others who work for the city, I feel like I can do a better job resolving problems as a landlord," said Hardy. "I've been on five or six committees before this. I was very proud to serve on this because I want to help this city any way I can and be a part of change for the better."