Q & A: MELVIN GATELEY, CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF CAPE GIRARDEAU

Q: Please discuss how your background prepares you to be mayor.

Gateley: That's a good way to begin. Knowing that being in this position, which I want to say upfront that the mayor is just another council, yes, person by design -- by presiding, the mayor does have some additional responsibilities and roles. But as far as my qualifications of being in the public eye for 37 years in school administration and teaching, of course, where I started, I feel that it's a position of leadership. It's a position of working with people. I certainly have that feeling within myself, of knowing their needs and interests. I also have been fortunate to have some leadership roles on the state level, with Missouri State Teachers, being president in 1985, which had some 30,000 members, working closely with the legislature, testifying, looking at legislation all around. So my part's built on a background of leadership and responsibility. And then, I think, just having a gut feeling of loving people, and spending all my time doing things for the city and the people.

Q: You also served as city council member.

Gateley: I take that as an honor. I let it go, the fact, of all the boards I've been on: Easter Seals, the American Heart Association, Vision 2000, First Baptist Church, on the Industrial Recruitment Board (for the Cape Girardeau area), that got formed about a year ago. Just a whole host of things I've been honored to sit and help people with.

Q: How would you assess your strengths and weaknesses as a city council member?

Gateley: Looking at the two years I've been there, we have been privileged to look at some real critical issues in many areas of the spectrum. I'm not one to boast, but I am one to have pride in a job well done. I feel very satisfied. I've had many contacts with people. My theory is to research material very thoroughly. We usually get our booklets on Friday and I usually work that whole weekend till 5 o'clock on Monday to do my homework. That means going to the site, talking to people, and making phone calls. In a nutshell, I feel that I've been pretty consistent on my voting record on various issues. I am one to be flexible. If I see I've made a mistake, I will say I've made a mistake. I'm willing to listen to the other person.

Q: How would you evaluate the job the current city management team is doing?

Gateley: If you're referring to Mr. Fisher and coming on down to the department heads, I would sum them up in one word: outstanding. I think we have a tremendous staff. Again, I know from actual observation, having the opportunity to work on Vision 2000 and the 1990 census, I was given a little cubby hole, a desk to work at, and what was really ironic, it was necessary to move me around, since I wasn't a permanent fixture there. I was in the finance department, the planning department, the engineering department. Not that I had any responsibility as a staff person, wise enough to do my work. But just the hearsay, knowing how they dealt with people over the phone, and how they did a work order, I just think we have a tremendous staff. They do an excellent job. It's amazing. Most people don't see this, but they're all over the city.

Q: Something that is often criticized in the community is the job done by the city inspectors and the planning office. I'm wondering what your assessment is of the type of job these people are doing?

Gateley: I really haven't had any direct observation other than just knowing the individuals, as I said, being in the inspector's office. I am aware we have a great deal of concern, not over the individuals, but over the process of the BOCA codes, if you're speaking of our new construction. I am concerned, somewhat, about the conversation of the length of time to get the job going. Yes, I am aware that there is some discussion in some areas, and I just say to that, that I am willing, and will take a good look, from the standpoint if there seems to be some concern with citizens, I will hear both sides, and review the various aspects of the situation.

Q: You mentioned BOCA codes. What about minimum housing standards?

Gateley: I know this is an important factor, and I want to make some comments on this. All of us property owners have in our vocabulary, we know, that we have to maintain property. That's just a natural thing in the concept of maintenance. On the minimum of maintenance codes, there is an intent, and I don't know if the property owners as well as the tenants have really picked up the idea of the intent. The intent is to ensure a minimum standards, to ensure safety, public health, and the welfare of our community when it relates to buildings, residential and business. And so, certainly we have to have some guidelines on this. My feeling is when it comes to rental property, that is a dual responsibility, that is a code of responsibility between the tenant and the property owner. The two of them should be working as a team, as a partnership. As to the tenant, they are obligated, I feel, to be proud of the property, even though it doesn't belong to them, responsible for care, cleanliness, and to carry out the full sense of the contract. The property owner is obligated to provide livable property, and property that is up to standards. I can really say that the majority of the property owners in this town do that. So I am concerned with substandard housing. In closing, I would say it like this, as long as this agreement between the two is working, we're fine. But when that partnership breaks down, we have to have an agency to monitor the fact of some minimum codes and some standards. My first thought is I support, that HUD and the East Missouri Agency, if they are responsible for certain pieces of property, they should carry out the letter of the law, as far as their agreement with people. And second, I do support the idea of coordinating the present ordinances relating to this subject, as well as supplementing minimum standards. Seeing that we do have safe public health, and the welfare related to housing. I really think we can get this by groups sitting down together and working. I know the Board of Appeals has done a good job on it. But I am concerned about some of the lingo, the government talk within the original plan, but I feel that we can revise this and make it work.

Q: A lot of those issues are addressed by HUD regulations?

Gateley: Yes. I just read them yesterday. A person not too far from here called me and asked me to come take a look at them. So I made a copy and read them last night. It just seems that if we looked at the present ordinances, we have a number of ordinances that deal with housing, that we could come up with a workable solution. I really think we're fussing too much about the height of a door. Why be throwing rocks at each other, when we should be concerned about the wiring, or some other unsafe, unattractive, or unclean facet?

Q: One of the issues before the city council has been whether to adopt essentially the BOCA version of this, or whether to adopt the less stringent, hybrid that the council would draft. Do you favor drafting something other than the BOCA code? Or do you feel that the BOCA property maintenance code is too steep?

Gateley: I have some concerns about the letter of the BOCA codes. But I am in agreement that whether it's a council, task force, group of people involving landlords and tenants working, I do think we can come up with a workable solution that will carry out the letter of the law on the ideas of decent housing.

Q: You say that knowing full well that not everybody is going to be satisfied with that. You've seen that in the past year and a half: the tenants on one side and the landlords on the other.

Gateley: I hope I get the opportunity to bring representatives together of tenants and landlords and sit down. I've always been fortunate and able to get people to have dialogue and have them ask: "What are you concerned about?" and come to a workable solution to see that our sub standard housing is improved.

Q: Shifting to public housing, what is your position here?

Gateley: I worked closely with the task force, went to Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and drove all over Cape. Of course I spent a lot of time in the south side of town just reporting, talking with people and cleaning up. I do agree with the task force, that there is a definite need for additional low-income housing. Again, I think the emphasis should be on, can we get additional houses? Seventy-five, 100, 120 units? There are three areas or processes where I think we can do that. First of all, I am really complimentary of the Sweat Equity Corp. I like things like that. I'm a person who believes wholeheartedly in building pride and ownership by working. So I think it's a neat program. It won't meet the needs of all of these houses and numbers. But I still think it's a neat thing, as well as the Habitat for Humanity. I think we can build our inventory somewhat on that program. Secondly, as far as community investment, I wish we could go the private route of private contractors. If they had the time and interest, I think we can add to our inventory that way, as well as an investment in our community, local financing, and so forth. Thirdly, if that doesn't meet the need of our community, then yes, I would favor looking at public housing. Because we do have a need for additional housing. Under the public housing, I think it would work, two aspects; scattered sites, not the large complexes, even the decor you have a lot of say on that, two things, scattered sites, this is the old administrator in me, we saw this in Poplar Bluff, they had a neat operation. And so I say, effective leadership with administration over these units and I really think we would be proud to have housing in these three type categories.

Q: I think when people read that, Melvin, they're going to say that, well, Melvin has taken every side of the issue. I respect that you would go with public housing as a last resort. But let me ask you to define a little more closely that second level of private investment. How would you as mayor try to foster that?

Gateley: Of course you have to have people to do these things. As a unit, I wouldn't attempt it myself. I would involve the council with a discussion. I'm not one to dictate. I may try to start the idea and the innovation. But, we would have a series of meetings, of calling in the needed personnel, contractors, financers, or whatever it takes to build a program. Sit down with them and lay out the goals, objectives and the strategies. Let them supply some answers. If we saw that it might fly, work diligently to get it. If it didn't fly, then I would be someone to say we need some housing. If we administer it properly, I think public housing would work if this private thing wouldn't do it.

Q: Let's say you're trying to do both at the same time. And you've got 400 units of public housing, and Sweat Equity is going to put up 150, we're going to get the banks to give us a low interest loan, we're going to build economical housing, and these people out there are going to get subsidized to go into public housing and they're not to come into our equity. Do you think it would be hard to get people to invest in the alternate if the public housing is advanced at the same time?

Gateley: It might be awkward. I certainly haven't researched it that much, other than talking with some bank people. I know under the Sweat program, a couple of banks are working, and a real estate company. I thought that was a neat idea to start there. If we could enlarge on this private thing, I think it would work. The bottom line is I would support public housing if that is the only way we can add some housing. With close scrutiny, yes, I think before the city council would turn the situation, I think our responsibility is a really scrutinize the commission you're going to appoint. If you get key-quality people, they're not going to dictate. You know, the guideline on that is that the mayor appoints the committee. What I would do is ask the entire council for interested people. Appointing those people would be a joint endeavor.

Q: In the election coming up on April 5th, we have two sewer tax issues on the ballot. How important are they to Cape Girardeau?

Gateley: This is very, very important, very crucial. All the areas in town will be affected. I am very much in favor in that. It's not just going to benefit one part.

Q: Would you favor, in the future, a transportation tax to fund street projects?

Gateley: At some time. But what I would want to do first is build a really good public relations program. I am a person who informs people, gets them involved, and I really, thoroughly want them to know what this is all about. I believe we've tried this a couple of times. If we are to upgrade the streets, overlay additional streets, this sort of thing, we have a good capital improvement program. First, I would really work the community in public relations and everything that's involved.

Q: But do you think it will be necessary?

Gateley: I think it probably will unless we are fortunate enough to get some unnamed resources of funds. Riverboat gambling is a possibility. Down the line, some of those additonal funds, that would be some way, on a permanent basis I would use those funds -- infrastructure-type things, for concrete and things that cannot be taken away.

Q: Do you have any ideas about possible future anexation for Cape Girardeau?

Gateley: Yes, I don't know the specific areas. But I have studied a little bit to know that property acquisition should be in the master plan. Of course, we have to always be alert to available property, the staff, planning and zoning, need to have a definite plan worked out. There isn't anything drawn at this time, but it would be one thing on my agenda.

Q: If I could shift back to the revenue question. You mentioned gambling revenue. I was wondering how you believe that revenue should be handled?

Gateley: I really think that funds that come to the city should be used for projects, more or less, on a permanent basis, like infrastructure projects, tourism, those types of things. Not the idea, where if we would lose those funds, then it would be a hardship on the citizens for replacing those funds, or losing some service. So that would be the way I think we should do, as well as maybe put it in a pool, a reserve.

Q: Should some of the gambling revenue be used to promote riverboat tourism in this area?

Gateley: Well, I hadn't thought about it. Maybe on a limited basis it would be something that would promote Cape Girardeau, and of course, the wider we promote Cape Girardeau, and recognition, and the services we have, then individuals would come and use our services. Whether it be the riverboat services, or resturants and hotels, I think some funds could be as an investment to trigger additional funds.

Q: So you don't have any problem promoting riverboat gambling?

Gateley: Do you mean as far as a tourism thing? Oh, not at all. I suppose I would say, I don't want billboards all over the city. Something neat and attractive. Of course, the company that is going to stay, Boyd Gaming, they're going to do a tremendous amount of publicizing, and I'm sure a tourism group is going to be involved with them. That would fit into my agenda very well.

Q: Before you were active in the gambling campaigns, and this time you said you're going to sit back. Has your position on gambling changed?

Gateley: No, not as a citizen. On April 5th, I will go to the polls and vote my convictions. If it's placed back on there in June, just like everybody around this table could go vote, we have the privacy of casting our vote.

Q: The state of Michigan recently shifted all of its financing for public education to a statewide sales tax. There are some areas in Missouri, one being Kansas City, where there is a city sales tax to support city schools. Is this something you have thought about: a city sales tax for public education?

Gateley: I would be in favor of giving a reduction on property tax as much as we can, anytime that would be possible, but as far as the sales tax for schools I really haven't given that a lot of thought. I realize that Cape Girardeau with its assessed valuation, is real fortunate, and most of our support comes local. We don't get near as much funding from the state and even federal as other districts and I realize since I've left education they've revised the formula and I don't know the exact factors but I'm pretty well pleased, I think at this time, with the way we finance our schools.

Q: You're on the Regional Economic Development Committee and either in that capacity or if you were the mayor of Cape Girardeau, would you be opposed to a riverboat being put down in the Port?

Gateley: Well, I guess the biggest concern regardless of the location would be the close proximity, if it's going to go in here in Cape Girardeau, of flooding the market. I guess I would say up front it gives me some concern about a facility of that type being at the Port, I'm talking about some straight guidelines, I'm sure that's been subsidized with government funds and it's just a different type of a location rather than just an open area of the Mississippi River, so, yes, I would be very concerned about that.

Q: You have been very complimentary about the staff, but I had a question about an issue that the committee that was formed, task force, to look at trash and how we bill trash, and you were the liaison between that committee and the council.

Gateley: That's right.

Q. But they made a recommendation that basically said the city's program is a good program, they're doing what they need to do, but let's look at volume-based billing, continue with the recycling pick up the same, the garbage pickup the same, and they had several reasons why they made the recommendation like that, which I'm sure your familiar with. The question I had is that recommendation came forward, you were a part of that recommendation, at the same time the city council then came forward with a motion to seek bids from private contractors. How do you support one recommendation and then also support seeking bids when they're really mutually exclusive?

Gateley: I appreciate you asking me that. I felt at this point, that night it came up after all the talk shows and all, it was much better to clear the air. Again, I'm a very practical person. You don't just keep fighting over something that's ridiculous when you're going to have a voice in it. In order to lay out the possibilities, we have our present method, we have the volume-based recommendation and when we get the bids back in, we'll have three areas that we can look at. I feel that our basic goal is to seek an efficient method of removing the trash from people's property in a very economic and low cost basis.

Q: I guess when you invite bids, you're implying that the staff and the city trash program is not up to par?

Gateley: No, I don't have that feeling. I still feel it's very wide open. We'll have three options. And on the bidding, I'll definitely make a decision on a number of factors. The idea of our equipment, I want to know where that is going and if this thing doesn't work, how are we going to maintain or keep it. And definitely, being a school person, personnel is important to me. It doesn't say in (the bid documents) the idea of employing the staff. Well I'm concerned about that. I mean I'll watch that very closely.

Q: Throughout you've talked about the mayor being on the same level as a city council member, that's one way you look at it. If elected, you'll be presiding over a body constituted of four members chosen at large, including yourself. And three members chosen to represent specific parts of the city. How do you see yourself corralling these interests into a working body?

Gateley: I'll build repoir with people, make them feel good, feel important. Then we would definitely help them from the standpoint of a good orientation. We'll have an extensive retreat, workshop type thing, and cover all the different aspects. They're people to me, and it doesn't matter at this point if they have been elected at large or if they've been elected by the ward system. It's just going to be a neat, exciting thing to get aboard, lend a helping hand, be a friend, hear those people's voices out there of what we need to do, and work closely with the staff to make Cape Girardeau really go.

Q: Why should someone vote for you, specifically, instead of your opponent?

Gateley: Certainly, I have lived my life here in Cape Girardeau for 30 years, and I hope I have been campaigning all those days, my character, my qualifications. I believe in getting out and sharing the issues, and I have an excellent team. I am enthusiastic about Cape Girardeau. I probaly will be a full-time mayor. I'm fortunate in that. All I'm interested in is, and that's the truth, just being a guy in the community people can call on me and I can be helpful, and associated with all aspects of life, that's what I want to do. It's just an honor. I'm a public servant, and have been for 37 years. Education, which I loved. I like to go to the sites, just like yesterday, taking two people out to look at the sewers, people's yards washing away. Being an old farm boy, and working, that's how you find things out. And with the excellent staff you asked about, they take the ball and go back and say, well, what can we do. And those people 9 times out of 10 they're happy, they're smiling, and appreciative and it's just super. I'm just looking forward to it, day and night, to do this.