Road paving proves issue in Cape Girardeau County presiding commissioner race

The Republican primary contest for Cape Girardeau County presiding commissioner has steered attention to the paving of county roads.

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy is seeking re-election to a third, four-year term. He faces a Republican primary challenge from J.W. Strack, owner of an excavating company and a quarry operation, in the Aug. 7 election.

The winner will be unopposed in the November general election for the $78,000 job.

Tracy and Strack, both of Cape Girardeau, have different views regarding paving of county roads and Missouri's prevailing-wage law.

Strack said the county paving process needs to be improved. "There needs to be more detailing planning on the roadway intersections, stormwater runoff and utility locations in order to keep roads safe," he said in an email to the Southeast Missourian.

Clint Tracy

"I would try to get grant money to accelerate the paving of county roads to help control dust and lower maintenance cost of the roads," Strack said.

But Tracy said the paving process has worked well. The county requires residents along county roads to sign easements before paving work is done.

Prop 1 sales tax revenue has allowed the county government to pave and resurface 123 miles of county roads, leaving the county with 214 miles of gravel roads including 42 miles scheduled to be paved, Tracy said.

But revenue from the tax has been flat, he aid. "The Prop 1 sales tax can only support a finite number of miles of paved roads, and we're approaching that number," he said.

As more roads are paved, county officials increasingly are looking at how to maintain those roads, Tracy said.

"We must commit to preserving and maintaining the pavement we currently have. If not, those roads will turn back to gravel over time and we will have lost our initial investment," he said.

Tracy said the County Commission has started discussing how to finance county road projects in the future beyond the funding provided by Prop 1.

As for prevailing wage, Strack said he opposes efforts by state lawmakers to repeal the law.

"I feel if they repeal the state's prevailing-wage law that will open the door for out-of-state contractors to come into our state or county and take work away from our local labor pool," he said, adding it would take dollars away from the state and county tax base.

But Tracy said the law adds to the cost of public works projects because local governments must pay a prevailing wage that is higher than the free-market cost of labor.

"Repealing prevailing wage would reduce the cost of labor on government projects" and save tax dollars, he said.

Strack said he would work to provide a better trained workforce and improve safety.

He said he wants to work with other entities to develop a trained workforce to meet the needs of employers. "A trained workforce will bring more and better paying jobs to our county," he said.

Strack said the county has experienced violent crimes "that were not heard of 20 years ago." He said he would work with federal, state, county and city agencies and school resource officers "to try and get a handle on the problem."

Tracy said the commission is moving ahead with plans to build a new justice center in Jackson. "Consolidating our courts into one building would eliminate wasted time and effort and streamline the judicial process," he said.

"Our challenge is constructing an edifice that meets both current and future requirements," Tracy said.

Transportation infrastructure is another challenge at the county, state and national level, he said. "We have to maximize the dollars we have and prioritize our needs and have meaningful and real discussions about how to address funding shortfalls," Tracy said.

After eight years in office, Tracy is running on his record.

"I've fought to keep taxes low while providing the services folks expect from a first-class county," he said.

The public increasingly can conduct their business with county government services online, he said. "This is a trend the county needs to aggressively pursue and expand," Tracy said.

Strack has stressed his business background. "My family farm has been in Cape Girardeau County since 1863. I have 35 years in the construction and quarry business that has allowed me to work with federal, state, city, county and private agencies," he said.

Strack added he knows how to "manage personnel and resources to get the job done."

mbliss@semissourian.com

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