SALES TAXES, DISCORD '91 CITY ISSUES

The Cape Girardeau City Council in 1991 was forced to confront for the first time in years stagnant sales-tax revenue amidst expanded city programs and overall planning efforts.

The council also endured its share of controversies and discord. Below is a month-by-month account of some of the primary issues the council dealt with during the year.

January

Two city boards the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Appeals agreed that the city should consider adoption of a minimum-property-maintenance code. The city's main concern was to adopt a code that would assure against health or safety problems with structures.

Final census figures show that Cape Girardeau's growth was slight during the 1980s, but officials said infrastructure and long-range city planning likely will stimulate growth during the next decade.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the city's population grew from 34,361 in 1980 to 34,438.

February

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the council not adopt a minimum-property-maintenance code based on federal building codes. The commission recommended instead that the city draft its own code to meet the city's specific housing objectives for low-income people.

The council voted to establish a Bicentennial Commission to research and plan for the celebration of the 200-year anniversary of the establishment of a trading post in what is now Cape Girardeau.

The city continued to operate the Municipal Airport control tower while officials tried to convince the Federal Aviation Administration to abandon its contention that the tower contract be awarded to a private company.

The City Council took the city staff to task over its policy of investing city funds out-of-state to achieve better interest rates.

Council members told City Manager J. Ronald Fischer and Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink that they thought city funds should be invested locally. During the last six months of 1990, the city earned an additional $15,000 in interest income by depositing money in financial institutions across the country. But council members said it wasn't appropriate for the staff to take money out of local banks that often donate generously to city projects.

The city staff proposed a $37 million five-year capital improvements plan, which is nearly $13 million more than the five-year program approved in 1990.

Sewers received top billing as expenditures for sewer improvements nearly doubled in the new plan, which calls for nearly $21 million for 19 separate sewer projects.

March

The council heard its first word that sales-tax revenue was slipping and could lead to an $800,000 operating fund shortfall over the next two years. Despite the shortfall, city officials maintained that conservative budgeting will stay any drastic budget cuts.

A 20-year sewer master plan was drafted to address problems with combined sanitary and storm sewers in the city's south side. Projects totalling $33 million, if completed, would segregate sewers and effectively eliminate flooding problems in the city's older sewer systems.

The FAA approved city operation of the Municipal Airport control tower, which resolved a six-month conflict over whether the city should relinquish the contract to a private air-traffic-control company.

The council formally adopted a 1991-96 capital improvements program. The $37 million plan, the city's blueprint for major street and sewer projects over the next five years, covers 56 proposals.

April

The city staff reported to the council an ambitious citywide recycling program to start in the fall. The plan is an effort to comply with a new state law that calls for a 40 percent reduction in landfill waste.

Cape Girardeau area contractors, developers, engineers, architects and realtors urged at a special council meeting that the City Council and administrative staff use "common sense" when dealing with building inspections and permits. About 45 area building-trades representatives attended the meeting to voice concerns about the city's building inspection division.

Several contractors and developers told the council that the inspectors' unbending and inconsistent enforcement of building codes drives development from Cape Girardeau.

May

Cape Girardeau was poised to embark upon a $34 million flood-control project, which involves channel modifications of Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch and construction of a dry detention basin north of Cape Girardeau.

The council began consideration of a $27 million, 1991-92 city budget. The budget contained few cuts in city services despite sagging sales-tax revenues.

June

The council approved a budget despite objections of Councilman Doug Richards and Mayor Gene Rhodes. Richards was the only council member to vote against an ordinance adopting the budget, which is an increase of $2 million over the previous one. He said the proposal should be cut back, not increased, in light of sagging sales-tax revenues.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that a proposal to rezone a large tract of William Street be rejected.

The council approved a measure to ban smoking in the city's grocery stores, an issue that was brought to the council by a Southeast Missouri State University class.

Debate continued over whether to adopt a licensing requirement for all building-trades contractors in Cape Girardeau. The debate prompted some council members to defend the city staff against "blind attacks of innuendo" by Mayor Gene Rhodes and various building contractors.

July

Mayor Gene Rhodes was embroiled in controversy for failing to disclose his interest in a company the city awarded a paving contract to in June. Rhodes defended his actions, saying that he assumed the remaining council members knew of his interest in the company.

By a vote of 4-3, the council formally reprimanded Rhodes for "violating the public trust."

August

In an effort to better plan for growth in the Cape Girardeau area, the city began to study ways to develop a comprehensive plan for the "Greater Cape Girardeau Urban Area."

That area includes the cities of Jackson, Scott City and Cape Girardeau and unincorporated areas of Cape Girardeau and north Scott counties.

The council approved 20-year gas and electric franchise agreements with Union Electric Co. and placed the issues on the Nov. 5 ballot for voter approval. Also approved for the ballot was a proposal to purchase the city's water system from the utility company.

Cape Girardeau officials expressed frustration over Greyhound Bus Co.'s inability to find a suitable terminal site here. For the fourth time since March 1990, a bus station was opened and closed. The latest site was at Spanky's convenience store, 353 S. Kingshighway. The bus station closed July 22 because the property wasn't zoned properly.

September

The city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board formed a steering committee to solicit $35,000 to erect a security fence around historic Old Lorimier Cemetery, the target of repeated vandalism.

After nearly five months of debate, the council again failed to vote on a construction-trades licensing law but remanded the issue to the city staff for further amendments. About 25 contractors and members of a city Trades Licensing Committee attended the city council meeting to discuss the proposal.

The council failed to unanimously endorse a plan to purchase the city's water system from Union Electric. Mayor Rhodes and Councilman Richards both opposed the measure.

Richards contended that the city should reduce solid-waste fees as part of a citywide recycling program slated to begin in October. He said he agreed with people who have complained that the new program, which will eliminate one trash collection each week in lieu of a recycling collection, will cut trash service in half.

October

Richards issued a news release stating that he had changed his mind and now favored the city's purchase of the water system.

The council ended protracted debate on construction contractor regulations and approved a scaled-down version of a trades licensing law that members called far from perfect.

The council studied costs associated with demolition of the former St. Francis hospital building and Marquette Hotel in Cape Girardeau. The dilapidated buildings have been called public hazards, but condemnation and demolition costs could exceed $600,000.

The city council solicited proposals for use of the city's convention and tourism funds. A 3 percent gross-receipts tax on hotel and motel rooms and a 1 percent levy on restaurant sales are used to retire the debt on a $5 million bond issue used to fund the Show Me Center and to fund conventions and tourism in the city and various economic development proposals.

November

By a margin of more than three to one, Cape Girardeau voters approved new electric and gas franchises for Union Electric and the city's purchase of the water system.

One year after Cape Girardeau voters killed a tax hike to fund a sports complex at Shawnee Park, park board officials devise a plan to resurrect the project through private donations and the city's tourism fund. The sports complex, which would include construction of five soccer fields, including a lighted stadium, and a five-field softball complex, is expected to cost about $2 million.

City Councilman Al Spradling III filed for re-election along with Lawrence Godfrey on the first day of council election filings. The four-year council terms of Spradling, David Barklage and Hugh White all expire in the spring.

Later in the month, retired public school administrator Melvin Gateley and Cape Girardeau physician Melvin Kasten also filed.

December

The council's request for proposals for use of the city's tourism funds procured 28 separate suggestions. The council forwarded the proposals to the city's Convention and Visitors Advisory Board.

Former council member Loretta Schneider filed for election. Schneider became the first woman to serve on the council when she was elected in 1981, and served until an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1986.

Jess Hopple, who recently moved to Cape Girardeau from California, filed for the council election but was declared ineligible because he failed to meet residency requirements.

White also announced in December that he'll run for re-election while Barklage said he wouldn't seek a third term, setting the field of candidates at six and eliminating the need for a February primary.

A primary election is held only if there are seven or more candidates for the three council seats to be decided in April.