SCOTT BECHTOLD TO HEAD COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

JACKSON - The Cape Girardeau County Commission has hired M. Scott Bechtold as county highway superintendent-engineer.

Bechtold, who lives in Cape Girardeau and has been employed by Potashnick Construction Co. since 1975, will assume his duties Oct. 18.

First District Associate Commissioner Larry Bock, who oversees the road and bridge department for the commission, said that by hiring Bechtold the county is moving toward professionalism in its highway department.

"In the past, the person we have had in this position has been mainly just our superintendent of the department," said Bock. "But we want to expand the position to have someone who is a professional engineer and can do design work as well as supervising the overall operations of the county highway department," said Bock.

"With the demands of increased traffic on our roads and bridges, and the need to do more upgrading, we felt there was a need for the professional expertise of a registered engineer."

Bock said that the county road-overlay program has grown in recent years and Bechtold has the experience to help improve that program.

"We simply want to try and professionalize the department," said Bock. "We're looking forward to having him come on board and helping us out with county roads. We're also looking forward to any recommendations he has on reorganization of the department and other changes."

The county highway department has about 20 employees.

Kenny Siebert, who has been superintendent for several years, has resigned from that position but will continue with the department.

Bock said Bechtold has experience supervising large work crews and handling all aspects of road and bridge work.

While working for Potashnick Construction, Bechtold served as foreman, superintendent, estimator, and project engineer. That work has involved him in many major projects such as construction of Interstate 155 in Pemiscot County, widening of Highway 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson, construction of a portion of I-24 in Florida and I-240 at Memphis, and a $7 million upgrade of the municipal utilities in Sikeston that included roads, railroads and grading.

Bechtold graduated from School of the Osage High School at Lake Ozark in 1971, and from the University of Missouri-Rolla with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering 1975.

Bock said six applicants were seriously considered for the position.