SCOTT CITY COUNCIL OKs BID SOLICITATIONS FOR FIRE TRUCK

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Council has given the city's fire chief permission to solicit bids for a new city fire truck.

At a Monday council meeting, council members discussed financing for the new truck, which would take several years to be delivered.

Councilman John Rogers said, "It would be at least three years until the delivery from the time we started collecting money."

No formal decision was made on financing, but a method of adding $1 per month to city water bills was discussed. Each water customer would end up paying $12 per year for the new truck.

Councilman Ron Oller said he is in favor of that method of financing because the city does not have enough money in its budget to pay for a truck.

"When people see that it's only going to cost them $12 per year, but it will mean saving three times that on their fire insurance, I think they'll be in favor of it," Oller said.

The council decided to postpone voting on a specific method of financing until bids were gathered.

In other business, Mayor Larry Forhan said it is likely Scott City will be included in a Cape Girardeau County-wide economic development project, if the project gets off the ground.

A meeting was held last week by Cape Girardeau, Jackson and county officials to discuss the idea. Forhan wants Scott City to be included in the project because part of the Nash Road industrial park, which Scott City annexed several years ago, lies in Cape Girardeau County.

"There was a good feeling of co-operation there," Forhan told the council of last week's meeting. "But basically at this point, it's just in the talking stages."

The group would likely come together to hire an economic development director for the county in an effort to solicit new business and industry to the county and the industrial park.

Forhan said Scott City's share of the developer's salary should be minimal because of the town's limited retail base. But he said he is encouraged by the meeting and hopes the program will eventually be started.

The council also discussed replacement of a "Welcome to Scott City" sign that lies just north of the city at the Interstate 55 entrance.

Former Council member Edith Davidson, who is head of the town's Community Betterment Association, said the sign desperately needs to be replaced. She recommended the city sell advertising space to pay for a new sign.

Council member Brenda Moyers opposed the idea of selling advertising space, saying it would give the impression that the city endorsed what the advertisements were trying to sell.

Rogers said the city should find out the exact cost of a new sign and then decide how to pay for it. He and other council members agreed the sign is in disrepair and needs to be replaced.

The mayor also appointed several city residents to serve on various town boards.

John Wilhelm, William "Bud" Holder and Jim Chastain were appointed to the Park Board. Henry Bader and Paul Davidson were appointed to the Board of Adjustments.