SCOTT CITY GIVES GO TO SEWER LINE

SCOTT CITY -- Work on the construction of a waste-water system in the Nash Road industrial area could begin in early July.

The Scott City Council Monday tentatively approved a bid of just under $256,000 from a Cape Girardeau firm for the work. Final acceptance depends on approval by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

City Engineer John Chittenden recommended the bid, which was submitted by P.R. Developers of Cape Girardeau. It was the lowest of six bids the city received.

A natural resources grant will pay for 55 percent of the construction cost. Chittenden said if the department approves the bid, work could begin the first week in July. The exact amount of the bid was $255,978.12. The remainder of the cost will be paid for by the sale of bonds and by businesses situated in the area.

In other business, a half-cent sales tax to fund city street repairs was discussed but no action on it was taken by council members. The measure was defeated by voters in April.

Mayor Shirley Young told council members that action was needed on the issue if it is to appear on an Aug. 6 ballot.

The mayor said she believes the tax was defeated in April because of a belief among citizens that funds generated from the tax would be used to pay for other projects, despite the fact that wording of the ballot made that impossible.

She said she believes that if put before voters again it may pass. But some council members disagreed. Despite insistence by Public Works Director Harold Uelsmann that the tax was needed, no motion was made to put the measure on the ballot.

"Where do we go without a sales tax to fix these streets?" Uelsmann said.

Councilman Jerry Cummins said he believes voters were unwilling to support the tax. "I just don't think it will pass," he said.

Council member Brenda Moyers, who supported the tax, said because the increased tax would bring the city sales tax rate in line with neighboring cities, it should be supported by voters.

"They have to understand that they're already paying for streets when they shop somewhere else," she said.

In another matter, a public hearing concerning the rezoning of a lot from residential to mobile home drew several people, both for and against the rezoning.

The lot, owned by William and Veda Mott, sits at the corner of Beech and Richard streets. The Motts presented a list of 12 signatures of nearby property owners who support the rezoning.

But five other people who live near the lot spoke out against it. One of them, Carolyn Cauble, said rezoning the lot would lower neighborhood property values. She said in the last 20 years four new homes have been built in the area. Michael Stewart said he was against the rezoning because he planned to build a home in the neighborhood.

Following a recommendation by the city Planning and Zoning Commission, the council denied the request.