Strategic planning meeting in Ward 4 draws wide range of comments

Cape Girardeau should amend its building code to require structures to be wheelchair-accessible, former police officer Dan Niswonger suggested at Tuesday’s Ward 4 strategic planning session.

Niswonger was one of six residents who turned out for the meeting at the Elks Lodge. They were outnumbered by city staff.

The meeting was the fourth of six ward-based public sessions the council is holding across the community.

Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard and Mayor Harry Rediger attended the meeting.

In addition to handicapped accessibility, residents talked about the need for street repairs, recruiting more stores to West Park Mall and whether the city would consider banning the burning of leaves.

Niswonger was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in 1994, which left him in a wheelchair.

He said the city should require “any new and extensively remodeled building” to have at least 36-inch-wide doors for bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate wheelchair users.

The 32-inch standard door width won’t accommodate wheelchairs, Niswonger said.

Fire chief Rick Ennis welcomed the idea but said homebuilders will object to anything that will add to construction costs.

“They will fight us on every code,” Ennis said.

Niswonger said he hopes the city will look to construct a new city hall that would be wheelchair-accessible. The current city hall, a former elementary school, has no elevator.

Resident John Mayfield talked about the condition of city streets.

“Our streets are in the worst shape I have ever seen,” he said.

Lexington Avenue is in terrible shape, and the city keeps patching it, Mayfield said.

City officials said the pavement was installed directly on a dirt base, which no longer is the practice.

Guard said city officials have been devoting more resources recently to repairing streets rather than building new ones.

Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner said the city focused mostly on building new roads from 1995 to 2015.

Since then, the city has sought to use its transportation sales tax money to fix existing streets, many of which had deteriorated as a result of several harsh winters, he and city staff said.

Rediger said it could take years “to get neighborhood streets back in good shape.”

Several residents questioned the city’s decision to extend Veterans Memorial Drive bordering the east side of Interstate 55 when existing streets need repair.

City officials said the project was promised as part of a transportation sales tax measure approved by voters.

Rediger said he believes the outer road, once finished, will ease traffic on Mount Auburn Road.

Resident Don Kaverman said it is “very sad” the mall has empty retail space.

“It just seems like it has deteriorated,” he said.

Mehner responded the mall ownership “has to make some improvements to the place” to attract new tenants. He said the mall has “the same floor, the same interior” as it had when it opened in 1981.

The mall has about 70 percent occupancy, Mehner said.

On another issue, Kaverman suggested city officials consider banning the burning of leaves as many other cities have done.

But Ennis said there was an outcry from the public when city officials raised the idea in the past.

Past proposals to ban burning of leaves and smoking in public places and allow urban deer hunting were “probably the three most contentious issues,” Ennis said.

Cape Girardeau residents will have another chance to speak their minds at the Ward 5 meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 7 at the Osage Centre.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Elks Lodge, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Osage Centre, Cape Girardeau, Mo.