SURVEY SHOWS MOST BUSINESSES PLEASED DOING BUSINESS IN CITY

Most businesses view Cape Girardeau as a good place to do business.

That is one of the positive points revealed in the most recent Cape Girardeau Business-Needs Survey conducted by the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee of Vision 2000.

"The latest survey indicates that the business view of Cape Girardeau is improving," said Pauline Fox, a member of the Vision 2000 committee that compiled the survey. "The survey revealed only two negatively-rated areas rail service and air passenger service. "The two `negatives' were out of a list of 24 areas.

"The results of the newest poll, which attracted 159 responses, are higher in most areas than an early survey in February of 1990," said Fox. "Although the report is quite favorable, no community is without room for improvement."

Ratings declined in the new poll in only five of the 24 areas, with all five of the decreases in areas concerning transportation.

Fox said the information gleaned from the survey responses provides a foundation for making further improvements in the Cape Girardeau business climate.

"We'll share this report with community groups and with the public," she said. "All groups will be urged to work together to address the weaknesses and further strengthen their community."

Fox explained the rating choices and results on the one-page survey during a meeting held at City Hall Monday morning. In attendance were two members of the Vision 2000 survey committee; City Manager J. Ronald Fischer; several representatives of various entities that showed heavy strengths in the survey, including Max Jauch of the fire department, Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd, university representative James Biundo, building permit supervisor Rick Murray and Convention and Visitors Bureau chief Lyn Muzzy

"Rating choices for the survey, conducted among existing businesses, included strengths and weaknesses," said Fox. "The choices also included a `neutral' column.

"In tabulating the results, the range of ratings were from plus-1 for top strength to zero for neutral and to minus-1 for weaknesses," said Fox. "A total of 14 areas were included in the heavy strength areas, led by fire protection with a plus-.800."

Lowest on the list was air passenger service, which scored a minus-.336, said Fox.

"What this indicates is that we need to try and improve our air passenger service," said Fox. "We have talked to the city manager and we know the city is working on this."

"We're exploring possibilities of attracting another airlines to the city," said Fischer. "We have made improvements at the airport terminal and we have a full-time airport manager. We feel we have the facilities to attract another carrier and have been in touch with them."

"That's one of the purposes of the survey," said Melvin Gateley, a spokesman for Vision 2000. "Our strengths and weaknesses are identified and we know where we're at."

The committee, which conducted its first business-needs survey in February 1990, will continue to conduct them every two to three years, said Fox.

Members of the committee include Fox, a member of the economic department at Southeast Missouri State University; Steve Green of Capital Bank; John Mehner of Advanced Business Systems; and Bill Yuede of Boatmen's Bank.

The high strength areas plus-.313 to .800 were fire department, university, highway-interstate; interstate trucking, local motor freight, vocational education, police protection, housing, financing, gas utility, secondary schools, water, professional personnel and electric utility.

Eight of the 24 items were rated "positive" plus-.018 to .266 including tourism potential, management personnel, local suppliers, street maintenance, semi-skilled labor, waste collection, unskilled labor and air freight service.

The report also revealed strengths and weaknesses of the labor force, said Fox.

"All phases of labor have increased since the 1990 census, ranging from unskilled and semi-skilled labor to professional personnel.

"Overall, the results of the latest poll provide evidence not only that businesses generally view Cape as a good place to operate, but that the businesses' view of the city is improving.

"We cannot, however, ignore those areas where there is considerable room for improvements," said Fox. "With community cooperation, Cape Girardeau will be an even better place to do business in 2000."