TASK FORCE SEEKS BETTER RAPPORT WITH INSPECTORS

A need for better communication between departments at city hall and a more consistent building inspection system were just a few of the issues that surfaced at the first Chamber of Commerce building task force meeting.

The meeting, closed to the public, was held last week.

The task force committee was formed after a Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce membership survey revealed concerns among builders and developers who deal with city hall.

Chamber of Commerce President John Mehner, who organized the initial meeting to lay the groundwork for the task force, said the meeting was productive.

"A lot of important points were brought up, and there was praise for some of the things the city is already doing," Mehner said. "I feel like we're ready to move forward with these issues and find ways to make improvements."

The next meeting, which will be open to the public, will be in mid-April, Mehner said. The site of the meeting has yet to be determined.

The committee includes builders, developers, and architects. Task force members Herb Annis, Keith Deimund, Tony Sebek, David Gerlach, Jim Arnzen, Tom Phillips and Robin Tolbert attended the first meeting.

Bud Monroe and Steve Strom, who also were asked to serve on the committee, were unable to attend the first meeting.

The city was represented by City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, Fire Chief Robert Ridgeway, Inspections Services Supervisor Rick Murray, City Engineer J. Kensey Russell, Planning Coordinator Ken Eftink and Assistant City Manager Doug Leslie.

One idea that came out of the first meeting was Murray's suggestion that the city hold a seminar to help builders and architects better understand the city's building codes.

Fischer said an attempt is being made to improve communication between city departments and with builders. "We can always do a better job with customer relations," the city manager said.

Builders said the inspectors they deal with typically do a good job. However, there was some concern over dealing with different inspectors on the same project.

There also was concern over the time it takes to get building plans reviewed once they're submitted to City Hall.

Fischer said it would be difficult to ensure that a single inspector will see a particular project through to its completion.

"Inspector 1 might be out at another site, so as a matter of convenience, inspector 2 is sent," Fischer said.

But already the city staff has taken steps to make the process more efficient. That's bringing about a change in attitude among some contractors, Fischer said.

"In some cases, architects and engineers were saying maybe they needed to take on more responsibility while working with the city staff to comply with building codes," he added.