Three Cape mayors talk about city, their challenges

The first question was a softball.

Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO John Mehner admitted as much when he asked the current and two most recent Cape Girardeau mayors to share something about themselves “nobody knows” during a First Friday Event at the Isle Casino Cape Girardeau Event Center.

Albert Spradling III, whose eight-year mayoral term ended in 2002, said his wife has seven cats “that I have to take care of.”

Current Mayor Harry Rediger shared the story of his life-threatening struggle with Legionnaire’s disease in August 1977, just months after he and his family arrived in Cape Girardeau.

“They’d almost given up on me,” he said, until a doctor at Saint Francis Medical Center saved his life with “major, unusual surgery.”

Albert Spradling III

He had four children at the time and saw “God working through the hands of Dr. Bob Hunt.”

Jay Knudtson said he likes chick flicks.

“But they’ve gotta be the right kind of chick flicks,” he added. “‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ or ‘Steel Magnolias.’”

Knudtson, who served as mayor from 2002 to 2010 said he also liked public-access TV. That was partly what inspired him to get involved in city government, watching the “dysfunctional council” Spradling served on before becoming mayor, he said.

“Ironically, that’s why I ran for mayor,” Spradling said.

Jay Knudtson

Rediger said he took some convincing, but said it’s “been one of the best experiences of my life, being mayor of this great city.”

In terms of accomplishments, Knudtson said the projects he’s most proud to have been involved in are the ones that were long-fought.

He said it was clear to him as mayor one key to progress for Cape Girardeau was making peace with the Drury families, getting them and their opponents in city government “out of the courtroom and into the boardroom.”

So when the chamber honored Charles Drury last month for lifetime achievement, Knudtson said he was touched.

“You guys, that’s really cool,” he said. “I told you, I like chick flicks. It sends chills down my spine. I’m proud of the relationship we’ve developed with the Drury family.”

Spradling said the achievement of which he is most proud was the first Transportation Trust Fund.

Rediger spoke of the work he put in to bring Isle Casino, where the First Friday Coffee took place, to Cape Girardeau.

Conversely, Spradling said the failure to make Center Junction a viable development still disappoints him, though the current development there of the Cape SportsPlex is a great sign for the city.

Knudtson, a Minnesota native, said he regrets not building a hockey rink.

The city’s best asset, they agreed, continues to be its people.

“I’ve seen a lot of people come and go,” Spradling said. “People have always been the heart of this community.”

Rediger said Cape Girardeau was supposed to be a three-year stint, nothing more. His work with J.C. Penney Co. meant he didn’t put down roots — until he did in Cape Girardeau.

“Boy, it didn’t take long to fall in love with Cape Girardeau,” he said.

They said the biggest challenge facing Cape Girardeau is the city’s reliance on the retail sales tax, a revenue stream that online shopping has undermined.

Rediger said a use tax could help the city stay strategically ahead of that curve.

The last question was another softball. Or football, rather.

“Atlanta,” Spradling said.

“Atlanta,” Rediger concurred.

“Patriots,” Knudtson replied.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627

Pertinent address:

777 Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.