TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT PROPOSAL RAISES QUESTIONS

Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep says he is confused over exactly what the chairman of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority's board of commissioners wants to do by forming a special transportation district.

On Monday, at the port authority's monthly meeting, Board Chairman Morty Potashnick of Sikeston called for the formation of a transportation district in Cape and Scott counties to help expedite funding for the extension of Nash Road into the port.

Potashnick asked Executive Director Allan Maki to call a meeting with the two county commissions for Monday to get their support for forming the district.

But based on Potashnick's comments in a newspaper account of Monday's meeting, Huckstep said he does not think Potashnick understands how transportation districts are formed and that the port chairman may have been "premature with his comments."

"I want our attorney to give us an interpretation of this law, but based on what I have seen and Mr. Potashnick's comments, he doesn't understand the law," Huckstep said Wednesday. "Apparently what Mr. Potashnick says and the documents I have read about the (transportation district) law are entirely different. I'm a little confused as to what the whole purpose of what he wants to do is."

Huckstep stressed that setting up a transportation district is a very long process and something that can only be done with approval of the highway commission, circuit court, and ultimately a vote of the people in the district.

The presiding commissioner also took issue with Potashnick's appointment of four port commissioners to help form the district and serve on its initial board. Potashnick suggested that each county commission would appoint two citizens to join with the group of port commissioners to make up the initial board.

But Huckstep said he has read a summary of the law, prepared by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department, which indicates that members of the district board are only chosen after voters have approved the formation of a district, the type of project to be funded, and the method for funding it.

After the district is approved by voters, then board members are elected by members of the district, noted Huckstep.

"There are just so many factors with this whole process," said Huckstep. "I don't think the port authority should ever have released the information it did since they do not understand the law."

Scott County Presiding Commissioner Durward Dover said he heard about the transportation district idea for the first time Tuesday night.

Dover said he knows little about the district, but stressed that "if it will speed up the process of getting Nash Road extended, let's go, go, go.

"To me, getting Nash Road through is the key to the whole thing. I always felt they should have built Nash Road before the railroad, but I realize they had grant money tied to the railroad and there was no option, really."

Both presiding commissioners said they will talk with their associate commissioners today about attending the meeting Monday with port commissioners to discuss the district. Huckstep said he might have a schedule conflict, but would try to have the commission represented.

Dover said he will attend any meeting that will provide information on how to speed up extension of Nash Road. "The port seems to be progressing exceedingly slow and anything that will bring movement, we are ready to discuss ... anything at all."

Huckstep said because of all the unknown factors, Potashnick's push for the transportation district seems premature because many of the things that need to be accomplished before forming one are quite sensitive.

"This district is a long way from being formed, and we don't even know if it is feasible to do so. There was no reason to get everyone stirred up until we had all of our ducks in a row and a clear understanding of what we are trying to do," said Huckstep.

"I'm greatly confused on just how this occurred Monday," he added. "Until we have more information on it and how the process works, I will withhold any judgment, but I certainly am confused."

Transportation development districts are allowed under a new state law, and requires that voters must approve both the project and source of funding for the project. The district may pay for a project by imposing a sales tax; collecting tolls or fees; placing special assessments against property in the district; imposing a property tax levy; and by issuing revenue bonds.

Extending Nash Road eastward into the port authority is considered essential to the long-term development of the facility. Currently, the only access to the port is through Scott City.