TWO COUNCILMEN CONSIDER MAYORAL RACE IN SPRING

With the filing period opening in less than two months, at least two members of the Cape Girardeau City Council are weighing the prospect of running for mayor next spring.

The election of mayor and three new aldermen isn't until April, but the filing period for candidates opens in November.

Gene Rhodes, Cape Girardeau's mayor since 1986, has indicated he might not seek re-election to a third term. Several attempts to contact Rhodes Friday and Saturday were unsuccessful, and it's unknown what his intentions are regarding the prospect of campaigning for re-election.

But two councilmen Melvin Kasten and Melvin Gateley are considering mayoral campaigns. Both men were elected to four-year council terms in 1992.

"It would be a great honor," said Gateley. "But at this time, I haven't made any commitment yet."

Kasten said: "I'm thinking about it, but I haven't made up my mind. I think I could serve the city well in that position, but it depends a lot on who's running."

Both men said they've been encouraged by residents to run.

The other councilman whose term won't expire until 1996, Al Spradling III, also has been mentioned as a potential mayoral candidate. First elected to the council in 1988, Spradling unsuccessfully tried to unseat Rhodes in 1990.

But he said Friday he probably won't run again.

"I've given it a lot of thought, but I'm presently not considering running for mayor," Spradling said. "I'm not ruling it out. I guess if no one is really interested in it, I might give it a run."

Spradling said Kasten and Gateley both would be good mayoral candidates.

"We've all worked well together in the past couple years," he said of his fellow councilmen. "We've had some differences, but I don't anticipate any problems if either one of them was mayor."

Spradling said the mayoral race in the spring is as crucial as any in the past several years. That's because the city will be making the transition from a council elected at large to ward representation.

Aldermen will be elected in Wards 1, 2 and 6 in the spring, with the remaining three wards up for grabs in 1996.

One issue that repeatedly has been raised over the past several years has been the role of the mayor in city government.

Cape Girardeau's city charter stipulates that the mayor has no more authority or powers aside from ceremonial responsibilities than do the other council members.

But the perception of a strong mayor who should dominate the city council has persisted. It's a perception that Spradling thinks will only flourish under the new ward election system.

"I assume that issue will be raised during the campaign," he said. "I tried to make it an issue four years ago, and I was scoffed at.

"People expect the mayor to be a power person. I don't know if it will play as an issue; I just don't think people care that much about it."

Spradling said voters are more concerned with issues such as taxes and fees for city services, economic development and road and sewer improvements.

Like Spradling, Kasten said he also is concerned about misconceptions regarding the mayor's role in city government.

"The mayor's the same as any councilman in our system," he said. "It's more a figurehead position than anything, and that's the way it should be.

"But I know some people want to give the position of mayor more power than our charter authorizes."

Kasten said that if he does decide to file for election, his campaign will emphasize a simple canon: "I believe in the betterment of the city," he said.

Gateley said the citizens expect the mayor to demonstrate leadership and "concern for the welfare of all the people of Cape Girardeau."

He said the council, which in the past often was embroiled in sometimes bitter policy disputes, has worked well together over the past 12 months. "I really enjoy being on the council," he said. "It's been a good year of harmony."

Gateley said he hopes that can continue under the ward system of government and a new mayor next spring.