UNION ELECTRIC TO CLOSE CHAFFEE BUSINESS OFFICE

CHAFFEE -- A "war" that Chaffee Mayor Ron Moyers pledged last year against Union Electric's plan to close its Chaffee office has reached a cease-fire with a June pullout date.

UE District Manager Virgil Churnside told the Chaffee City Council Monday that the office's last business day will be June 28.

Churnside, attended by three other UE representatives, spoke to the council at its Monday night meeting. The one-worker office is being closed as part of a plan by UE to centralize a call-service center for Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, the representatives said.

Last June Moyers said he would fight an "all-out war" against UE over its plan to close the office. Along with the Chaffee office, similar offices will be closed in places like Miner and Lilbourn. Meanwhile, UE offices in cities like Charleston and Dexter will see staff reductions.

Monday the representatives pledged better customer service as a result of the change. Yet Moyers and some city council members still expressed distaste for the plan.

But, Moyers said: "It's an economic tool. I'm sure that's probably one reason for the move; to cut costs. Sometimes we're caught in that same dilemma."

Churnside said the move did deal with economics in addition to the company's belief that it would provide better service.

Ward 1 Councilman Jerry Wolsey, noting the office has been in the city for years, said he hated to see it go. Up until the final minutes Council member Tom Cunningham of Ward 4 tried to save the office.

"Is there any way we can talk you into staying here? That's as straight as I can be," Cunningham asked Churnside. Churnside said he didn't believe the office could be kept here because UE's plan is already set.

Moyers said he and Churnside had threatened each other with everything but physical harm over the plan.

He said Churnside had said the company's response in an emergency or disaster would be just as quick or quicker because of the change. "I assured him we would be monitoring that to assure that it will be," he said.

Also Monday:

The council purchased an IBM network computer system for Chaffee City Hall for about $18,000. City council members said $16,000 had been budgeted this year for a computer system and maintenance.

City Clerk Diane Eftink swore in incumbent Mayor Moyers and Ward 1 Council member Bill Cannon along with newly elected city council members Janet Sullivan of Ward 2 and Danny Finley of Ward 3. All were elected April 2.

The election results were also certified following certification by Scott County Clerk Bob Kielhofner.

City officials Monday did not discuss an erred election between Sullivan and former Ward 2 Councilman Ed Gauthier. Sullivan beat Gauthier 118 votes to 104, but it has since been discovered that about 18 Ward 1 voters were wrongly given ballots to vote in the election.

Gauthier said after the meeting that City Attorney David Summers said the city could not overturn the election. The matter of whether the election results will be nullified is pending before Circuit Judge Anthony J. Heckemeyer, he said.