VOLUNTEERS GIVE CITY GUIDANCE, ASSISTANCE

Wanted: Residents to serve on advisory boards. Requires attendance at frequent meetings. Benefits include helping improve city services.

From the description, it doesn't sound like a glamorous job. But more than 150 Cape Girardeau residents hold seats on the city's 20 advisory boards and committees.

They will be recognized at an appreciation dinner at 6 p.m. tonight at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau

Some of the members have volunteered their time and efforts to the city for at least 10 years. Others were only recently appointed.

Dennis Vollink, a civil engineer with Drury Southwest, has been a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission since 1986.

"I had been attending city council meetings and was recommended by the mayor," Vollink said, adding that his term ends next year.

Some of the major issues before the commission have been traffic studies and the road improvement sales tax, he said.

"The boards serve a very real purpose," Vollink said. "It's important to have different opinions without always having a public hearing."

Allowing board members to rotate terms gets more citizens involved, he said.

Officials hoped to get more residents involved with city government through the addition of boards like the solid waste task force, the charter review committee and the cable television citizens committee.

Charlene Peyton became involved with the public library board about three years ago.

"Someone asked me if I'd be interested, and I sent an application to the city," she said. "It's my time to share."

Applications for the boards are sought through city mailings. About two months ago, the city asked residents to apply.

More than 200 people responded, said Sherri Finley, the city's public awareness coordinator. About 180 people serve on various boards, committees and commission, where they provide advice and ideas for the Cape Girardeau City Council and city administrators.

"The advisory boards are essential to handling the issues," said Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III. "They do the footwork and give us advice."

Although the advisory board members are volunteers, there are some requirements for service.

Members of the Board of Examiners must have practical experience in the construction trades, and three members of the Convention and Visitors Advisory Board must work in the hotel or restaurant business. Other boards require that citizens serve terms ranging from three to five years.

Since the terms are staggered, about three members are appointed each year, Spradling said. The city council or mayor appoints each member.