WILDMAN APPEALS FOR HELP FROM SCOTT CITY

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Council heard an appeal Monday night from Walt Wildman for financial support of the I-66 project.

Wildman said Scott City has supported building a new interstate through the middle of the country since the day the proposal was birthed.

He said it's amazing to see that a small economic development group from Southeast Missouri has pushed the highway to national prominence.

Wildman said there has been something positive on the project every year since its beginning.

Plans are to approach the Congress in 1995 with specific plans, including routes and areas that will benefit from a new I-66.

Wildman asked the council to send a letter to Congress supporting the development of I-66, specifying that it be built through the Cape Girardeau area.

He said he has cut his national promotion budget for I-66 to $90,000, and he asked the council members to give what they felt the city could afford.

Wildman said the study on the economic impact of a new interstate covered an area that was 350 miles wide and about 3,000 miles long.

That study said the project wasn't feasible.

But studying the economic impact of a specific corridor for the proposed interstate likely would reveal positive benefits and receive a favorable report, Wildman said.

Mayor Larry Forhan said supporting Wildman would be like having him represent Scott City on a national level. The mayor said he agreed that the proposed interstate is needed.

"It's the key to tourism in the area," Wildman said. He said he appreciates the council's past support and looks forward to continued progress on promoting I-66 on a national level.

In other business, the mayor reported that he and city administrator John Saxton attended the presentation of a business award at the local SuperValu warehouse to U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson.

Forhan said the two also attended the groundbreaking last week on the Nash Road extension near the SEMO Port Authority.

Saxton also said he was working to improve the agenda for council meetings.

He also said the city completed an agreement with the Scott County Commission last week to keep its Enhanced-911 service based in the city if the issue passes countywide in today's election.

Phyllis Spinks, reporting on the parks department, said there was a good crowd for the city's Halloween parade.

She also said a men's league for dartball was being established at the local school on Tuesday nights.

She discussed plans for Christmas decorations in the city, including opening the Winter Wonderland in the city park on Dec. 2.