1994: PLOTTING A COURSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY

This newspaper, founded in 1904, is in its 90th year of service to this community and region. An enterprise of this nature does not endure without a sense of caring for the people, institutions and traditions that are the fiber of life here. For most years of its existence, the Southeast Missourian has assumed a community newspaper's traditional role in civic leadership, lending a voice to issues of the day and, in its brightest moments, plotting a lucid course for the betterment of Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area. With the arrival of a new year, an opportunity arises to spell out some goals for 1994.

To our great fortune, we live in dynamic times and prosperous territory, thus the roster of ambitions described in this space is not all-inclusive; events will intervene to expand our knowledge and change our perspective, and our input on many developing matters of public interest will be declared as we go along. What we hope to do with this list, however, is supply an agenda that will direct this community to better things.

The items here are discussed in no particular order of importance.

Cape Girardeau Public Schools

The past year brought with it two failed elections related to the school district's desire to construct a middle school. But 1993 ended with district officials vowing to look beyond this concept in an effort to gain public consensus on addressing the problem of aging schools in Cape Girardeau.

While the middle-school concept might have merit, a series of public meetings following the second election defeat indicated taxpayers of Cape Girardeau, who speak at the polls about funding the building projects, prefer the idea of replacing an elementary school with an elementary school. The board of education got the message, if its most recent meeting is a proper indication.

We hope 1994 will supply a resolution to the district's building impasse.

Riverboat Gambling

Many occasions of emotional electioneering are followed by periods of workaday bureaucracy, and that is the case for the implementation of riverboat gambling in Cape Girardeau. Considerable energy was expended in 1993 weighing the merits of this enterprise, and the energy can not subside now that the endeavor has been approved by voters.

City council members will spend the early months of 1994 pondering how best to tailor a program that will attract a desirable riverboat gambling operation to the city while protecting the interests of the local citizens, particularly those who have misgivings about such a venture. It is extremely important this process succeed; the thinking done in planning for gambling in 1994 can head off numerous problems in years to come.

At this stage, all things are possible, so let us dream big. There is no reason Cape Girardeau can not become the model for what a riverboat gambling community should be, offering prosperity hand-in-hand for a new business and the city.

University Business Building

Southeast Missouri State University, with the wholehearted backing of its host community, renews efforts this year for state funding of a new College of Business building. It remains the highest construction priority on campus for good reason: business courses are enormously popular but the college, spread throughout several campus buildings, has no home.

The design for the building is in place, and what's missing is a state appropriation. The design for what happens with ongoing failure to garner funding is clear: business students will begin taking their business to other campuses, a shame since Southeast has put together a crack faculty and has momentum in this curriculum.

And despite the affinity held for this project by local interests (considerable financial support has been forthcoming from the community as incentive to proceed), Jefferson City has failed to turn loose of the construction money. This is the year that should change. The business building is a good buy for the state and an investment in the long-term stability of the university.

Aftermath of Flooding

With the ground remaining saturated and northern reservoirs at high winter levels, the frightening possibility is that the floods that devastated the Midwest last summer might return for an encore in 1994. More powerful forces than the Southeast Missourian are at work in that instance, but our hope remains that such misfortune does not visit river cities two years in a row.

One action we can suggest is governmental help early in 1994 for the reconstruction of levees taken out by the high water. Influenced by environmental opportunists and general bureaucratic recalcitrance, Washington has balked at helping build anew many levees that aren't high priority for river control but guard thousands of acres of productive farm land. Elected representatives in those flood-affected areas must keep up the fight to get these levees back in place ... and soon.

Hospital Cooperation

Cape Girardeau is blessed with two outstanding hospitals. However, while the rest of the nation is drawing itself in while looking to the health-care reform measures that are sure to be debated in 1994, these fine medical centers are locked in a competition that creates duplicate services and removes the emphasis more properly placed on the provision of quality and affordable health care.

An increase in the cooperation between Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center is an important entry on the community agenda for 1994.

Municipal Government

Cape Girardeau will see implemented in 1994 a significant change in the structure of city government. Following up on public wishes, the city will fulfill a transition to ward representation with April's election. Three of the ward seats will be filled this year, with final execution of the change set for the 1996 city election.

While we see tangible flaws in the ward-style of government, our hope for 1994 is that the transition goes smoothly and that elected officials will look beyond their own neighborhoods to the broad interests of Cape Girardeau.

Public Housing

A city-appointed task force came up with the proposal that Cape Girardeau should get into the business of public housing, citing the community's lack of structures to accommodate low-income residents. Cape Girardeau has resisted such a move in the past, and we view that as prudent inaction. The history of public housing speaks to us as an endeavor where supply only creates more demand, where needs are addressed but more needs are generated.

Still, we would like to see the public housing issue debated in 1994 and feel it should be a central topic in the municipal elections. Through this debate, perhaps a positive (preferably private) alternative can be developed beyond the business-as-usual turn to government assistance.

Retail Growth

Sales tax figures for 1993 reflected a solid showing by retailers in Cape Girardeau, despite the resources tied up in the summer's flooding and despite an uncertain economic picture. Though the last 12 months have brought some disappointing store closings, other major business undertakings are under way and promise to strengthen this city's position as a retailing hub for the region. We are upbeat on this count.

Port Authority

The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority facility can rightfully expect good things in 1994, with a substantial increase in commerce during the last year despite being closed for a period of time by high water. The foundation is in place for real growth by the port authority, and now is the time; the very capable executive director and port commissioners should make something happen with the considerable investment made at the facility.

One thing should happen in the coming year and another thing shouldn't. Progress should continue in getting a road constructed from the port facility at Grays Point to connect with Nash Road and then Interstate 55; this opens a world of possibilities for port growth, and the state (which is responsible for funding this project) should be aware of the potential development this would enable. Also, the port should discontinue any efforts to use the industrial-intended site near Scott City as a location for a riverboat gambling venture. This is simply not the proper venue for such a development.

County Zoning

Cape Girardeau County spent 1993 without a zoning program, the first time in 20 years, and no development disasters came about. Voted out of existence in 1992, the county zoning office and related restrictions were not missed in any significant way in the last 12 months. Still, county officials say it is just a matter of time before a venture emerges that will take advantage of this libertarian approach to development and compromise the holdings of long-established county residents.

The county is growing, but the county tempts fate by holding no control on the growth. It is time to revisit the issue of county zoning in 1994.

Municipal Airport

With completion of a $1.1 million terminal renovation in 1993, the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport is positioned for better things in the coming year: more boardings, enhanced convenience for regional travelers and further utilization as an economic development tool.

With the guidance of Randy Holdman, airport manager since last spring, the facility is seeking additional airlines and added routes with destinations like Nashville and Chicago. We believe this facility can take great strides in 1994.

River Bridge

While there are occasional bouts of anxiety about the status of the new Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau, the project proceeds apace. In 1993, the state busied itself with acquiring nearly 110 of the 134 tracts of property that will be necessary for the south Cape Girardeau route that will lead from the bridge to Interstate 55; the land acquisition carries a cost of $4.5 million.

The long-awaited bridge project is on "go," but it is a massive effort; we remain optimistic no snags will develop in 1994.

Illegal Drugs

Cape Girardeau, parlaying the resources of local, county, state and federal authorities, continued its fight in 1993 against the damage illegal drugs do in a community. Some important steps were taken, but the battle goes on.

In 1994, the city council and the police department should keep their commitment to supply more officers to the task of making Cape Girardeau an uncomfortable environment for those in the drug trade. Likewise, schools should continue their outstanding efforts in educating young people about the dangers to be found in controlled substances.

As for the Southeast Missourian, we see our goals in 1994 as evolving with the community and the times, but fundamentally unchanged: This newspaper remains committed to the growth and prosperity of Cape Girardeau and this region.

As always, we believe the best is yet to come, and we look forward to 1994.