2015 -- a year of progress

I would like to spend this time with our citizens reviewing the progress and achievements in 2015. Next month I will look forward to prospects and opportunities for 2016.

The City of Cape Girardeau and Mid-America Hotels reached an agreement to extend the Hotel/Restaurant tax into the future at the present rate. Through a very transparent committee-based structure, a group of potential projects to enhance tourism were vetted by all parties including the community. The project and site ultimately chosen was an Indoor Sports Complex to be built at Center Junction off North Kingshighway. We recently broke ground on this project, which will be named the Cape Girardeau Sportsplex. This will be a great addition and bring many out-of-town tournaments to our city along with parents and fans who will stay in our hotels, spend money in our city and grow our economy.

A convention center was also on the list but did not make the final cut due to several financial reasons. However, the city was able to come to an agreement with Drury Southwest to add an attached convention center to their new eight-story Drury hotel to be built in 2016 at the former site of the Drury Lodge. This is a significant public/private partnership that will attract many new regional conventions to our city and enhance many of our existing businesses.

Our citizens passed an extension of the current fire tax, which has enabled us to improve both fire and police infrastructure and equipment. We have ordered new fire apparatus, scheduled updates and an addition to our current fire stations, chose a location for new Fire Station No. 3 to be located on Lexington near Flad Street. This station will replace the existing Kurre Lane station. We are moving ahead with plans for the new police station to be located at the former naval reserve building adjacent to Arena Park. We have also been able to add, through the budget, additional police officers and jailers, which will further strengthen our commitment to public safety.

Transportation Trust Fund 5 was approved by our citizens in August. This is an extension of a very successful 20-year program in which we have spent more than $80 million on new streets, upgraded streets, overlays, lighting, and sidewalks. We have more than $3 million on hand, via the postponement of the Armstrong Drive project, to accomplish major neighborhood street repairs in 2016. TTF has been a major factor in the growth of our city and improved quality of life for you our citizens.

Economic development and job creation has also been and is a top strategy for our staff and council. The first real activity at our recently acquired Greater Cape Girardeau Business Park on LaSalle Avenue began with an announcement by Pepsi and a groundbreaking for a distribution center on the property. This will create approximately 70 new jobs. There has been considerable work this year in bringing all necessary infrastructure pieces to the park to support new businesses.

There have been several expansions of existing business operations during 2015 that included very successful job fairs. Our unemployment rate as we approach year end is at 3.9 percent, which is good news but is creating issues with job placement. Workforce availability is being addressed by our chamber and Magnet teams and will need to be a priority early in 2016.

I am looking forward to 2016 with great optimism. I take this opportunity to wish all our citizens a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Harry E. Rediger is the mayor of Cape Girardeau.