CITY MANAGER LEAVES BIG SHOES TO FILL AT CITY HALL

The news was a little unsettling. J. Ronald Fischer announced this week he will retire as Cape Girardeau's city manager as of Aug. 1. The old adage says all good things must come to an end, but his leaving will certainly be a loss to the city.

Fischer has served Cape Girardeau and the region admirably in the last seven years. That isn't to say there hasn't been controversy. But with common sense, honesty and integrity, Fischer has helped the city to weather the storms.

In January 1988 the Southeast Missourian enthusiastically endorsed Fischer for the job. It is a choice that has never been regretted. In fact, the words of that editorial ring true today:

"... Fischer possesses an important intangible ... a feel for where Cape Girardeau has been and where it can go. One element perceived as missing from this community in recent years is a broad communication between citizens and the city government. Fischer has the background to be a fence-mender, one with the potential to bring together various philosophical factions in Cape Girardeau. We also know him to have the conviction to hang tough when he has to."

He is a home-grown fellow who relates to everyday folks as well as he oversees million dollar projects and investments. He has proved the best of both worlds for Cape Girardeau.

Fischer brought years of public service to the post, and it is apparent that experience paid off for this city. A grocer by trade, he was elected to the Cape Girardeau City Council in 1965 and served one year as mayor. He was then appointed to the Cape Girardeau County Commission in 1968 by then-Gov. Warren Hearnes, and he was re-elected nine times. He helped make the county one of the most progressive and financially sound in the state.

As public servant, Fischer can always seem to find that delicate balance between the public's best interest and government bureaucracy. In addition to working well with the community, he nurtured a spirit of cooperation within the city staff through team management.

His leadership helped the city achieve a number of significant projects: acquisition of the city water system, realization of the Cape LaCroix-Walker Branch flood control project, renovations to the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, implementation of curbside recycling, development of a five-year annexation plan, and many other projects. In his final months as city manager, he plans to fight hard for a city transportation sales tax.

Frankly, all these good feelings about Fischer make the council's job of finding a replacement even tougher. It is easy to replace someone who has drawn the public's ire. People hope for something better. But in Fischer's case, the city must guard against lesser candidates. Careful consideration in the public arena would benefit the process.

Fischer was thoughtful to give the city ample notice that he is leaving his post. The council will need it. Over these past seven years, Fischer earned and preserved the public trust. His shoes will be hard to fill.