Council, staff studying issues: From streets to public safety

I have been the mayor for Cape Girardeau for just over three weeks now, and I'm happy to report that I'm not regretting it yet. I say that because a lot of people seem to enjoy asking me if I am! In fact, just the opposite has happened, because I have gotten to have many conversations with people who are full of ideas, plans, and strategies to make this city work.

In the past three weeks I've attended 35 different meetings, with discussion ranging from individual concerns to federal issues.

I've met with other local officials as well as regional ones, community groups and city staff. And in a strange but timely twist of fate, the First Gent and I attended an ophthalmology conference in Washington, D.C. this past weekend (at least he was -- I was visiting the Smithsonian!), and I was able to meet with staff from U.S. Rep. Jason Smith's and Sen. Josh Hawley's offices. Even stranger, we were able to have a little sit down with Sen. Roy Blunt during our visit through a D.C. friend's neighborly connection. It was all time well spent with very engaged, nice, smart people who are focused on Missouri and the things that impact our daily lives. I hope to continue and grow those relationships for our city.

All of this meeting and discussion has generated the following realization that I want to pass along to our city's residents, which is this: while we face large challenges ahead in our city and region, there are a lot of dedicated people working to create great ideas and smart plans for the future.

Right now, we have city staff digging into the recruitment and staffing issues in our public safety forces, with federal officials in communication about how to help make an impact on public safety as well.

The issues involving our street and sewer infrastructure needs are also on the federal radar, and our city staff has grant applications in the works to help make further progress.

The topics of nuisance issues, housing, public transportation, homeless populations, education, and economic development are ones that our community members and not-for-profit organizations are discussing, and topics our city staff and council are putting focus and planning on.

How we can best coordinate on all these challenging issues is the question we must answer to make the most financially efficient and timely progress.

I am excited to begin the work ahead with your new city council. I believe we have a strong collection of seven people who know how to serve this city and how to ask hard questions to get difficult issues debated and solved.

We are also fortunate to have a truly great city staff to work with and which works for this community every day. One thing we need from this community is to expect much from your elected city council and to join us in making Cape Girardeau the best community it can possibly be!

Communication is key for all this to work, and I hope to use this space as well as the city's Facebook page, emails and website in the future to help our community be aware of things going on and being developed.

I also want to encourage those so inclined to get involved, whether it be through politics, not-for-profit work or perhaps simply by being a good neighbor -- a great city doesn't happen without a community that makes it so!

Stacy Kinder is the mayor of the City of Cape Girardeau.