Infrastructure, retail development among goals for Jackson

It's hard for me to realize we are into a new decade and already 20 years into this century.

In October, the board of aldermen met at the annual retreat to set priorities for 2020.

The first priority for 2020 is the completion of the Jackson Police Department headquarters and its relocation to the new facility in May or June.

The consolidation of Jackson's dispatch center with that of Cape Girardeau County to a new location in the Sheriff's Department will also occur.

The next step will be for the Jackson Fire Department to evaluate and plan for its use of the current police/fire complex building.

The second priority is to continue our partnership with the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce to promote the growth of retail businesses in Jackson. This program has had three successful years, and we already have several businesses ready to announce expansion plans in Jackson in 2020.

The goal of a large retailer expansion to our community continues to be a challenge, but the discussions continue on several fronts to make this a reality.

Also on the business front, the Chamber and City of Jackson continue to work on the expansion of service and manufacturing businesses in Jackson. The speculation building location in the south industrial park continues to be marketed, and several current Jackson businesses are evaluating expansion plans within the city. All of these add up to additional employment positions in Jackson for 2020.

The next priority is the continued improvement of traffic flow in the city. The completion of the new roundabout at the intersection of East Main Street and Shawnee Boulevard is slated for the first half of the year. The new diverging diamond interchange and the I-55 bridges will provide a major improvement of the traffic flow at Exit 99. This MoDOT project is planned to start in March and be completed in 2021.

The Public Works Department has completed much of the preliminary work to be able to present to the board of aldermen a multi-year wastewater facility improvement plan. This plan includes the upgrading and expansion of the existing sewer plant, as well as improvement of the current network of sewer lines and lift stations throughout the city. The consideration of a bond issue to cover the borrowing cost to pay for the project will be evaluated.

The Park Department has several goals. Our 250-acre park system is a great asset of Jackson. The pavilion damaged in the 2019 wind storm will be replaced this year with a new steel structure. The cost was covered by a combination of insurance and a generous donation from the Evening Optimist Club.

A new baseball field will be constructed at Brookside Park. The city recently received an $80,000 grant from Missouri State Parks. The city matched this grant for the balance of the cost to construct the field, dugouts, driveway and parking area, and fencing.

Plans will be developed for a new dog park, possibly at Litz Park for completion in 2021. Grant applications are being developed for two other projects -- additional field lighting at the soccer park and a new bathroom and pavilion structure near the band shell area in the city park.

The Electric Department will begin major line upgrades in the areas of Main Street and Farmington Road. These large-capacity lines will enable the expansion of growth north and west of the city.

The Water Department will continue the nine-year program to upgrade water lines and capacity to the water system; $4.5 million will be spent on this project in 2020. The bond issue for this project was passed by the voters in 2015 and the funds paid from the water utility rates.

Lastly, city officials will continue to cooperate with other regional entities on projects that involve more than just the City of Jackson. The key regional partners will continue to be the Jackson R-2 School District, the City of Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County. The city has board memberships on Cape Area MAGNET, Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO), Jackson Industrial Development Company (JIDC) and the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization (UJRO).

Dwain Hahs is the mayor of Jackson.