JACKSON ENGINEER RAISES ETHICAL ISSUE IN APPROVAL PROCESS

There is an unusual situation in the city of Jackson that raises enough ethical questions to risk a blemish on the otherwise positive and upbeat image of one of the fastest growing communities in Missouri. But so far Jackson's elected officials are choosing to ignore the fact that the city engineer is approving subdivision plans and plats prepared by his own engineering firm as well as those submitted by his competitors.

Some of those competitors say this situation puts them in an uncomfortable position. Moreover, they say the plans prepared by Bowen & Lawson Professional Engineers & Surveyors, the firm in which interim city engineer Richard Bowen is a partner, seem to flow easily through the approval process, while plans prepared by other firms often run into roadblocks in the city engineer's office.

In fact, Jackson has enjoyed solid growth in recent years, in large part because of the city's reputation for a get-the-job-done attitude. Cooperation at city hall has frequently been cited as an attraction for developers and builders. Residents of Jackson and visitors alike sing the praises of a town that seems to be doing a lot of things right in creating a pleasant environment for homes and businesses.

There have been no formal complaints about how the city engineer handles his job, according to Mayor Paul Sander. And at a meeting of the board of aldermen last week it was agreed that the operations of the city engineer's office are completely satisfactory and that no changes need to be made in the process for approving the work done by the city engineer.

The mayor has reiterated the city's position that anyone who is concerned about the process should come to a board of aldermen meeting and openly discuss any perceived problems. Of course, that isn't likely to happen, because the firms that have complaints have a strong inkling it would be tougher to deal with Bowen in getting any work done in Jackson.

The conflict-of-issue question is a serious one. Other small cities have gone to elaborate and sometimes expensive lengths to make sure there are no conflict questions. The quality of planning and development oversight may be no better or no worse as a result of those measures, but the nagging issues that can be raised about favoritism and special treatment simply aren't allowed to come up.

Jackson has too much going for it to let this issue become a major problem. It would behoove Mayor Sander and other elected officials to take the first step by contacting other engineering firms to hear firsthand what the complaints are. Then they can decide if anything needs to be changed.