Cape Girardeau City Council hears SE MO Redi presentation Monday

Cape Girardeau City Hall at 44 N. Lorimier St. in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Nathan Gladden ~ Southeast Missourian

Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SE MO Redi) management consultant Shad Burner presented to the Cape Girardeau City Council about the organization’s current state and search for a CEO on Monday, May 20.

Burner spoke on the organization’s passing of a new strategic plan, its increase in partners from 11 to 26, the outcomes of the TrussWorks expansion and the Regional Industrial Site Feasibility Study, as well as the current search for a CEO. Burner said the outcome of TrussWorks expansion was able to produce 70 jobs and SE MO Redi was awarded $126,000 in grants to complete its feasibility study.

“We still have some work to do to hopefully very soon be able to get a full-time CEO and the first thing that we have to do once we get that CEO in place is hire that No. 2 position which will serve in that local economic development capacity, which is really critical for the City of Cape, City of Jackson, Cape County and Scott City,” Burner said to the council.

The No. 2 position described by Burner is the local economic development director. He said after the first round of interviews for a CEO, the search will expand with the help of the city manager and other community members.

Ward 1 Councilman Dan Presson said he is excited for the organization's future with a CEO.

“I have been a huge proponent over the years of getting somebody to do true to form Cape Girardeau economic development and so once we get that CEO in place we can move forward with that,” Presson said.

Other Business

The council read and passed a resolution that authorized the city manager to execute a contract with Lochmueller Group for Engineering Services. The agreement will allow the city’s engineering division to issue tasks for services regarding general work or infrastructure projects to the company.

The council approved the first readings of these ordinances:

* vacate the city’s interest in a 20-foot-wide strip of North West End Boulevard Right of Way adjacent to 689 Highland Drive;

* authorize city manager Ken Haskin to execute supplemental agreements to design sidewalks along North Cape Rock Drive with Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing Inc.

The council also made two appointments to different boards appointing Thomas Drummond to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Liz Haynes to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission.