What happens at City Hall affects REALTORS

What happens at city hall often affects home owners and, thus, the real estate agents who market and sell those homes. That is the premise which motivated the Cape Girardeau County Board of REALTORS to form a Government Affairs Committee.

Reviewing and making recommendations on Cape Girardeau's proposed ordinance governing rental properties is one of the committee's first orders of business. As REALTORS who represent investors and sometimes manage properties, the group's members could be affected by the statute. The committee is currently reviewing the proposal.

Monitoring regulations about Rural Development loans and designated areas is another topic of concern for committee members. Questions about that issue were posed to Representative JoAnn Emerson at the local association's most recent luncheon.

With those issues as on-going concerns, the committee is also considering whether or not to recommend an endorsement of a candidate for Cape Girardeau County Assessor. Of particular concern to real estate agents is modernization of county records, timely reporting, and increased ease of access to information. Three candidates have agreed to meet with the committee. Following the interview, GAC will decide whether or not to recommend that the local Board endorse one of the candidates.

Members are chairperson Ken Kiefer (Realty Executives), Liz Lockhart (Riverbend Realty), Dave Soto (Soto Property Solutions), Tom M. Meyer (Exit Realty), and Rick Sinclair (Century 21Ashland).