City council to OK pact to move railroad

Monday night's Cape Girardeau City Council meeting will cover a variety of topics, from floodwall projects and state transportation funding to public art.

Two resolutions related to floodwall repairs are up for consideration on the consent agenda.

The city plans to enter into an agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to move about 600 feet of railroad seven feet west of the wall. This allows crews access to a floodwall toe drain to replace the pipe that is part of continuing floodwall rehabilitation work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The second agreement allows city staff to issue task orders to Wilson and Company for professional services for relocating the railroad.

The toe drain, used to control seepage, is on a northern part of the wall between the Broadway floodgate and Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

The railroad company will move the rail line and be reimbursed by the city. Funds payable to the company are about $1.5 million and will come from the Parks and Recreation and Stormwater tax, according to city documents.

Also on the agenda is a resolution expressing the city's support of an increase in the Missouri state motor fuel tax, which is designed to help cover expected revenue losses for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The department reports that by 2017, Missouri no longer will be able to match all of the federal highway funds available to the state, meaning it could lose those available funding opportunities. Missouri voters in August rejected a measure that would have increased the state's sales tax by three-quarters of a cent to provide $540 million annually for 10 years for transportation.

The existing motor fuel tax is 17.3 cents per gallon. A Senate Bill proposed by Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, seeks to increase the tax by 2 cents per gallon per year for the next three years. MoDOT also refers to the solution as "2+2+2 indexing."

Once phased in, the rate of tax will be 23.3 cents per gallon. The tax would be adjusted annually for inflation beginning three years after the measure's effective date.

The fuel tax proposal, Senate Bill 540, was approved by the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee last week. The city's resolution, if approved by the council, would be communicated to the governor and the Missouri Legislature, urging their support for passing the bill.

Before the council begins voting on any items, it will hear from a variety of guests delivering presentations.

Kevin Greaser of Cape Girardeau Friends of Public Safety will make a presentation. The group is hosting a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day later this month.

After his presentation will be Jon K. Rust -- publisher of the Southeast Missourian and co-president of Rust Communications -- with a sculpture donation from the Rust family. The sculpture, "Quill," is among those in the 2014 Cape Girardeau Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on display along Broadway. Arts Council of Southeast Missouri executive director Murielle Gaither will attend on behalf of the public art committee.

The donation to Cape Girardeau's public art collection will be accepted through the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Foundation. The sculpture is planned to remain a permanent fixture downtown.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.