Commissioners finalize SEMO internship contract, change orders

During their Thursday, Nov. 21, regular meeting, the Cape Girardeau County commissioners approved a final memorandum of understanding with Southeast Missouri State University for a collaboration with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office.

In October, Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson had asked the commissioners to approve a partnership between the SEMO Department of Nursing and her own office to create an intern position to help at the jail.

“We have approved that, signed that and the university sent back a revised memorandum for us to approve. The only change was they changed it from the Department of Nursing to actually Southeast Missouri State University in the contract and the effective dates would be Jan. 1, 2025, through 2028, with a program review after three years,” Associate Commissioner Charlie Herbst said.

The commissioners also approved various change orders to pay for ongoing courthouse and jail renovation projects. These include $7.71 million for courthouse construction and $40,108.95 for a stone retaining wall east of the courthouse along Barton Street, both out of the county’s capital funds.

Also approved was a $382,220.09 change order from bond money, American Rescue Plan Act funding and sheriff’s office funding for the county jail construction. The commissioners said the current courthouse and jail projects combined cost more than $58.8 million.

They additionally approved a purchase order for UMB Bank of $2,650 from use tax for 2018 administrative fees regarding the courthouse project.