TOURISM FUND AGAIN WILL GET COUNCIL REVIEW

Members of the Convention and Visitors Advisory Board tonight will meet with the Cape Girardeau City Council to discuss the council's action July 20 concerning use of the city's excess tourism funds.

A divided council voted to direct the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to develop a "sports theme" proposal for use of excess revenues from the city's motel and restaurant tax.

The council's action last month came at the recommendation of the Convention and Visitors Advisory Board. The board's recommendation followed about six months of study of eight proposals for use of the money.

The CVB board refused to endorse a single project, but recommended the "community would gain the most benefit from expending Convention and Visitors funds on a project with a sports theme."

Two of the eight projects were sports-type facilities, and the board asked that the "best features of each sports theme project be combined to achieve the highest and best use" of the funds.

The board also asked the council to establish a contingency fund for the Convention and Visitors Bureau to finance annual local events and that the city continue to fund the CVB at its present level.

In its recommendation, the board also said the CVB needs a "free-standing facility" before a "decision is made to expend excess funds elsewhere."

The board's recommendation was controversial at last month's council meeting as Mayor Gene Rhodes and Councilman Melvin Gateley asked that the matter be delayed until the council had an opportunity to meet with the board.

Rhodes also said he was uncomfortable endorsing a sports complex when voters have twice voted down tax measures to fund a softball and soccer complex at Shawnee Park.

Other council members contended their action was not an endorsement of a project, but merely a request for further study by the park board.

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on the proposed tax levy for fiscal year 1992-93.

When the council adopted the new city budget in June, it included a proposed property tax levy of 33 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for the General Fund, an increase of 3 cents.

But in a letter to the council members, Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink said the city won't be allowed the 3-cent increase.

"Under current state law, the state auditor's office each year is responsible for calculating the allowable property tax rates for each political subdivision," he said.

The auditor's office determined the city can only raise the rate 1 cent. The allowable increase is determined by the city's assessed valuation.

Stoverink has said that under Missouri's Hancock Amendment and assessment statutes, the city is allowed to increase the property tax levy as much as the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The 3-cent increase would have generated about $75,000, he said.

The total proposed tax levy includes 4 cents for the Health Fund and 10 cents for the Debt Service Fund. The city's current assessed valuation is about $253 million, Stoverink said. He estimated total property tax revenue to be $1.1 million.

The council also will set the tax rate for the downtown business district. The proposed tax levy for the district is 80 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, the same rate as last year.

"The amount of money raised from this levy, approximately $12,000, will be utilized for various improvements within the special business district area," Stoverink said.

The council also will set the tax rate for the public library, which the state auditor said may be set at 15 cents, an increase of 1 cent per $100 assessed valuation.

The council also will consider amendments to the city's code of ordinances, including a measure that will allow the police department to intervene in cases where trucks, primarily construction trucks, deposit litter, mud and other debris on city streets.

"The police department asks that the person responsible for the dumping of such material be required to begin immediate clean up of any spill deemed a hazard, and if such measures are unsuccessful, then the police department shall have the right and authority to proceed to correct the same by removing the hazard and charging the expense ... to the responsible person," said Police Chief Howard Boyd in a letter to the council.

The council also will consider an ordinance amendment related to alcohol and drug-related traffic offenses.

Last month, a new state law took effect that authorizes city governments to impose charges on persons convicted of alcohol and drug-related offense.

In a letter to the council, City Attorney Warren Wells said: "This statute allows us to seek reimbursement of the costs of making the arrest if the arrested person is found guilty or pleads guilty.

"These costs include the cost of making the arrest, such as the cost of chemical tests conducted and the cost of processing, charging, booking and holding such persons in custody."