St. Louis firm a major financial supporter of Cape bond issue committee

A company with more than $1 million at stake in the April election is the lead contributor of a committee set up to campaign for an overhaul of buildings in the Cape Girardeau School District.

In campaign reports released Thursday, Yes Cape Schools reported raising $11,190. Nearly half of its financial support came from McCarthy Building Cos., which donated $5,000.

The St. Louis firm was hired by the district in October to help finalize its facilities plan, the backbone of the $40 million bond issue. The company will also oversee bidding and project schedules throughout the districtwide construction plan, at a rate of 3.12 percent of the bond issue. District officials have said the company will not be paid unless a bond issue passes.

In a statement, company spokeswoman Susan Garritano said it is not uncommon for the company to contract with districts before issues are passed.

"The school district cannot and should not spend any dollars prior to voter approval," she said. "Once McCarthy is formally selected, we also may assist a district with a donation to help the district educate voters about the issues before them."

Companies in the St. Louis area contributed $7,600 to the campaign, including $1,500 from the Eastern Missouri Laborers District Council, which has a local chapter. The union represents construction workers in the area, said committee treasurer Adam Kidd.

The second-largest donation came from a local source, the Cape Girardeau County Industrial Development Authority. The organization gave $2,350 to the campaign, calculated according to a formula set up to support school bond issues, said board president Jerry Lorberg. The board is appointed by the county commission, but the organization is self-funded.

"We're just helping out. We think that good schools are such an important part of Cape Girardeau County," he said.

About 10 years ago the board set up a formula of $350 plus $50 for every million dollars in a bond issue, Lorberg said. It has since given to campaigns supporting projects in the Oak Ridge and Jackson School Districts, he said.

So far, the campaign committee reported spending $1,005 for graphic design services from Teresa Connell. Kidd said the campaign will mostly focus on reaching voters through the mail.

He said the group will also host a forum in mid-March. The committee has been meeting for about a month at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at Cape Bible Chapel.

Kidd and district officials have been talking to civic groups about the plan, which will not increase the tax rate. Kidd, also vice president of Kidd's Inc., is the father of five students ranging from kindergarten age to high school. He was also involved with the steering committee that helped draw up the facilities plan starting more than a year ago.

"I'm not hearing opposition, but some very good questions," he said.

Questions about replacing Franklin Elementary School and financial aspects of the plan are common, he said.

"Really I think the biggest piece was committing to a neighborhood school," Kidd said. School officials considered renovating Franklin, which is the oldest in the district. They decided it was more cost-effective and would not interrupt the school year to build next to the current one.

District officials have said the plan will extend the district debt and the tax rate will not decrease if the measure fails.

If voters approve the issue, it will take the district longer to pay off its debt, Kidd said.

"There's nothing free," he said. "Everything does cost money."

abusch@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO

1341 N. Rock Hill Road, St. Louis, MO