Council to consider court costs, traffic issues

Traffic issues and a change in court costs are a couple of the top items on tonight's Cape Girardeau City Council agenda.

Representatives from the Safe House for Women attended the last meeting, asking the council to consider increasing the surcharge assessed by the municipal court to benefit domestic violence shelters to align with a recent change in state law.

As of August, cities and counties with a shelter may collect up to $4 per case, up from the $2 allowed in the past. State statute provides for the surcharge to be applied to criminal cases, including violations of any county or municipal ordinance.

It is not collected when the case or the defendant has been dismissed by the court, or when the court costs are to be paid by the state, county or municipality.

If approved, the increase would put total court costs in Cape Girardeau at $31.50.

Among the many traffic issues to be considered is an ordinance calling for an election on the question of extending the Transportation Trust Fund. Since 1995, voters have consistently renewed the five-year, half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation projects.

The fourth installment of TTF is set to expire Dec. 31. The ordinance calls the election in the city on the renewal question Aug. 4.

Among the projects proposed to be funded by TTF 5 are repairs to sections of Sprigg Street, Lexington Avenue and William Street. Additional streetlights and sidewalks, as well as expanded paving overlay and concrete street repair also are on the list.

Another item on the agenda also affects traffic on Sprigg Street, specifically at its intersection with Morgan Oak Street.

The council will vote on an ordinance to establish stop signs at the intersection, which until recently was served by a traffic signal. Traffic studies in the area determined the light no longer was necessary and work already has begun to remove the light.

The ordinance also would establish stop signs at the Spanish and Morgan Oak streets intersection. One already has been installed there, according to city reports.

Determining a traffic signal no longer was necessary at the Sprigg and Morgan Oak intersection was the result of a recent evaluation by city staff of several lights. Staff wanted to be certain each was necessary before outfitting them with battery backup systems.

Similar evaluations also led the staff to discover several flashing light intersections included in the city code that no longer exist because the intersections have been outfitted with stop signs or traffic lights. Another ordinance on the agenda would amend the city code by repealing the flashing-light signals at eight intersections, including four on Sprigg Street.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Sprigg Street and Morgan Oak Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Morgan Oak Street and Spanish Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.