JONES DEFENDS P&Z ACTION

The Cape Girardeau County Commission has stayed within the law in developing planning and zoning regulations and putting the planning issue on Tuesday's election ballot, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones said Wednesday.

"There has been absolutely no misappropriation of funds," Jones told a luncheon meeting of the Cape Girardeau Lions Club.

Jones' comments came a day after opponents of planning and zoning filed a lawsuit challenging the county commission's spending of tax dollars to develop planning and zoning regulations in advance of the election.

The county paid the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission in Perryville, Mo., about $29,000 to draw up the proposed regulations.

The county commission could enact such regulations if voters approve planning.

Jones said the lawsuit raises an issue that was addressed earlier this fall by the commission and the prosecuting attorney's office.

"Anybody can file a suit for anything," he told a crowd of about 40 people at the Lions Club. "It is my opinion that this is simply to create doubt in the public's mind that something is wrong."

Jones met Wednesday morning with assistant prosecutor Scott Lipke to discuss the lawsuit

After the Lions Club meeting, Jones said Lipke concluded that the commission acted within the law when it appointed a temporary planning commission and spent money on development of planning and zoning regulations.