COUNTY CHANGES MOSTLY UNNOTICEABLE

Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones has "about 40 pages" of changes that will take effect when Cape Girardeau County becomes a first-class county Jan. 1.

Not many of those changes will be immediately noticeable.

"Most of the changes have to do with things in-house," he said. "The general public is not going to notice much difference at all, and most of the time, we won't either."

Two changes "have already been taken care of," Jones said.

State statute allows first-class counties to hire a county counselor, or attorney. Prosecutor Morley Swingle has already been appointed to fill that role, Jones said.

"That alone probably saved us $100,000," he said.

And, under a new law approved last month, Cape Girardeau County will be allowed to retain the County Coroner's post after it assumes first-class county status. Under previous law, the coroner's post would have been replaced by a medical examiner's office in a first-class county.

The new law applies only to Cape Girardeau County.

As a first-class county, commissioners will also have the authority to establish ordinances, Jones said, just like a city council or board of aldermen.

That's probably "the biggest thing" the change in status will bring about, he said.

"We'll review some of those things," he said. Included in that will be the authority to set speed limits on county roads and to handle nuisance abatement -- such as ordering weeds cut or dilapidated houses cleaned up or demolished -- in unincorporated areas.

Planning and zoning in the county will be another issue commissioners "will look at squarely in the face" after Jan. 1, Jones said.

County planning was rescinded by voters in 1992, but commissioners want to revisit the issue.

"It's not something to be fearful of. It's something that can be very helpful," Jones said. "So many times people's attitude is, don't tell me what to do with my ground, but make dang sure my neighbor doesn't do anything I don't want him to do with his."

If countywide planning and zoning is approved by voters and adopted, statutes provide for several differences between first and second-class counties, said Gary Panethiere, administrator for Clay County.

Among the significant differences is that in first class counties, county commissioners serve on the Planning Board and the hiring or appointment of a Planning Director is specified by statute.

Also, in first class counties, lots larger than 10 acres are not required by state statute to go through planning and zoning. There is no acreage limit spelled out in state statute for second class counties.

The county would also have the authority to issue special use or conditional use permits -- a privilege accorded only to first class and charter counties. In first class counties, the three members of the county commission also serve as the Board of Zoning Adjustment. Second class counties have five members.

There will be other changes as well, said Swingle, who wrote the report Jones has been reviewing.

The county will be required to appoint a highway administrator, Swingle said, who will take over most of the duties now handled by the county engineer. The creation of the highway administrator's office will also mean abolishing the county surveyor post, he said.

Jones said the county engineer will be named to the new administrative post.

The county also has the option to appoint a purchasing agent to oversee all purchases, Swingle said, but commissioners will keep handling that duty themselves, Jones said.

The county auditor -- a post now held by Weldon Macke -- is a first-class county's chief budget officer, Swingle said. That means that after Jan. 1, it will be Macke's responsibility to actually draw up the budget.

Commissioners will still have the final authority to approve, reject or amend the spending plan, he added.

The sheriff's department could see a few changes with the change in status, Swingle said. Right now the number of patrol cars assigned to the Sheriff's Department is limited to one car per 5,000 population.

After Jan. 1, there will be no statutory limit on the number of patrol cars.

Another change will be in who decides how many deputies are assigned to the Sheriff's Department.

Currently, that's determined by local circuit court judges. After Jan. 1, the sheriff and county commission will make that decision.

And anyone interested in sports should pay careful attention. As of Jan. 1, Cape Girardeau County will be eligible to build a sports stadium and get state funding for it.

"We could have a football stadium," Swingle said. "Nashville just got a pro team, so now we can start working on one."