The future of the Cape Girardeau Civic Center remains on hold while a task force looks at how to get the center back on its feet financially.

The Area Wide United Way cut off the center's sole source of funding earlier this year because of concerns about how the center was being managed.

Without the funding, the center at 232 Broadway has been virtually shut down in recent months.

"At this point in time, it doesn't have any operating money; it doesn't have any funding," said Howard Meagle, general manager of KFVS-TV and a member of the task force.

Boatmen's Bank, which holds the mortgage, isn't foreclosing.

"Fortunately, the bank is holding our notes for the moment," Meagle said Tuesday.

Founded in 1959 to serve the city's youth, the center has been at its current location since August 1982.

Meagle said the task force has about 35 members. Working groups of task force members are being set up to identify possible funding sources, get the center's financial books in order, and recruit people to serve on the board of directors.

Meagle said the task force doesn't plan to take control of the center, but offer advice to strengthen the center's organization and restore its finances.

Meagle said the task force hopes to get a reorganized board of directors in place within the next few months.

"Our goal is to have the Civic Center up and running in whatever capacity we can by the first of the year," he said.

Meagle said the task force hopes to identify possible grants as well as put the Civic Center in a position to seek renewed funding from the United Way board of directors.

United Way officials haven't heard from the Civic Center since the funding was pulled.

"We haven't heard a word," said Nancy Jernigan, United Way executive director.

She said her board hasn't discussed the subject.

The United Way board canceled funding for the Civic Center on May 23.

The center had counted on $35,000 a year in funding from the United Way. The center received $17,500 in two payments this year before the United Way board shut off funding.

Since last year, six Civic Center board members have resigned.

Former board members said the center floundered under the leadership of Ed Slaughter and Fred Pennington.

Former board members said the center suffered from sloppy record keeping at best and financial mismanagement at worst.

But Meagle said Slaughter, Pennington and others have worked hard to keep the center going.

He said the problems were organizational ones as well as financial.

Meagle said the Civic Center needs more than a single source of funding. He said the $35,000 allocation from United Way was about a fourth of what is needed to adequately operate the center.

Meagle said the task force wants to help set up an enthused board of directors and provide them with the community support to succeed.

Board members can't revive the center by themselves. "It will take sweat equity from the people that use the center, including the kids," Meagle said.

"If all that occurs, I think the Civic Center has a shot at survival," said Meagle. "Otherwise, it will be just another vacant building."