COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER AID FOR PROJECTS

The Cape Girardeau City Council will hold a special session Monday morning to decide whether to proceed with two water plant projects that could receive 75 percent funding from the Economic Development Administration.

The Economic Development Administration allocated special funding for flood recovery and mitigation projects. The city of Cape Girardeau was invited to submit projects for consideration, and one of four projects submitted for consideration was selected for pre-application.

According to City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, the city staff didn't receive a letter of notification on pre-application and possible funding of the projects until April 1.

"We got the letter so late, we weren't even able to put it on the agenda for the next city council meeting," said Fischer.

After learning about the letter, city council members decided there was a need to study the proposed projects to determine if an application should be made.

"We just learned about the letter when we received a memo on Monday, so we felt like we needed time to look at it before we made any decision on applying for the funds," said Al Spradling III, who will work with the existing city council a final time Monday before presiding over the newly elected city council members as mayor in the next meeting April 18.

The meeting was called in order to meet the May 1 application deadline. "The paper work on something like this takes time, so we would have to discuss it as early as Monday morning to get the process going," said Spradling.

"I just learned from J. Ronald Fischer that it looks like we have the funds to take care of our part and wouldn't need to increase water fees," said Spradling. "If we can do that, it looks like a good opportunity because we wouldn't be putting it to a public vote. I can see no opposition to something like that, especially with the interest rate being as low as it is."

The Economic Development Administration is offering nearly $1 million in funds for construction of a new water intake structure and power supply for Water Plant No. 1, elevation of La Cruz and other streets and installation of an emergency power supply for the wastewater treatment plant.

The EDA would fund $720,000, or 75 percent of the $960,000 water plant project. The EDA would pay another 75 percent, $476,000, for the wastewater plant project. The city would pick up the remaining 25 percent cost of both projects.

The city already has applied for flood recovery and mitigation money for the South Sprigg Street elevation project, and final approval is pending.

Cape City Planner Kent Bratton advised the city council to take the application seriously, since it could affect future requests for federal funding.

"The Economic Development Administration would probably not offer funds for future projects if you applied and then decided to back out," said Bratton.

In February, the city was invited to submit pre-applications for construction of both projects.

"These are projects that are already in our capital improvements plan for the next five years, so it would be a good opportunity to take care of that with the help of funds from the Economic Development Administration," said Bratton.

In addition to the study of both water projects, the city council will vote to repeal an ordinance that set a June vote for a local riverboat gambling option.

The city council also will canvas returns from the April 5 election and announce the results, and Spradling will be inducted as the city's new mayor.