The Cape Girardeau City Council took only 14 minutes to dispatch with the evening's business at Wednesday's meeting.

However, the council had sufficient time to approve a contract with the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association for services to solicit business, industry and commerce for the area. It also appropriated the city's $50,000 annual fee for the services.

The council Jan. 4 tabled the matter because the group had yet to determine where to locate its offices. That issue was resolved the next week when the association board of directors voted to place the office in the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce building on North Kingshighway.

The board's action apparently resolved any additional questions from council members about the association. The appropriation and contract were approved unanimously without discussion.

In other business Wednesday, the council approved a contract with the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission of Perryville to analyze 1990 U.S. Census Bureau data and develop ward boundaries in Cape Girardeau.

The council also approved a six-month extension to the Cape Girardeau cable television franchise of TCI Cablevision of Missouri.

The population-based wards will enable the city to implement ward-style council elections in 1994 something the voters approved in November.

The switch from at-large to zone or ward council representation has been delayed by legal and technical problems with the initial charter amendment drafted by a citizens group and approved by city voters with a 2-1 margin.

The mapping services contract with the planning commission won't exceed $5,000 in cost.

With regard to the cable TV franchise extension, the previous franchise expired in December, but negotiations toward a new franchise are yet to be finalized.

The council also agreed to apply for approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the right to regulate basic cable TV rates.

The cable TV franchise issues also were approved unanimously with no debate.

In other action Monday, the council approved:

20A $23,000 contract with E.R. Thompson Construction Co. for additions to the city's recycling center. Although the low bid was higher than the city's estimate for the work, City Engineer J. Kensey Russell said Wednesday night that the city miscalculated parts of its estimate.

"The quotations we used for material were about a year old, and the price of lumber has gone up considerably," Russell said. "We went back and looked at the costs and $23,000 did not seem to be out of line."

20First reading of an ordinance calling a special election June 8 in the city on the question of whether the city will allow the licensing of excursion gambling boats here.

First reading of an ordinance accepting permanent easements and temporary construction easements for the College-Jefferson Community Block Grant Sewer Project.

20A resolution to authorize a contract with Koehler Land Surveying for the Cape LaCroix Creek/Walker Branch Flood Control Project.

A retail liquor by the drink license for Captain China Inc., 2123 Broadway.

The appointment of Mary Ellen Klein to the Southeast Missouri Solid Waste Management District. Klein is the city's new environmental services coordinator, replacing Doug Kaminskey, who resigned to go into private business. Klein also will take Kaminskey's place on the district.

The city's participation in the Minority Business Enhancement Program, which is administered through the state's Community Development Block Grant program.

A motion to accept improvements in Mid City Business Center and Woodland Place Subdivisions numbers 7 and 8.

April 16-17 as the date for a city council and staff "planning session" to discuss numerous city programs and issues.