SCOTT CITY WILL NOW MEET WITH OFFICIALS FROM CAPE ON WATER SUPPLY OPTIONS

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Council has agreed to meet with Cape Girardeau city officials to discuss future water supply options for both cities.

During the regular council meeting Monday night, Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan advised the council of a letter that's being sent to Cape Mayor Gene Rhodes.

In the letter, Forhan said that the Scott City Public Works Department met April 27 and discussed Cape Girardeau Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink's request to consider future water supply options.

The letter advises that the Public Works committee in Scott City will meet again May 18, and that the city of Cape Girardeau is invited.

"Please bring a written proposal that clearly states the actions you request and any costs to Scott City," the mayor advised Rhodes.

"The offer is extended in the spirit of cooperation," he continued. "The good will that exists between our cities is important to our city council."

During Monday's meeting, the mayor said that he looked forward to the meeting, and is optimistic about the possibility of the cities working together.

Scott City came under fire after initially rejecting the proposals brought to them by Stoverink and other city officials concerning future water supplies to the Cape Girardeau Airport, the Nash Road Industrial Park and perhaps, to Scott City.

In other business, the council narrowly passed an ordinance to redefine the term "mobile home" in city codes, so as to prevent mobile homes from being set up anywhere other than trailer parks.

Newly elected Ward 4 Councilman Norman Brant questioned the restrictive nature of the bill and the technical description of a mobile home.

"So does this include modular homes, which are transported to a home site and set up?" Brant asked the mayor. "Where do you draw the line?"

The line will be drawn at buildings, which have a rear-axle designed for the towing of the home. Modular homes which are transported to a site and assembled are not included in the new definition of mobile homes.

The measure passed on a 5-3 vote.

Scott City is going to the dogs, or at least that's what the residents are complaining about, according to several council members. And to complicate matters further, the animal control officer in the Scott City Police Department was just hired as a full-time dispatcher.

The city has logged several complaints of animals running at large and scaring residents.

"This city has a leash law; we should enforce it," said Ward 1 Councilwoman Brenda Moyers, who related a story to the council of a deaf woman in her ward who was spooked by two dogs, which approached her from behind.

"We have a lot of people who like to walk in the evenings," Moyers said. "They shouldn't have to be scared of dogs running loose all over town."

To solve the problem for the time being, the dispatch/animal control officer will take calls when he is not working, and another dispatcher will field the calls the remainder of the time. The city will look to hire a private contractor to handle animal control services.