CHAMBER NO LONGER WILL HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HEAD

The Cape Girardeau area critically needs an economic development director, says Judy Moss, who learned recently that her position with the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce has been eliminated.

"I knew when I started work here that this might happen," Moss said Friday following an official announcement by chamber chairman John E. Mehner that funding had run out for the director's position. "I was told that the funding was guaranteed only three years," she said.

Mehner's announcement came at the chamber's First Friday Coffee, which had been postponed a week ago to March 13.

Moss has been serving as economic development director since June 1989. Her office was funded by contributions from Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce members and chamber funds. The economic development office is housed in the chamber building.

"I'm disappointed that some funding agreement wasn't reached," said Moss. "I feel that the Cape Girardeau area is growing, and I've always been proud to say that I was economic director here."

Robert Hendrix, president of the chamber, said: "The chamber just can't continue to fund the $75,000-a-year economic development office all by itself. The chamber membership did its part in funding the office for three years."

Hendrix said most of the cost of operating the office has come from voluntary contributions made by chamber members over the three-year period.

"Those contributions ran out Dec. 31," he said. "We continued to fund the economic development office out of chamber reserve funds for another 90 days.

"We told Judy Moss in December that we were funding the department another 90 days," said Mehner. "At that time we appointed a task force to explore ways to permanently fund the economic development office.

"We looked into possibilities of making the position a countywide one," said Hendrix. "Two new businesses in the county Clean Linens and Munters have located at Jackson, and development efforts here involve the entire area."

Hendrix also said an effort was made to secure funding from the convention and tourism tax that funds the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"Economic development is still the number-one priority of the chamber," said Hendrix. "We'll just eliminate a position."

Moss said she was pleased with the efforts of her office during the past three years.

"We may not have brought in any big industries," she said, "but we have helped a lot of smaller businesses locate here. My office was here to help both existing industries and new businesses. I have focused much of my attentions on the existing industries."

Moss said she had visited more than 80 percent of the existing industries in the area.

"Many existing industries are always expanding," she said. "They're buying new machinery, equipment, and they are putting on new people.

"We're also constantly talking with potential industrial prospects," she said. "We receive inquiries almost daily. We answer every inquiry."

Moss said she was talking to several individuals and a couple of business prospects.

She said she had no immediate future plans at the present time.

"I do have some options," she said. "I have talked with some people both locally and in other areas."