ECONOMIC PANEL EYES BY-LAWS

JACKSON - A committee considering the possibility of forming a group to coordinate the recruitment of new industry for the area discussed a proposed set of by-laws at a meeting Thursday.

Representatives of the cities of Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City, the Cape Chamber of Commerce, and Cape Girardeau County have been meeting since May to discuss pooling resources to hire someone to recruit industry for the area.

Final approval of the by-laws is needed to secure funding from the entities and establish a formal board to hire a director.

The proposed by-laws call for the group to be named "The Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association," which would have a board of seven members. The city of Cape and the county would each have two members and contribute $50,000 annually; the Cape Chamber would contribute $25,000 a year and have one member; Jackson would contribute $20,000 and have one member; and Scott City would have one member and contribute $5,000.

The initial by-laws call for a three-year agreement, with the concept to be reviewed in the final six months of the third year to determine whether it should be continued.

After members have a chance to review the by-laws, final approval could come at a meeting on Oct. 26.

The group will likely be organized as a not-for-profit corporation.

John Mehner, who represents the Cape chamber and chaired the by-laws committee, said the name was chosen to reflect recruitment of new industry rather than economic development because all of the entities would continue to be involved in economic development.

He added that economic development includes more than seeking new industry. Economic development also means helping existing businesses expand.

Jackson City Administrator Carl Talley, a member of the by-laws subcommittee, had pushed for a requirement that any action approved by the board require a vote of five of the seven members.

Talley was not able to attend Thursday's meeting, but the other five members present seemed to agree after discussion that a simple majority would be sufficient.

Mehner explained there was some concern that with only four votes required, the city of Cape and the county would have enough votes to control decisions.

But all agreed that would not be a problem, and Mehner pointed out that for the group to have a quorum, at least three of the five entities would have to be represented.

"I can tell you that the chamber board will have a problem with a five-sevenths majority," said Mehner. "I'm not saying it will kill it, but it is a problem."

Cape Mayor Gene Rhodes told the group, "I don't have a problem with majority rule myself."

Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep added, "I don't agree there is a potential conspiracy with a four-sevenths majority."

He noted that both of the county's representatives would probably not come from the city of Cape. He pointed out that each associate commissioner had been asked to recommend a board member from his district.

In previous meetings, there had been some discussion about where the director's office would be located and some disagreement over whether it might be in the same office as the Cape chamber. But on Thursday, all seemed to agree that office location was a decision for the new board to make.

"I think that should be at the total discretion of the board," said Rhodes.

"I think we should appoint good people to the board and let them decide where to put it," noted Huckstep.

Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan stressed that he felt participants had no hidden agenda and that all they wanted to do was benefit their communities and help the area get jobs.

"It doesn't matter where the office is located, all we want is results," remarked Forhan. "We will just have to trust the board that they are capable of getting it off the ground."