COUNT APPOINTS SENIOR SERVICES BOARD

JACKSON -- Seven members of the Senior Services Board, who will screen requests for funds from a 5-cent property tax for senior citizen programs, have been appointed by the Cape Girardeau County Commission.

The board will decide on the allocation of the tax money, about $220,000, that will be generated annually. Voters approved the tax increase by a 281-vote margin in April.

Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said state law requires the commission to appoint the board to make decisions on how to allocate money generated by the tax. The commission, however, must give final approval to the budget each year.

The first board members have been appointed for staggered terms.

Appointed for four-year terms were Maurice Lange of Cape Girardeau and Billy Joe Thompson of rural Jackson.

Appointed for a three-year term were Ken Lucy and Cecilia Sonderman, both of Cape Girardeau.

Appointed for a two-year term were Shelba Branscum of rural Jackson and Dale Rauh of Jackson.

Appointed for a one-year term was Robert Deneke Sr. of rural Jackson.

Huckstep said the seven members were selected from 25 applicants.

"I think we have a good committee. This is a good group of people," he said.

Donna Burk, county administrative assistant, said, "The county commission tried to pick a cross-section of the county. We have members from the out-county, some from Jackson and some from Cape."

Burk said the committee will meet within the next two to four weeks.

The board will screen the various requests for funds and prepare a budget.

Any agency that provides services for the elderly will be eligible to make application for the tax money.

The board will present its first budget at the end of the year.