Cape Co. group sworn in for terms in various offices

Seven elected Cape Girardeau County officials were sworn in during Thursday's county commission meeting.

County commissioners Charlie Herbst and Paul Koeper, Public Administrator Lisa Reitzel, Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson, Treasurer Roger Hudson and Assessor Bob Adams were all reelected this year. Coroner Wavis Jordan is the only county official entering their first term.

"I'm going to ask you all to keep me in your prayers, because this is new," Jordan said. "I've got a lot to learn, and I'll admit that. I have had coroners in the area that have been a big help to me, and I know you all will be a big help to me. ... I'm going to ask you all to be patient with me. I promise you I won't disappoint you, and I will definitely be there for the people and their families who passed away."

Herbst and Koeper will begin their third and fourth terms as county commissioners respectively.

"I've told people before that have got on city council and different things, it takes you one term to kind of get going and get things figured out. Then, in the second term, you kind of get rolling," Herbst said. "We've got a lot done. We've got a great team of folks, and we all agree to disagree sometimes, but that's all part of progress and moving forward."

Dickerson, who won a special election in November 2018 to serve the remainder of former Sheriff John Jordan's term, is entering her first full term as sheriff. She is also the first woman elected to a full term as sheriff in Cape County.

"I've been in the sheriff's office for over 40 years now, so I've seen a lot of changes," Dickerson said. "This last year has really seen a lot of changes, and get ready, because 2021 here we come. We are going to see a lot more changes."

Adams is beginning his third term as assessor, and Hudson will begin his fifth term as treasurer.

"I just want to thank the voters and citizens of Cape County for giving me a job for 16 years, 20 at the end of this," Hudson said. "It's been a pleasure, and it's helped me get my kids to college."

Reitzel was elected to her third term, and considers her role as public administrator to be the "most rewarding job I've ever had."

"I always knew I was a blessed individual, but until I took this job I really didn't know what the meaning of the word blessed was," Reitzel said. "So every day I look at it that I have no reason to complain, and God forgive me when I do."

In other business Thursday, commissioners approved:

• an updated contract with Motorola Solutions for $2,820,880 for new communication equipment. $1,772,492 of which will come from the capital budget and $1,048,388 of which will come from the sheriff's budget
• rollover of 12 vacation hours from the parks department.
• payment of $3,000 to repay bonds for building the new Cape County courthouse.