Cape Girardeau County Commission OKs payments, sets public hearing

Payments were authorized Monday, Aug. 7, by Cape Girardeau County commissioners for two new ongoing construction projects and one remodeling undertaking.

Approved

• Payment No. 7: $478,207.20 to Jackson's Penzel Construction for the new county jail in Jackson from the county's bond fund.
• Payment No. 3: $87,825.00 to Penzel for renovation of the old county courthouse in Jackson from the county's capital improvement fund.
• Payment No. 1: $111,150 to Jackson's Sides Construction for the new Emergency Operations Center in Cape Girardeau from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

Other business

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy and Associate Commissioners Paul Koeper and Charlie Herbst set 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, for a public hearing for revised 2023 proposed property tax rates for the following:

• General Revenue: 5.81 cents per $100 assessed valuation, up from 5.76 cents in 2022.
• Developmentally Disabled Board: rate proposed for 5.54 cents per $100 assessed valuation, unchanged from 2022. State Senate Bill 40 in 1969 allowed individual Missouri counties to levy real estate tax to pay for needed services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ninety of Missouri's 114 counties have such a tax. Cape Girardeau County's SB40 Board, as it was then known, was established in 1975.
• Mental Health Board: 7.73 cents per $100 assessed valuation, unchanged. The board's charge is to administer the county's mental health fund with a mandate to establish and operate a community mental health center, mental health clinics or any comprehensive mental health services, among other responsibilities.
• Senior Services Board: 4.79 cents per $100 assessed valuation, unchanged. The board has administrative control and management of funds collected and later distributed to approximately 20 agencies providing services to seniors.

Commissioners also approved a salt quote for the highway department from Show Me Trucking of Jackson for $100.50 per ton.