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Cape Girardeau council calls April election for Transportation Trust Fund extension, approves consent agenda and discusses water main break
Summary
Council approved first readings to call a special election for Ward 5 and to place a one-half percent Transportation Trust Fund extension (TTF 7) on the April 1, 2025 ballot (with clarified ballot language), passed the consent agenda including several infrastructure contracts, discussed a Dec. 9 water main break and a server timestamp issue, and moved to closed session on real-estate matters under state statute.
Cape Girardeau — The City Council moved the city closer to a spring vote on transportation funding and approved routine contract and land-use measures during its meeting.
On first reading the council approved Bill 24142, calling an April 1, 2025 election to extend the city’s one-half of one percent transportation sales tax (Transportation Trust Fund 7). Staff said the bill calls the election and sets the ballot timing; councilmembers proposed and adopted an amendment to clarify the ballot language by adding the sentence that "the sales tax will provide revenue for the Transportation Trust Fund 7." Mayor Stacy Kinder said the city will run public information about the initiative in the months ahead.
Council also completed first readings for Bill 24140 (record plat for a two-lot single-family subdivision, Ponder's Subdivision) and Bill 24141 (calling a special April election to fill the Ward 5 vacancy after a resignation). The consent agenda — which the council approved by vote — included multiple infrastructure and maintenance contracts (Bill 24135: floodwall tow drain inspection; Bill 24136: pump station roof; Bill 24137: floodwall gate painting), a release of lien for a property (Bill 24138), and transportation project agreements (Bill 24139) among other routine acceptance items. Staff confirmed that the first three contract items (24135–24137) are largely funded by ARPA.
Councilors also discussed a December 9 water main break that led to a citywide boil-water advisory. A council speaker summarized operational numbers from the response, citing an estimated loss of 3,650,000 gallons and a per-break city cost of about $12,364 (including manpower, equipment and lost water). Several councilmembers urged public outreach about TTF 7 and noted that infrastructure spending is a central reason to support the transportation tax extension. One councilmember suggested placing a separate water measure on the April ballot, but Mayor Kinder said the deadline to get new initiatives on the April ballot was that day and the separate water item could not be added at this meeting.
Assistant/City staff explained that some confusion over the public timeline came from a mapping system with a wrong server clock: Alliance and Public Works assessed and mitigated the break quickly, staff said, and the incorrect timestamp on the public map led to questions about when the city posted the boil-water notice. The assistant commended Alliance and public-works staff for rapidly controlling the leak and coordinating with hospitals, schools and large employers.
Finally, the council approved appointments to the SEMO Ready Board of Directors and voted to move into a closed session to discuss leasing, purchasing, or sale of real estate under Missouri Revised Statutes section 610.021(2).
