City Council - Regular Meeting

All right.

Good evening. We'll let everybody get situated and we'll get started. I'm glad that Dr. Haskin told me that the clock in the back is wrong. I was going to sit here for another 15 minutes. I'm glad to see you all here. We will get going. We will introduce Pastor Zach Strong for our invocation.

father we are so thankful for your goodness and your grace and a beautiful day father i thank you for our mayor father for the councilman our city manager god and all of the leaders that are leading our great community in every level in every department and tonight god i just speak your grace upon them i speak strength over them to carry the load of responsibility that's been invested into them god that they have taken for the betterment of our city I speak your wisdom, God, for every directive and every decision. that they'll make for our city, Lord. And I speak your grace to rest upon them, God, as they encounter the citizens of our community. So we declare your goodness and grace over Cape Girardeau, over this wonderful city you've given us to dwell in. May peace and may joy and may safety fill our streets. And Lord, may our community be prosperous in every way. And we give you thanks in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Pastor.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

We've got a lot of guests here tonight. AND I KNOW WHY. I'M GOING TO START WITH A COUPLE OF PROCLAMATIONS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE OUR PARTS AND REC FAMILY HERE TONIGHT. Whereas parks and recreation programs are an integral part of communities throughout this country, including the city of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. And whereas our parks and recreation programs are vitally important to establishing and maintaining the quality of life in the Cape Girardeau area, ensuring the health of all citizens and contributing to the economic and environmental well-being of a community and region. And whereas parks and recreation programs build healthy, active communities that aid in the preservation prevention of chronic disease provide therapeutic recreation services for those who are mentally or physically disabled and also improve the mental and emotional health of all of our citizens and whereas parks and recreation programs increase a community's economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses, and crime reduction. And whereas parks and recreation and areas are fundamental to the environmental well-being of our community. And whereas parks and natural recreation areas improve water quality, protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers to develop and productive habitat for wildlife. And whereas our parks and natural recreation areas ensure the ecological beauty of our community and provide a place for our children and adults to connect with nature and recreate outdoors. recreate outdoors, and whereas the US House of Representatives has designated July as Parks and Recreation Month, and whereas the city of Cape Girardeau recognizes the benefits of parks and recreation derived from our rivers, parks, trails, and recreation resources, So now, therefore, it be it resolved that I, Robert F. Gard, mayor of the city of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, do hereby proclaim the month of July as Parks and Recreation Month. Are you going to have everybody come up after you speak?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Before I let Doug speak, I want to say something. Having been born and raised in Cape Girardeau, our Parks and Rec Department has always been special to a lot of us. And people like me, and I know Scott, I've known Scott since I was this big, running around and playing baseball at arena and... playing church league basketball in the arena building. I cannot thank you all enough. And you all are super professional. I feel like half of you work 24 hours a day. I know Scott and Doug do for sure. And I get to take my little girl in to meet Robert at Cape Flash and have a great time. And as a mayor, I am so proud. And as a resident and a friend of all of you, I cannot thank you enough.

Thank you, Mayor. We are happy once again this year to celebrate July as National Parks and Recreation Month. We've got a whole slate of activities planned, so please come out, enjoy the parks, enjoy the programs. This group of very hardworking individuals up here represents the nearly 60, 62, 63 full-time staff in the department and 550 plus part-time staff that make this whole machine of the Parks and Recreation work. So we're so happy to be able to do what we do day in and day out. And I've been focusing a lot more lately on Parks and Recreation isn't just city employees providing programs. It's the community, and it's a community that we really love to represent. We're proud to represent this community. We want this to be a great place to live, work, and play, and we'll work every day. very hard to make sure that happens. So thank you again for this recognition. We appreciate it very much and thanks to this team of people up here that make it happen every day. It's a true honor to lead this group and represent this city and do the work that we do day in and day out. So thank you very much.

with these guys.

So now we're going to keep it on a similar theme. And we have some very special people here tonight. And I want to make sure that we recognize them. Whereas in June, 2025, a dedicated team of athletes from Southeast area participated in the Special Olympics Missouri Selection Camp held at the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri, where they demonstrated outstanding determination, teamwork, and athletic excellence. And whereas in July of 2025, these exceptional athletes were selected to represent the state of Missouri as a member of Team Missouri, Mo Magic, THE 152-MEMBER DELEGATION MET AND TRAINED FOUR TIMES AT THE TRAINING FOR LIFE CAMPUS IN JEFFERSON CITY IN PREPARATION FOR COMPETITION. AND WHEREAS, TEAM MISSOURI PROUDLY REPRESENTED THE STATE IN SOFTBALL, SWIMMING, TRACK AND FIELD, FLAG FOOTBALL, GOLF, PICKLE BALL, BASKETBALL, BOOCHY, BOTCHY. You can tell I don't ever play that game volleyball, whereas South where southeast area qualified in bowling where one southeast athlete qualified and whereas the southeast area volleyball team members included Logan Gardner Rebecca Shackleford Daniel folds. Tim Koontz, Bailey James, Wyatt Leonard, Dalton Myers, Nate Schwinn, and Lucas Blattel. The volleyball team trained weekly at the Osage Center in the Sportsplex. These athletes represented Missouri with exceptional sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork, and dedication throughout their training and competition. Whereas bowler Kayla Dannenmuller trained at the West Park Lanes, where her dedication and hard work led to a gold medal in the individual competition, a silver medal in doubles competition, and a bronze medal in team bowling. And whereas these remarkable athletes exemplify the true spirit of Special Olympics by demonstrating courage, determination, inclusion, and the belief that every individual has the ability to achieve greatness through hard work and commitment, inspiring pride and appreciation in our community. Now, therefore, it be resolved that I, Robert Franklin Gard, Mayor of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, do hereby recognize Special Olympics Team Missouri, Mo Magic.

I just want to take a minute to say thank you to the whole community. You guys were awesome to us. Anything we needed, you guys came together. Your Parks and Rec department, they went above and beyond for us. It wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for your guys' facilities, their time, and everything they've been through. And as a team, as a coach, we're just so grateful and so thankful for everything you guys have done for us.

We're just thankful.

I was going to say in that proclamation, other than their journey began over a year ago. And when I look at all these Olympians, these special individuals here, they performed as individuals, but they succeeded and they won as a team. And I think we could take a great deal from them as an example of not letting any kind of adversity stop you from that kind of success and doing what you want to do. I look at them and how happy they are, how courageous they are, and brave. And I was like, I want to be just like that. So I hope that you all, I know you're going into softball now. And this Saturday, out at Shawnee, they start softball. There's no rest for no Olympians up here, right? So we launch right into softball. And it's a community. I think we got to rally behind them, watch them, and let their example lead us forward as well. Fantastic. Hey, before you leave, no magic. Go in places.

Do a thing.

I'll tell you what, guys. That's pretty special. Pretty special. JUMP INTO COMMUNICATION AND REPORTS. I'LL LET YOU GUYS START. ANYBODY? DAVID?

WHAT A WEEKEND WE HAD HERE IN MISSOURI, IN CAPE GERONIMO. 250th celebration was everything that we could possibly hope to expect. A little rain didn't deter us. That fireworks show was absolutely amazing. I think that Washington, D.C., the one that went for an hour, I think they might have outdone us, but that was about it. I know on Saturday we had an amazing day up at the Avenue of Flags where we had 21 new inductee flags into our thousand. So now we stand at 1021 veterans of foreign war that are represented up at the Avenue Flags and Memorial Plaza. That's a pretty damn good representation and honoring and memorializing our county heroes that deployed and fought for our freedoms that come at a serious cost. The families that came out There was one that had 20 members there for their father and grandfathers and brothers flag that came from three different states. And so I'm not going to belabor the point of how proud I am that just to be a part of that organization and that memorial. But I can tell you that it's national recognition. I see it on Fox. I saw it on Fox News. I've seen it at other places and weddings. I've seen it. I mean, I've seen a lot of different places. And I appreciate what Southeast Missouri and what KFVS, the visibility that they give us that has helped us grow that program. And I'm just really proud of it. We'll be picking the flags up tomorrow night. So if you haven't seen it yet, I highly suggest that you drive through. Look at our brand new pavilion, which is where we had the ceremony for the first time. And I'm telling you, it's 90 by 40. It's massive, but it was packed. And we're going to have to do some tweaking if we have that kind of turnout again. We fed everyone. I appreciate the VFW and CMO vets for their donation and paying for that. And then I want to run right into Saturday evening. That fireworks display, we got to say something about Jeannie Muckerman and Deb Mayer. Holy mackerel. That was a giant task that your predecessor put on them, and they handled it masterfully. And I think it went fantastic despite a little bit of rain delay or rain interruption. I was up at the serving food at the VIP tent and that whole hill was packed with people. And I saw just a lot of hooping and hollering USA. And that's what it was all about. So great job, Jeannie and Deb and all those sponsors, all the many. Jeannie sent me a list. It's way too long to get into. I'm hoping that we do something in the paper acknowledging everyone that that donated to pay for all the fireworks the food and the publicity and i'm sorry that it was my face as uncle sam i caught a lot of grief over that didn't know all that was going to happen but uh anyway uh it was air by this the community to the city everybody did a great job just happy to be proud and part of that as well thanks robin

No, I mean, he, yeah, I know. And I'm glad, I was hoping he was going to mention Jeannie. She was everywhere for three months, everywhere, raising money, coordinating, and we cannot thank her enough. And so proud of Riverfest. I do have a few things that I just want to go through. Obviously, we know that we had some intense flooding twice in a three-week period. Personally, coming from me as a constituent, and the mayor i want to thank all of our first responders um i want to thank parks and our public works i also want to thank uh representative john voss bringing modot chief engineer or modot district engineer donnie brown commissioner boatwright trevor and casey thank you for meeting with them and putting a list of some things that we can work together on to hopefully look and see what we can do to avoid some of those troubled areas that we saw that we had during those flooding events personally I've had a great meeting with meeting team challenge Pastor Bolin discussing some of the outreach and things that they do and how we can better partner together with them Also, Dr. Haskin and I, with SEMO Ready last week, had a tour of P&G. And very lucky to be able to do that. I just want to kind of, we forget, I know we all know that they're out there, but to be the, what, the number three largest employer in our area. They have 85 acres under one roof. They have 1,200 employees and 600 contracted employees. And they have $4 billion brands that are manufactured there. I bring all of that up to say that we're Great to have them as a partner here in the city of Cape Girardeau, and they were great hosts to the CMO Ready board. A couple of things. Congratulations to Councilman Dwayne Schaaf on being named as a Difference Maker for 2026. That's extremely awesome, and congratulations to you. Tamika, Councilwoman Randall is not here, but congratulations to her. She got selected to be part of the Sip and Soar panel for Coach Palmer, which is an amazing event that she puts on, raises $25,000 to $35,000 for her program, and that's amazing. Sad news, and I grew up with this guy named, Assistant Chief Max Jock passed away. He was 81 years old. Anybody who's been around here for quite a while knows Max. He was a great, great guy. Grew up going to church with his family in school, and I want to send our condolences to their family. Other than that, Council, I hope everybody had fun. Everybody got their hat, their Cape Charter hat, I hope. ALL RIGHT, GOOD, GOOD. I WANT TO SEE PICTURES OF THOSE PEOPLE.

REPRESENT.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GET INTO ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION. DO WE HAVE ANY APPEARANCES BY ADVISORY BOARD APPLICANTS TONIGHT? WILLING TO SPEAK? NO? OKAY. THEN I WOULD ASK CONSENT AGENDA REVIEW, DR. HASKIN.

Thank you, Mayor. Council, we added D5, D6, D7, and finally D8. D5 basically is a request to execute an L&I agreement with Old Town Cape for the installation of an accredited Main Street community sign. D6, a request to execute a demolition contract with Herzog Excavating and Demolition for the demolition of buildings located at 715 Elm Street. And D7, a request to accept improvements and give the final payment to Front of Borders Concrete for concrete repair during the 2024 season. And finally, we're ready to accept the improvements and final payment to Lafayette Cement for the concrete repair scheduled for 2025. That concludes the review. Perfect. Thank you.

we will get into regular session and have a roll call.

Mr. Bliss?

Here.

Mr. Cantrell?

Here.

Mayor Gard?

Here.

Mr. Johnson?

Here.

Ms. Randall? Mr. Shaw?

Here.

Mr. Thomas?

Here. All right. You have the agenda before you. I'd entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. So moved. Second. I have a first by Bliss, a second by Cantrell. All those in favor, signify by stating aye.

Aye.

All right, we will turn the consent agenda over to Greg Young.

Bill 2651, an ordinance approving the record plat of Rhine-Nagel-Baldwin Drive Subdivision. Bill 2651, an ordinance approving the record plat of Rhine-Nagel-Baldwin Drive Subdivision. Bill 2652, an ordinance submitting Chapter 25 of the Code of Ordinance to the City of Cape Charter, Missouri regarding billboards. Bill 2652, an ordinance submitting Chapter 25 of the Code of Ordinance to the City of Cape Charter, Missouri regarding billboards. Bill 2653, an ordinance submitting Chapter 30 of the Code of Ordinance to the City of Cape Charter, Missouri regarding C1, General Commercial District. Bill 2653, an ordinance submitting Chapter 30 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, regarding C-1, General Commercial District. Bill 2654, a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a liability agreement with Old Town Cape Inc. for the installation of accredited Main Street community signs in the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Bill 2655, a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a demolition contract with Herzog Excavating and Demolition LLC for the demolition of a building located at 715 Elm Street in the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Okay. We do not have any items removed from the consent agenda, so I would entertain a motion.

So moved. Second. Got a first by Thomas and a second by Schaaf.

All those in favor signify by stating aye. Aye. Okay. New ordinances. I will be abstaining.

Go ahead. Okay, first we have bill number 2656, an ordinance approving the record plat of brick and ivy second subdivision, the first reading. I'm going to hand it over to Mr. Shrimplin.

Good evening. This first plat takes three tracks and some vacated right-of-way and combines it into one lot. It'll be developed for an apartment building.

All right. Thank you. Is there anyone from the public wishing to speak on this matter? Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to accept this. So moved. Second. All right. We got a first by Johnson and a second by Bliss. Any discussion? By the council, are there any questions for Shrimplin?

All right, hearing none.

All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed? Hearing none, the motion passes. On to bill number 2657, an ordinance approving the record plat of CPC subdivision. First reading, Mr. Shrimplin.

This plat splits a commercial lot into two lots for road drive.

We're good. Thank you. Is there anybody from the public question to speak on this? Nope. I'd entertain a motion. So moved. All right. I heard bliss and then we got a second by Cantrell. Any discussions or questions for Shrimplin?

I don't know what he was saying from this one. We just had a miscommunication. I'm getting overzealous here. I'm liking this microphone.

Move right on through here. He's not giving it back.

I just abstained from the rest of it.

I think Nate has a date. Hearing none, we'll... Take a vote. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed? Hearing none, the motion passes. And now, here we go.

We'll get back to you on another one, Nate. All right. Bill number 26-58, an ordinance approving the record plat of Hope Lutheran Ministries. First reading, Mr. Shrimplin.

This plot just combines two lots into one. This is the Hope Lutheran Ministries property on College Hill Place. They're going to be constructing a parking lot, and they're just combining it to put it on the same lot as the building.

Perfect. Council, any questions? Do we have anyone here from the public to speak on this matter? Seeing none, I would entertain a motion.

So moved.

Cantrell?

Second.

Second by Schaaf. All those in favor, signify by stating aye.

Aye. All right. And this one I am supposed to do. Bill number 2659, an ordinance approving the record plat of Knight subdivision. First reading, Mr. Sherpa.

This plat takes several tracks on North Main Street and combines them, I think, into two lots. All right. Is there anyone from the public wishing to speak on this?

Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. So moved. Second. All right, I got a first by Cantrell and a second by Schaff.

Any discussion, questions for Mr. Shrimplin? Greg, please mark my vote in abstention due to financial conflict of interest.

Thank you.

All right, hearing none. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed? Hearing none, the motion passes.

Perfect. Bill number 26-60, an ordinance amending Chapter 15 of the Court of Ordinances of the City of Cape Jordan, Missouri, regarding prohibited activities first reading.

Mr. Pooley. Thank you, Mayor, Council, Dr. Haskin. In our prior meeting, council members directed staff to draft for your consideration an ordinance to address aggressive activity in public and private spaces. This ordinance amends chapter 15 of the code ordinance of the city of Cape Toronto, Missouri regarding prohibit activities. This amends section 1515 and 1516. This order ensures that individuals are able to move freely through public spaces and to enter and exit public and private spaces without physical obstruction or interference while recognizing constitutional rights of all persons to freedom of speech, expression, and association, including the rights to solicit and engage in other forms of communication. The city and council INTENDS THIS ORDINANCE ADDRESS CONDUCT WHICH MAY OBSTRUCT MOVEMENT OR CAUSE FEAR OF PHYSICAL HARM WHILE ALSO PREVENTING THE ABILITY OF ALL PERSONS TO ENGAGE IN LAWFUL EXPRESSION ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC PLACES.

ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY, IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION. So moved. Second. I have a first by Schaaf, a second by Cantrell. Any discussion? I think whenever I do have a question, so I know the answer, I'm going to ask it anyway. So tell us about how this gets enforced. Talk about enforcement.

This is enforced just like all other municipal, city, state, or federal ordinances. A lot of the ordinances are complaint-based. If someone experiences a problem with aggressive stuff toward them, either walking or in private or public spaces, they need to contact the police department and make the report. So the PD is not going to be able to witness what's going on on something of this nature, but they need to be contacted regarding this to make a report and a full complaint filed.

Okay. What if it's a safety issue? Let me give you an example. It was pouring down rain on Sunday. We had a pretty good shower. There was a gentleman at Walgreens. That exit there is a crazy exit anyway. That concrete needs to be knocked out. So, I mean, you might get through there with a Volkswagen, but with an F-250, you're taking out curbs. Anyway, he was standing in the island of concrete. And it was truly unsafe to pull in there with them standing there. He wasn't being aggressive, but for his own safety, it was a really, really bad spot. And there someone's usually camped out there because they know cars are going to have to stop. So not only a nuisance, but more importantly, for their own safety, because I know if someone hit that individual, then it would probably be a liability on their part, not his. are theirs, male or female.

Correct, sir. The problem with that one location, just where they sit, there's actually a large, large pothole. If you take your F-250 or mine down through, you're going to hit it. I've been contacted by a lot of people in the city. Can you please fix that hole? I cannot. That is private property. Where that gentleman or that lady sits, that's private property. That is governed under the 1515 portion of the new statute where that person has to have consent from the property owner to actually be there. When it comes to private property, the owner of the property of the business or whatever it is, they're the ones that govern that area. We don't. Unfortunately, that is private property and I can't govern it.

So I thought this might come up, and I did print it, and it's no person, peddler, or officer remain upon any private property for the purposes of solicitation without having been requested or invited to do so by the owner or occupant of the property. Now, it's still going to be a complaint-based. So, you know, in that scenario... that would be a complaint to the owner of that property or that property owner would have to make the complaint.

And we have, one of my businesses has had a similar situation. We have filed a complaint. We filed the paperwork. We've gotten the necessary, you know, no solicitation signs. It is now enforceable. So it is something that already could be done, but this is coalescing that ordinance farther. So this is something, and I think it's something that education into the public and into the stakeholders to understand how this mechanism works.

And from reading this ordinance, the way staff has put it together, it basically says, you know, even after communication to the person to not solicit. And some instances it doesn't even have to be a sign. It can be the owner of the property saying you cannot do this here. And if they would continue to do it, then a complaint could be filed.

Well, if they just issued a blank statement saying no one, we will never give anyone permission to solicit,

would fix it as well yeah then it could be putting aside putting a sign up yeah it's a matter of education yeah yeah they have to put a sign they don't have to do both but if they they would have to do one of the other from the ordinance correct but the no soliciting does put up the uh the obvious knowledge that it is not permitted upon your private property

been there but i know walmart just uh super center put some signs up not too long ago no soliciting they did and as a result of that i used to see people at that one intersection all the time as you come into to the store and nobody is sitting out there at that intersection anymore since they put the sign up okay is that actually enforceable though unless that property owner

contacts that they will have to contact the PD and report it. Yes, sir.

I would just point also, if you looked at 15-16, the old being repealed, it's knowingly causing physical contact. It's purposely placing another person in apprehension of immediate physical injury, personally causing inconveniences to others, vehicular or otherwise. purposefully causing inconvenience to another person unreasonably or physically obstructing the free ingress or egress to or from a public or private place. I know that, and I will say for the general public, in the ordinance, we acknowledge that The normal panhandling is a constitutional right, but we address what we want to be addressed.

Go ahead, Dwayne. And this isn't specific to her. This is just an overarching code of conduct essentially for everyone. And that's really what we're looking at is a safety for every single individual in this city. Yep. That's what we're looking at. And we just want to make sure that there are people who understand there are things that are permitted and there are things that are not.

Council, anyone else? We have a first and a second. All those in favor, signify by stating aye. Aye. Opposed? All right. Thank you. Thank you. Let me get back to my agenda, wherever I put it. Oh, there it is.

Thank you.

All right. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE NO OTHER BUSINESS. AND WE HAVE NO APPEARANCES REGARDING ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. I'VE BEEN TONGUE-TIED ALL NIGHT TONIGHT. LONG WEEKEND.

YES, SIR. I WANTED TO SAY IN OTHER BUSINESS, I KNOW IT'S NOT THE PLACE TO DO THIS. I ATTENDED A REALLY IMPACTFUL AND meeting with Earl Norman in Route 66, the East West corridor, and he provided me some really good information that I want to share with the Council, but I think we need to put that on the docket in the near future for our study session.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I BROUGHT UP PNG. AND THE FACT IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION AT PNG IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT AN EAST-WEST CORRIDOR. IT'S JUST FACT. FRANKLY, I'VE TOLD EARL AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE THIS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE WITH THE GOVERNOR AND OUR STATE SENATORS, BECAUSE A BILLION DOLLAR INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS UNHEARD OF. SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP AND 100%. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. SECOND. FIRST BY CANTRELL, SECOND BY SHOP. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY STANDING AYE. AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED.