Cape Girardeau Year in Review: 12 Goals from 2012

As calendar years come and go, we tend to reflect on our progress and goals. Local media published several 2012 reviews of the City of Cape Girardeau, regarding our progress:

• KRCU Interviews Councilman John Voss
• Southeast Missourian:  Top 12 of 2012   |   Comings and Goings of 2012
• Mayor Harry Rediger on Cape Chronicle TV

In 2011, we set 12 goals and focus areas for 2012. By the end of the calendar year, we were proud to announce progress in each area.

1. Wall/Levee Certification – Completion February 2013

The City’s downtown floodwall is “provisionally accredited” to provide adequate protection against a 100-year-flood. Accreditation will provide property owners in that floodplain the ability to purchase flood insurance at a cost consistent with prior years. Work completed this past year included City efforts to reinforce the Themis Street flood gate in addition to ongoing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work maintaining the floodwall. As additional reports and paperwork are filed with FEMA in the coming months, the floodwall will likely be certified by the end of February 2013.

• View the Cape Girardeau FEMA Flood Map
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cape Girardeau Floodwall Project
• More about FEMA wall and levee certification and accreditation

2. Pacific to Terrific: Broadway Improvements

Using voter-approved Transportation Trust Fund 4 money for street improvements and casino funding for amenities, the Broadway corridor now has a more beautiful appearance and enhancements conducive to downtown development.

Read more:
http://blog.cityofcapegirardeau.org/city-to-celebrate-broadway-success-oct-26/

 3. Complete Key Water System Upgrade

The City transitioned from using the Mississippi River to using wells for its municipal water supply this year. The surface to well water transition has been in the works since 1995. The City is excited about this project finally coming to fruition after 17 years of research and design. Read more about water system progress and the final transition in our media event brochure from the day we “flipped the switch” to well water in Cape Girardeau.

4. Wastewater Treatment Facility Early Construction

Following months of site study, contractors broke ground on Cape Girardeau’s new wastewater treatment facility in September 2012. Extensive site planning and construction began in fall 2012.
Voters approved the Wastewater Treatment Facility project and funding in April 2011.

5. Planned Growth and Resource Management Initiatives

• Adopted in March 2012, the City’s Capital Improvements Plan is a list of purchases and projects needed or recommended in the next 1-5 years. The plan now includes long-term management of information technology and fleet resources, with more specific funding sources defined.
• Adopted in September 2012, the Annexation Plan identifies annexation processes and benefits.
• In October 2012, the City Council approved Casino Funding Policy outlining how to spend casino revenue in the future.
• Residents participated in public input sessions, both online and off, to help determine the future of Cape’s oldest, and arguably most popular, park. Significant work toward a Capaha Park Plan was complete this year. An implementation plan of the final direction will be developed in 2013.
• Parks and Recreation Department personnel presented the future vision for Cape’s recreation trail late in the year. The LaCroix Recreational Trail Master Plan calls for convenience and aesthetic improvements in addition to branded signage.

6. Efforts Toward Improving Housing Stock

Like many City initiatives, work in improving the available housing for residents is ongoing. We made significant strides this year. Milestones include:

• Residential Rental Licensing
• Building code updates
• Increased minimum property standards enforcement using a new full-time, dedicated employee

7. Efforts Toward Improving Business Stock

Just like our housing initiatives, available property for businesses is always an area of focus by the City. Major completed initiatives this year include:

• Increased enforcement of minimum property standards, codes and zoning
• Code Revision
• Updated condemnation process
• Demolished 31 buildings
• Business park land purchase

8. More Business-Friendly Processes

We are close to having converted dozens of paper government forms to online, fillable plain-language forms. We also reviewed multi-year licensing to make doing business in Cape Girardeau easier. Our other accomplishments include:

• Online vendor payment
• Reorganized Development Department: Created a one-stop shop for developers, coordinated correspondence and published a Development Manual
• Online, interactive development forms

9. Improve Citizen Safety

The community is divided on the urban deer issue, but it is an issue on which City staff and the deer committee worked diligently to find a viable solution. Other areas where we worked to improve citizen and employee safety include:

• Increased traffic enforcement
• Increased alcohol offenses enforcement
• The new scooter ordinance should make scooter travel safer for commuters.

10. Process Innovations

Our new automated leaf pick up program served more people faster with fewer staff in 2012. We also worked to simplify special event and parade permitting. Reorganizing our Development Department led to better processes for our homeowners, builders and contractors. New software purchased this year will help the City continue to work on future process innovations for our public and staff.

11. Fully Leverage Technology

• New software  purchased in 2012 will be implemented by the City over the next two years, replacing our financial, human resources and permitting systems in dire need of updating.
• Implemented laptop systems in police cars giving officers
  more road time. Computers were provided through
  grant funding.
• LeadsOnline: Pawnbrokers now enter certain inventory
  into a database accessible by our Police Department to
  help resolve property thefts.
• Novus Agenda: This new product publishes public meeting agendas and minutes online using far less staff time.
• Replaced aging servers and internal technology, which gives
  us room to grow, and increases reliability and security.

12. Customer Service Improvements

Citizen Survey: Residents and businesses completed surveys this year which will help City leadership allocate resources and adjust the strategic direction of the City.