During a rare Wednesday regular meeting Aug. 28, the Cape Girardeau County Commission approved a certificate of substantial completion for the Cape Girardeau County Emergency Operations Center.

“What that allows us to do is … move in now, take over the building, take the insurance, make sure that’s covered. All the utilities are in our name, if they haven’t been already, so we’re taking over the building,” Associate Commissioner Paul Koeper said.

In total, construction on the EOC has lasted some nine months and cost around $4.93 million. Cape Girardeau-based DILLE POLLARD Architecture designed the facility and Sides Construction of Jackson built it.

County emergency management director Sam Herndon said he is just waiting on exterior signage, two Bluetooth connections for a conference room and two electrical panel covers.

Road tractors

The commissioners also approved purchasing two new road tractors, replacing existing ones that they bought some 15 years ago. These would be bought from TAG Equipment for $135,438 apiece from the county’s current fiscal year road and bridge budget.

Koeper said they would arrive at an unknown time, possibly around the end of 2025.

TAP grant

Bryan Sander, the county’s park superintendent, provided the commissioners with an update for a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

This grant would fund around $500,000 of an approximately $725,000 project to expand the sidewalk in Cape County Park North around the Kid’s Fishing Pond by the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center.

Sander said bids for the project would be returned by Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Public hearing

The commissioners set a public hearing regarding tax rates for Monday, Sept. 9.