Seven Ways to Get Involved in 2023!

The Cape Girardeau area has a lot of resourceful and generous residents and businesses giving back to the community to make it an even better place to live, work, and play for everyone! We've posted seven ways you can get involved including:

1. Volunteering with Local Nonprofits
2. Applying for Boards & Commissions
3. Connecting in Your Neighborhood
4. Litter Pickups
5. Citizen Academy
6. Community Emergency Response Training
7. Contacting Your Local Elected Officials

Read more and find links to current volunteer roles at cityofcape.org

HOLIDAY SCHEDULES - TRASH & RECYCLING
Set a phone reminder and mark your calendar now for these holiday schedules. Next City-observed holiday is PRESIDENTS' DAY Monday, February 20.

Top Online City Services You Can Use Now

Find it all at www.cityofcape.org or through these direct links below. Always call 911 for emergencies or use the Urgent Nuisance Hotline at 573-339-6311 for animals, noise, and parking.

COUNCIL
City Council agendas, notes, documentation, videos and contacts at cityofcape.org/council

CRIME MAP
View police department activity and register for alerts at cityofcape.org/police

• Crime Map
• Online Police Incident Reporting
• Anonymous Crime Tip Form, App, Phone, Text

FIRE & EMS
View active and recent fire, rescue and emergency medical incidents at cityofcape.org/fire

JOBS
View job descriptions, pay rates, benefits, and apply at cityofcape.org/jobs

LAWS & POLICIES
City Charter, Code of Ordinances, policies and more at cityofcape.org/law

MORE MAPS
Public information map includes parcels, districts and more at cityofcape.org/mapping

PLAY CAPE!
Find events and programs, register, and more at cityofcape.org/playcape
Our VisitCape tourism bureau also hosts a community-wide calendar

REPORT
Call 911 for emergencies, or text if you cannot call.
Call 339-6311 for urgent issues like animals, noise, or parking.
Report non-urgent issues like potholes and weeds at cityofcape.org/report

UTILITIES & LICENSING
Water, sewer, trash/recycling payments online or free autopay

Not seeing a service you want to use? Contact us and we'll see what's available.

More than Plows: How the City Prepares for Winter Weather

You never know what the weather might do in Cape Girardeau. Just last month, the city saw temperatures below zero and in the sixties over a span of a few days. Today, we're a month into winter but minding a severe weather threat in the region. From one hour to the next, one day to the next, the weather here has wild swings.

Winters can be mild with little to no snow for the entire season. Or we can have blizzards. Or ice storms. It’s up to our Public Works Department to be prepared for the worst of winter weather. In all, we maintain 230 miles of streets in Cape Girardeau. This does not include roads in the city limits maintained by the Missouri Department of Transportation, Southeast Missouri State University or the Cape Special Road District.

Read more on our blog

Community Calendars

Jan. 18 - CANCELLED Historic Preservation Commission (Subcommittees instead)
Jan. 19 - SEMO Doubleheader Basketball vs. UT Martin at Show-Me Center
Jan. 19 - Bootheel Bluegrass Festival at Bavarian Halle
Jan. 20 - Celebration of Youth Sports Awards Banquet  at Osage Centre
Jan, 21 - Fundamentals of Softball with the SEMO Redhawks at the SportsPlex
Jan. 21 - SEMO Doubleheader Basketball vs. Tennessee Tech at Show-Me Center
Jan. 23 - Council Meeting 5 PM at City Hall 
Feb. 2 - CANCELLED Board of Adjustment
Feb. 3 - 23rd Annual Children’s Arts Festival
Feb. 3 - 24th Annual Clark Terry Jazz Festival: Women in Jazz, Gala Concert
Feb. 8 - Planning & Zoning Commission at City Hall
Feb. 15 - Historic Preservation Commission Meeting at City Hall

More events and calendars
City of Cape Girardeau Boards and Commissions
City of Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Department
City of Cape Girardeau - Visit Cape
Cape Nature Center
SEMO Athletics
SEMO River Campus

Make a Resolution to be Prepared in 2023

This year resolve to be prepared. Ready.gov offers practical emergency preparedness tips individuals and families can use to be ready for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.

• Make an emergency plan: choose a safe place to meet, learn evacuation routes, and establish an out-of-town contact.
• Take a current photo of you and your pet together in case you get separated during a disaster.
• Get to know your neighbor and invite them to be a part of your emergency plan.
• Snap photos of important documents and save them in a secure place or online.
• Set up group text lists so you can communicate with friends and family during emergencies.
• Take a class in CPR and first aid (Red Cross, St. Francis, SEHealth, others)
• Keep and update emergency supplies; remember to include cash.
• Have back-up power sources available to charge devices in case of a power outage.
• Snap pictures of your property for insurance purposes. Check your insurance for coverage on disasters like floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes.
• Sign up for alerts and warnings. Download the FEMA app to get real-time alerts, safety tips, and more.
• Save for a rainy day! Start and grow your emergency fund. Financially prepare for the New Year. Find out how with the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit. Spend within your means. Use a personal budgeting worksheet to help plan for holiday expenses and beyond.Build up your savings. Put a small amount in your account the first of every month beginning January 1.

REMINDERS & ENCORES

Looking Forward to 2023!

We closed 2022 by recognizing some of our best and brightest during out annual holiday parties. In case you missed them on Facebook, our Employees of the Year were…

•         Airport Operations Supervisor Tommy Bridges
•         Civil Engineer Jake Garrard, P.E. of City Hall
•         Brian Jackson of our Wastewater Plant at Public Works
•         Lead Communicator Josh McKinney of the Police Department
•         Brad Martin of the Fire Department
•         Kacie Walley of Parks & Recreation

Public servants don’t always make headlines, but they are the ones making a difference. I am very proud of them and the rest of our team!
 
We have a long list of street repairs to get done this year, including major reconstruction of street, sewer, and stormwater along West End Blvd. We’re also going to break ground on a new airport terminal this spring, and we have a huge roster of youth basketball already starting their new season! Next, I’ll be working with our department leaders to create an annual budget that will focus on your infrastructure, safety, and quality of life priorities. I look forward to presenting it to your Council representatives this spring.
 
I hope you connect with us on social media to learn more about all the things we’re working on for you! If your 2023 New Year’s resolution included civic engagement, I hope you apply for our city boards and commissions, or reach-out to me or your council member about your community priorities. We are here, working for you, and we’d love to talk to you more about it!
 
Kenny Haskin (email)
573-339-6320

Reporting Potholes or Other Issues

Frigid temperatures and winter road response are tough on our local roads and we'll be hard at work to get to all the rapid repairs needed. You can still use our website to report potholes. We also offer...

- Always call 911 for emergencies like threats to life and property
- For urgent issues like animals, parking, and noise, call 573-339-6311
- For other nuisances like trash, weeds, potholes, and property maintenance use our website  www.cityofcape.org/report
- Police offers online incident reporting at cityofcape.org/police
- An anonymous tipline is available in the app store, on the website, phone 339-6313, and by texting “CAPEPD” to 847411 with any message or tip.

Doing Without
Prepare Now for What Could be Next

The last few months tested our city as most of us temporarily lost access to one or more services we tend to take for granted - water, power, and communications. The City of Cape Girardeau works to provide clean, safe water to all customers 24/7/365 as we trust private utilities such as Ameren and Spectrum do the same. But even with the best plans, breakdowns do happen, and they will again.

Here’s what the city does to keep you informed about your water:

• We publish information about our water system and the annual clean water report at cityofcape.org/water
• We declare any water advisories at cityofcape.org/water
• We have an urgent text/email alert list at cityofcape.org/getalerts, and we’re working on improvements to that system.
• Should there be a known water problem, we also have access to the national system to alert media and mobile phones whether subscribed or not

We also are working to strengthen our water system thanks to voters approving the renewal of the Capital Improvement Sales Tax. This funding made possible:

• Improvements to our main water plant, programmed maintenance of our water tanks, and an updated water system master plan
• Needed improvements system wide including pipe additions and replacements (see website for details)

As a resident or customer, you also have a responsibility to prepare your home, family, and/or business for an emergency. After an emergency, such as a tornado, you might need to survive on your own for days. Being prepared means having your own food, water, medications, and other supplies. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household might need in the event of an emergency. Read more about disaster and winter preparation at ready.gov. 

Winter Preparation Financial Assistance

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists eligible low-income households with their heating and cooling energy costs, bill payment assistance, energy crisis assistance, weatherization and energy-related home repairs. To be eligible, you must have an annual household income (before taxes) that is below these amounts.

2023 Council Meeting Date Changes

• Monday, February 20, Presidents' Day - changed to Tuesday, Feb. 21
• Monday, June 19, Juneteenth - changed to Tuesday, June 20
• Monday, September 4, Labor Day - changed to Tuesday, September 5