Cape neighborhoods prepare themselves with "Nuisance Party" law

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - School is drawing near and some Cape Girardeau residents are bracing themselves for the return of college parties.

They are hoping a new ordinance will help keep the parties in check.

Lieutenant Rick Price of the Cape Girardeau Police Department helped facilitate an informational meeting Thursday night. He hopes the law will help create better neighbors and better neighborhoods.

"They are actually living in fear, these older people that they may have a house next to, it becomes vacant somebody buys it and turns it into rental property. And then several people move-in and have wild parties, and these people can’t sleep. And hopefully this will take care of it to where the college students and the community of Cape Girardeau can live in harmony," Lt. Price said.

Among other things it allows the police to cite party hosts if parties are not dispersed after they are ordered to so.

Despite working feverishly for two year to get the ordinance passed, Dr. Linda Heitman hopes the ordinance will not be needed.

"We are hoping it does not, were hoping it will serve a purpose and it will never have to be used because people will behave appropriately and will respect the people of their neighborhoods," Dr. Heitman said.

Thursday's meeting was intended to help people better understand how to file a nuisance party complaint.

The ordinance, dubbed the "Nuisance Party Ordinance," was passed on June 20 by the City Council.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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Council passes nuisance party ordinance

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The city of Cape Girardeau is now just ten days away from enacting a new ordinance that aims to bring an end to what it views as nuisance parties.

Bill number 1181, aptly dubbed the nuisance party ordinance, was approved at Monday nights City Council meeting.

The ordinance was first purposed by a group of citizens who were fed up with all night college blow outs in their neighborhood.

The ordinance seeks to curtail loud and unruly parties of over ten people by enacting tougher punishments for those hosting the parties, if need be.

Mayor Harry Rediger says that the city needed the ordinance.

“We were glad to get that brought forward this evening for the citizens. It’s been an ongoing issue and rightfully so, we should taken action; were glad to get it accomplished,” Rediger says.

A similar ordinance is on the books in Columbia, Missouri.

Even with Cape’s nuisance party ordinance, the mayor and members of city council are still planning to do more to end raucous college parties.

They plan to purpose an ordinance that will allow for landlords to inspect their property and potentially terminate the lease if they feel that parts of the contract are not being fulfilled.

The possible ordinance is intended to allow landlords and neighbors to deal with problem tenets and neighbors.

Mayor Rediger describes the nuisance party ordinance as a stop gap and the first step in allowing residents to take their neighborhoods back.

“That ordinance will, will uh protect even more the neighbors and citizens of our community because that will give us some teeth on the landlord side, this really does not,” he said.

A public meeting will be held at the Osage Center this Thursday at seven p.m. to discuss and get feedback on the matter.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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Julie Thompson named as new Parks & Rec director

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Cape Girardeau’s new Director of Parks and Recreation bolsters a strong resume and even stronger ties to the city.

Julia Thompson has over thirty years of administrative experience in the field.

In addition to numerous other positions, Thompson served as Superintendent of Parks and Recreation in Kissimmee, Florida for fifteen years.

And she was the acting Director of Parks and Recreation in Seminole County, Florida prior to accepting the job in Cape Girardeau.

Thompson’s mother, Marge Thompson, was born and raised in Cape Girardeau, and after an interlude in Florida, she returned to her hometown.

City Manager Scott Meyer says that both he and the city are eager and enthusiastic to work with Thompson.

“She was a strong Candidate from very beginning. Her resume is just an impeccable resume. And then to follow that up with the type of enthusiasum and passion she has is it is really the complete package,” Meyer said.

The decision was announced at Monday’s City Council Meeting.

In other business, the City Council gave first-round approval on a nuisance party ordinance that would control late-night parties in residential neighborhoods. The law would hold party hosts responsible for misconduct at their events … as well as give police the power to order party-goers to disperse.

The Council will vote on final approval at the next meeting on June 20.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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Cape City Council to look at "nuisance party" ordinance

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Any college town that is home university knows that college parties are a fact of life.

However, a group of residents near Southeast Missouri State University's campus is finally putting its foot down… saying enough is enough.

The group has managed to get an ordinance on the schedule at next Monday’s City Council Meeting.

Councilmen John Voss says he is acutely aware that some of his constituents struggle with the all night cacophony.

He says he will support an ordinance that takes a much harder line on punishing party hosts.

"There’s two additional measures, one is the host of the party can now be fined or summoned and then if the party is not dispersed upon the first command or communication from law enforcement, then there is also the ability to fine the host for that as well," Voss said.

A similar ordinance is on the books in Columbia Missouri.

However, fraternities and sororities both feel that they are both being singled out.

While many ‘Greeks’ are willing to admit that their parties can be a bit loud, they still feel such an ordinance is not a good move.

One such fraternity member, Bryan Huff, feels that it would be more fruitful for the citizens of Cape to work with the Greeks.

"I wish that there was more communications going on with the people that this is an issue with as opposed to just trying to a-go about this way. Like… like I said I mean it seems like there’s ways we could be worked with, this type of issue as opposed to just trying to work against cuz I think it is just going to lead to bigger problems," Huff said.

While Huff says he understands what the community is trying to achieve, he feels Greek life would be easily assaulted by such measures.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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