Cape Girardeau mayor Harry Rediger will seek another four years in office. Rediger announced his decision to run for re-election at a press conference Monday afternoon at City Hall.
Rediger listed a long list of accomplishments from his first three-and-a-half years in office, like the new Isle of Capri casino, the Broadway streetscape and new retailers like Menards, CVS Pharmacy and Academy Sports. He said the first term also brought challenges.
“The frustration of the federal building, and how that turned out with the General Services Administration, was a hard one to go through, and then all four years we’ve been dealing with Commander, and that still is not settled. Hopefully in the next year, that one will get settled,” Rediger said.
He also noted frustrations like closings at NARS and PolyOne.
Rediger says if re-elected, he wants to find funding for unfunded capital need. The major ones, he says, are a new police station and a new waste transfer station.
“As soon as we can get the high-priority large capital improvement done, I would like to at least start to attack a new City Hall,” Rediger said.
He said that building is outdated and doesn’t meet American Disabilities Act accessibility requirements.
Rediger anticipates the city will tackle the police station and transfer station within the next year or two.
If re-elected, Rediger says he will have a similar set of goals: To grow Cape Girardeau’s regional status, and grow jobs, economic development and Old Town Cape.