City of Columbia, Missouri

Meeting Minutes

City Council

City Hall

Monday, February 3, 2025

7:00 PM

Regular

Council Chamber

701 E. Broadway

Columbia, MO

I. INTRODUCTORY ITEMS

The City Council of the City of Columbia, Missouri met for a regular meeting at 7:00 p.m.

on Monday, February 3, 2025, in the Council Chamber of the City of Columbia, Missouri.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and the roll was taken with the following results:

Council Member NICK FOSTER, Council Member DON WATERMAN, Council Member

BETSY PETERS, Mayor BARBARA BUFFALOE, Council Member VALERIE CARROLL,

Council Member LISA E.A. MEYER, and Council Member ROY LOVELADY were

present. City Manager De’Carlon Seewood, City Counselor Nancy Thompson, City Clerk

Sheela Amin, and various Department Heads and staff members were also present.

The minutes of the regular meeting of January 21, 2025 were approved unanimously by

voice vote on a motion by Mayor Buffaloe and a second by Council Member Meyer.

The agenda, including the consent agenda, was approved unanimously by voice vote on a

motion by Mayor Buffaloe and a second by Council Member Lovelady.

II. SPECIAL ITEMS

SI1-25

Resolution of Appreciation - Stacey Button, Economic Development

Director.

Mayor Buffaloe asked outgoing Economic Development Director, Stacey Button, to join

her at the podium and presented her with a resolution of appreciation signed by the City

Council. Economic Development Director Stacey Button made some comments.

III. APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

None.

IV. SCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENT

SPC2-25

William Easley - The need to give garbage bags again for low income

individuals, the need for better bus system and adding more stops, and city

phones going through the auto system.

William Easley did not speak.

SPC3-25

Jeanne Locklear - Plea for assistance in protecting our children from

irresponsible drivers.

Jeanne Locklear, 4400 Thornbrook Ridge, asked the Council to instruct the City Manager

to strategically place speed humps on Thornbrook Ridge without further delay.

SPC4-25

Ruth Williamson - Supporting community health through forest bathing.

Ruth Williamson did not speak.

V. PUBLIC HEARINGS

PH3-25

Proposed construction of a sidewalk along the south side of Vandiver

Drive between Oakland Gravel Road and Parker Street.

The public hearing was read by the City Clerk.

Public Works Director Shane Creech provided a staff report.

Mayor Buffaloe opened the public hearing.

There being no comment, Mayor Buffaloe closed the public hearing.

The Council asked questions and made comments.

Mayor Buffaloe made a motion authorizing staff to proceed with the construction

of the Vandiver Drive, Oakland Gravel Road to Parker Street, sidewalk

improvement project. The motion was seconded by Council Member Meyer and

approved unanimously by voice vote.

PH4-25

Proposed construction of a sidewalk along the west side of Oakland Gravel

Road between Blue Ridge Road and Smiley Lane.

The public hearing was read by the City Clerk.

Public Works Director Shane Creech provided a staff report, and he and Engineering

Manager Allison Anderson responded to Council questions.

Mayor Buffaloe opened the public hearing.

There being no comment, Mayor Buffaloe closed the public hearing.

The Council made comments.

Mayor Buffaloe made a motion authorizing staff to proceed with the construction

of the Oakland Gravel Road, Blue Ridge Road to Smiley Lane, sidewalk

improvement project. The motion was seconded by Council Member Meyer and

approved unanimously by voice vote.

PH5-25

Proposed construction of the Clear Creek force main and pump station

sewer improvement project.

The public hearing was read by the City Clerk.

Utilities Director David Sorrell provided a staff report, and responded to Council questions.

Mayor Buffaloe opened the public hearing.

There being no comment, Mayor Buffaloe closed the public hearing.

The Council made comments.

Mayor Buffaloe made a motion authorizing staff to proceed with the final design

of the proposed construction of the Clear Creek Force Main and Pump Station

Sewer Improvement Project. The motion was seconded by Council Member

Foster and approved unanimously by voice vote.

VI. OLD BUSINESS

None.

VII. CONSENT AGENDA

The following bills were given second reading and the resolutions were read by the City

Clerk.

B9-25

Authorizing an agreement with the Housing Authority of the City of

Columbia, Missouri associated with the installation of solar/photovoltaic

equipment at the Kinney Point Resource Center located at 7 E. Sexton

Road.

B10-25

B11-25

Authorizing a contract of obligation with the Missouri Department of Natural

Resources to satisfy financial assurance requirements for proper closure

and post-closure care with respect to a permit for operation of a solid

waste disposal area.

Accepting a conveyance for underground electric utility purposes;

accepting a Stormwater Management/BMP Facilities Covenant; directing

the City Clerk to record the conveyances.

B12-25

B13-25

B14-25

Authorizing an agreement with Jefferson City, Missouri for mutual aid fire

services.

Authorizing an agreement with Southern Boone County Fire Protection

District for mutual aid fire services.

Authorizing Amendment No. 5 to the contract with the Missouri Department

of Health and Senior Services for epidemiology and laboratory capacity

enhancing detection expansion program services.

R13-25

R14-25

Setting a public hearing: proposed installation of traffic calming devices on

Rollins Road between Fairview Road and Stadium Boulevard.

Setting a public hearing: proposed construction of renovations to the

existing structure located at 1020 S. El Chaparral Avenue to provide office

and interim fire crew spaces associated with the design and construction

of Fire Station #10.

R15-25

Authorizing a contract with StarGuard Elite, LLC for consulting services

associated with aquatic training and auditing services for the Parks and

Recreation Department.

R16-25

R17-25

Authorizing a special event operations agreement with Ragtag Film

Society for the 2025 True/False Film Fest.

Accepting the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program 2024 Year End

Report Summary; authorizing staff to complete the installation of crosswalk

improvements on Ridgemont and traffic calming devices on Walnut Street,

complete the public improvement process for the proposed installation of

traffic calming devices on Rollins Road, pursue a traffic calming project on

Whitegate Drive, and continue to address Level 1 traffic calming projects

per the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program guidelines.

The bills were given third reading and the resolutions were read by the City

Clerk with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: FOSTER, WATERMAN,

PETERS, BUFFALOE, CARROLL, MEYER, LOVELADY. VOTING NO: NO ONE. Bills

declared enacted and resolutions declared adopted, reading as follows:

VIII. NEW BUSINESS

R18-25

Authorizing the City Manager to enter into “Love Your Block” grant

agreements to support neighborhood activities and minor home repair.

The resolution was read by the City Clerk.

Neighborhood Services Manager Leigh Kottwitz provided a staff report, and she and

AmeriCorps Vista Dayan Crutcher responded to Council questions and comments.

R18-25 was read by the City Clerk, and the vote was recorded as follows: VOTING

YES: FOSTER, WATERMAN, PETERS, BUFFALOE, CARROLL, MEYER, LOVELADY.

VOTING NO: NO ONE. Resolution declared adopted, reading as follows:

IX. INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING

The following bills were introduced by the Mayor unless otherwise indicated, and all were

given first reading.

B15-25

B16-25

Amending Chapter 2 of the City Code as it relates to membership terms

for the Parking Advisory Commission.

Approving the Planned Development of “The Cottages at Bristol Lake”

located on the northwest corner of Bristol Lake Parkway and Gans Road;

approving a revised statement of intent (Case No. 48-2025).

B17-25

B18-25

Authorizing the acquisition of easements associated with the construction

of a roundabout at the intersection of Veterans United Drive and MU

Healthcare Drive/Veterans United Middle Drive.

Authorizing an off-system bridge program agreement with the Missouri

Highways and Transportation Commission associated with the Old Plank

Road culvert structure replacement project; amending the FY 2025 Annual

Budget by appropriating funds.

B19-25

B20-25

Authorizing construction of storm water improvements on Bernadette Drive;

calling for bids through the Purchasing Division or authorizing a contract for

the work using a term and supply contractor.

Accepting a conveyance for underground electric utility purposes;

accepting a Stormwater Management/BMP Facilities Covenant; directing

the City Clerk to have the conveyances recorded.

B21-25

B22-25

Authorizing a contract with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior

Services for high impact HIV prevention and surveillance program services.

Authorizing a participation agreement with the Missouri Department of

Health and Senior Services for site inspection services associated with the

summer food service program and at-risk afterschool program.

B23-25

Authorizing an agreement with Boone County, Missouri for 2025 animal

control services.

X. REPORTS

None.

XI. GENERAL COMMENTS BY PUBLIC, COUNCIL AND STAFF

The Council and staff discussed various topics to include an update regarding

homelessness and whether to continue including addresses on the board and

commission summary lists associated with council meeting agendas.

Council Member Foster made

a motion to redact addresses from the boards and

commissions applicant summary list which is published as part of the city council

meeting agendas. The motion was seconded by Mayor Buffaloe, and approved by roll call

vote with Council Member Foster, Council Member Waterman, Council Member Peters,

Mayor Buffaloe, Council Member Carroll, and Council Member Lovelady voting yes, and

Council Member Meyer voting no.

The Council and staff continued discussing various topics to include the issuance of

parking tickets downtown, takeaways from the Columbia Values Diversity Celebration,

the record levels of power generation associated with the Columbia Energy Center, the

recent officer involved shooting which was being investigated internally and by the

Missouri State Highway Patrol, thanking Public Works staff for their assistance with icy

roads, an update on the first Let’s Talk Local event which had been held within the First

Ward, the Love Your Block grant program application process, participating in

conversations to help make the immigrant population within Columbia feel safe, an update

by Council Member Meyer on her breast cancer treatment and her thankfulness for

everyone’s support, thanks to staff for all they did to help make the City run, the Southern

Christian Leadership Conference event at the Log Providence Missionary Baptist Church

which had been a joyful event, the two priority issues in the Second Ward, i.e., Park de

Ville trash and a possible Prairie View Hills neighborhood improvement district, the need

to work toward addressing concerns from the community survey, specifically those

related to pedestrian safety, litter, and helping the police, congratulations to the Columbia

Police Department for making arrests associated with the shootings that took place on

January 27, an update on staffing within the Police Department, the need to be intentional

with diversity, equity, and inclusion work, the community continuing to promote and

protect the values of Columbia, i.e., the best place for everyone to live, work, learn, and

play, February being Black History Month and the associated activities throughout the

community during the month, the Community Summit being held on Saturday, March 15,

and the first Police Academy Graduation being tentatively scheduled for the evening of

March 14.

XII. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned without objection at 8:13 p.m.