City of Columbia, Missouri

Meeting Minutes

City Council

City Hall

Monday, April 20, 2026

5:00 PM

Special

Council Chamber

701 E. Broadway

Columbia, MO

I. ROLL CALL

The City Council of the City of Columbia, Missouri met for a special meeting at 5:00 p.m.,

on Monday, April 20, 2026, in the Council Chamber of the City of Columbia, Missouri.

The roll was taken with the following results: Council Member BETSY PETERS, Mayor

BARBARA BUFFALOE, Council Member VALERIE CARROLL, Council Member VERA

ELWOOD, Council Member NICK FOSTER, and Council Member DON WATERMAN

were present. Council Member JACQUE SAMPLE was absent. City Manager De’Carlon

Seewood, City Counselor Nancy Thompson, City Clerk Sheela Amin, and various

Department Heads and staff members were also present.

II. DECLARATION OF ELECTION RESULTS

R68-26 Declaring the results of the April 7, 2026 municipal election.

The resolution was read by the City Clerk.

R68-26 was read by the City Clerk, and the vote was recorded as follows: VOTING

YES: PETERS, BUFFALOE, CARROLL, ELWOOD, FOSTER, WATERMAN. VOTING

NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: SAMPLE. Resolution declared adopted, reading as

follows:

III. RECOGNITION/COMMENTS OF OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBER

Outgoing Fifth Ward Council Member Don Waterman indicated it had been an honor and

privilege to serve the Fifth Ward of the City of Columbia as this work had given him the

opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, develop relationships, and make

connections, even with disagreement, and had allowed him to learn from other

communities through Chamber of Commerce Leadership Visits, Missouri Municipal

League regional meetings as well as their Elected Officials Training, and the National

League of Cities Annual Conference, which had resulted in the recently approved

downtown ambassador program, some Council process changes, the formalization of

remote participation by the Council, and understanding the problems in Columbia, such

as budgets, safety, housing, homelessness, and infrastructure, were not unique as they

were issues facing every municipality. Council Member Waterman listed

few

accomplishments, which included progress with police staffing and recruiting, starting a

policy academy, passing a median/pedestrian safety ordinance, moving the transmission

line project forward again, and opening discussions on the public safety sales tax, asked

the Council to continue pushing forward the transmission line project and the public

safety tax, thanked his fellow Council Members for taking the time to discuss issues and

being open to creating personal relationships, thanked staff for responding to his

numerous questions and inquiries and for having frank conversations when needed, and

thanked his wife, Amy, for the inconveniences of the work of the Council, such as long

Mondays and weekends preparing for meetings.

Mayor Buffaloe and City Manager Seewood presented outgoing Council Member

Waterman with a Resolution of Appreciation, a certificate for a heritage tree to be planted

in his honor in a park of his choice, stained-glass artwork with the City logo, and a framed

photograph by David Spears entitled Morning Encounter on the MKT Trail.

IV. OATH OF OFFICE OF NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS

The City Clerk administered the Oath of Office to First Ward Council Member Valerie

Carroll, and Mayor Buffaloe presented her with a framed Commission of Office.

The City Clerk administered the Oath of Office to Fifth Ward Council Member Christina

Hartman, and Mayor Buffaloe presented her with a framed Commission of Office.

Everyone then took their places at the dais.

V. COMMENTS OF NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS

First Ward Council Member Carroll stated the amazing responsibility the voters entrusted

to their elected representatives was not lost on her, explained that approaching this role

for a second time was an amazing honor as well as a good time to reflect on the work of

the Council as well as the needs of the First Ward and to renew her commitment to

serve, noted she planned to continue to center the voices of residents, ensure they were

hearing from constituents accurately, and that constituent stories were repeated in this

room, thanked her husband, Joshua, kids, Oliver and Addley, and in-laws, Vicki and

Eddie Carroll, who all supported her and made sacrifices with her serving on the Council,

as well as friends, Sharon, James, Maria, Susan, and Heather, who had campaigned for

her and had advised her, and expressed her excitement for the opportunity to complete or

bring to fruition many of the challenges started, including those related to affordable

housing.

Fifth Ward Council Member Hartman introduced her husband, Paul, and kids, Ellianna

and Leo, who had supported her throughout this journey, thanked everyone that had

supported her in so many different ways to help her understand all of the things as

Columbia was huge and there were many issues that affected them all, expressed

appreciation for Devon and Bryan for bringing particular issues to her to think about during

the campaign, thanked those on the Council before her as they had set the stage for

what Columbia looked like now and how it had been built overtime, stated she wanted to

continue the legacy of Columbia being a great city where everyone could grow, live, be

happy, and be well-off.

VI. APPOINTMENT OF MAYOR PRO TEM

Mayor Buffaloe made a motion for Council Member Foster to continue his role as Mayor

Pro Tem. The motion was seconded by Council Member Carroll, and approved

unanimously by voice vote.

VII. BOARD APPOINTMENTS

City of Columbia New Century Fund, Inc. Board

Mayor Buffaloe made a motion for her to continue serving as the City Council liaison to

the City of Columbia New Century Fund, Inc. Board. The motion was seconded by

Council Member Foster, and approved unanimously by voice vote.

CAM Stakeholder Committee

Mayor Buffaloe made a motion for Council Member Peters to continue serving as the City

Council representative on the CAM Stakeholder Committee. The motion was seconded

by Council Member Elwood, and approved unanimously by voice vote.

VIII. OTHER ITEMS THE COUNCIL MAY WISH TO DISCUSS

Mayor Buffaloe announced that a reception would be held in Conference Room 1A/1B in