Columbia City Council Regular Meeting – September 15, 2025
Columbia City Council Regular Meeting – September 15, 2025
The Columbia City Council met on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber. All seven council members were present: Betsy Peters, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Valerie Carroll, Vera Elwood, Jacque Sample, Nick Foster, and Don Waterman. The meeting adjourned at 10:14 p.m. The agenda included special recognitions, appointments, public hearings, old business (parking meter rates, FY2026 budget, closed records, mental health training), consent agenda, new business, introductions, and reports.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (7-0): B231-25 (City departments/personnel policies), B232-25 (FY2026 Classification and Pay Plans), B233-25 (Employee medical/dental premium rates), B234-25 (Short-term rental conditional use permit at 207 W. Briarwood Lane), B235-25 (Final plat for Bethel Baptist Church Plat 1), B236-25 (Historic preservation plan agreement with MoDNR), B237-25 (Oakland Gravel Road sidewalk project), B238-25 (Grid resilience grant for electric transmission poles), B239-25 ($120,000 for Fire Department vehicle maintenance), B240-25 ($3,327,800 for end-of-year personnel adjustments), R129-25 (Public hearing for Albert-Oakland Family Aquatic Center), R130-25 (EPA grant for water infrastructure), R131-25 (Sidewalk cost share agreement with Copperstone HOA).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Emily Goes (2025 Mizzou graduate, renter) testified about rental issues: lease gaps between July and August causing homelessness, lack of affordable safe units, and predatory fees. She urged the council to establish protections against unfair fees, create more affordable housing, and close lease gaps.
- Susan Renee Carter (Second Ward) commented on parking meter rates, suggesting the city not wait so long to raise rates and clarify the app convenience fee.
- Nickie Davis (The District/Downtown CID) stated the CID board took no action on parking meter rates but looked forward to partnering on public information.
- Michelle Casey (Central Missouri Humane Society) spoke on the FY2026 budget, noting the current building is unsafe and requesting city funding for a new facility.
- Ken Rice (Second Ward) urged transparency and suggested using the $14 million settlement for one-time expenses, such as the Humane Society.
- Steve Spellman (2312 Katy Lane) appreciated budget education and cautioned about federal funding uncertainty.
- Eugene Elkin (3406 Range Line Street) raised concerns about cell phone radiation and thanked the council for passing B241-25 on mental health.
Discussion Items
- Special Items:
- Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer and Utilities Director Erin Keys presented the Citizen Heroism Award to Jesse Fudge and Citizen Lifesaving Awards to Andrew Blackburn, Brett Helms, and Cody Rowland for rescuing a coworker who contacted an active power line. Firefighters were also recognized.
- Jim Chapdelaine (Columbia Youth Basketball Association) presented a $100,000 check for a public address system at the Sports Fieldhouse.
- Appointments to Boards and Commissions: Multiple appointments were made by roll call or voice vote, including Eric Morrison (Airport Advisory Board), Jamie Kroll (Building Construction Codes Commission), Tim Howald (New Century Fund), and others.
- Public Hearings:
- PH27-25: Voluntary annexation of 1.33 acres at 7098 I-70 Drive SE (R-2 zoning). No public comment. Hearing closed; final action scheduled for October 6, 2025.
- PH28-25: Voluntary annexation of 0.89 acres at Clark Lane and Lakewood Drive (M-C zoning). Staff and council discussed compatibility with surrounding residential areas. Hearing closed; final action scheduled for October 6, 2025.
- Old Business:
- B205-25 (Parking Meter Rates): Public Works Director Shane Creech reported that rates had not increased since 2013 (except near campus in 2015). The Downtown CID took no action. Council approved 7-0.
- B183-25A (FY2026 Budget): Finance Director Matthew Lue and staff presented the budget: $559 million in revenue, $608 million in total expenditures ($544 million operating, $64 million capital). General fund deficit of $2.7 million. An amendment corrected line 54 (removing unnecessary transfer). Council approved as amended 7-0.
- B218-25 (Closed Records): City Counselor Nancy Thompson explained the changes align with state law. Council approved 7-0.
- B241-25 (TMT Consulting for Mental Health Trainings): Violence Prevention Administrator D’Markus Thomas-Brown presented the $21,000 contract for trauma-informed training. Council approved 7-0.
- New Business:
- R133-25 (Temporary Parking Closure): Approved 7-0 (Foster absent) to allow building restoration at 101 S. Fifth Street.
- R132-25 (Police Collective Bargaining Amendment): Amended to replace Exhibit B; approved 7-0.
- Introduction and First Reading: PR134-25 (2026 state legislative priorities) and B242-25 through B255-25 were introduced. These will appear on future agendas.
- Reports:
- REP47-25 (Human Rights Mediation Services): Council directed staff to bring an ordinance to make mediation permissive after investigation.
- REP48-25 (Electric Integrated Resource Plan): Council authorized staff to move forward with The Energy Authority (TEA) to develop an updated IRP, expected in 6–9 months.
Key Outcomes
- Votes:
- B205-25 (Parking meter rates): 7-0.
- B183-25A (FY2026 Budget, as amended): 7-0.
- B218-25 (Closed records): 7-0.
- B241-25 (TMT Consulting): 7-0.
- Consent agenda (13 items): 7-0.
- R133-25 (Parking closure): 7-0 (Foster absent).
- R132-25 (Police collective bargaining amendment): 7-0.
- Appointments: Various roll call and voice votes.
- Directives:
- Staff directed to bring an ordinance on mediation services (REP47-25).
- Staff authorized to negotiate with TEA for an Electric Integrated Resource Plan (REP48-25).
- Mayor Buffaloe will submit a letter to the EPA opposing the rollback of the 2009 endangerment finding.
- Staff to provide reports on bond issues, capital improvement projects, notification processes, outsourcing (FY2025), and Central Missouri Humane Society costs.
- The council will discuss formalizing expectations for supplemental memos when items are tabled.
Meeting Transcript
Our Columbia City Council meeting to order for September 15th, 2025. Thank you all for joining. For all those who are able, please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance, which is right behind. I apply to the allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Liberty and justice are all. Yes. Ms. Peters? Here. Buffalo? Here? Ms. Carroll? Here. Selwood? Here. Ms. Sample? Here. Mr. Foster? Here. Mr. Waterman. Here. All right. The public have multiple opportunities to speak at Columbia City Council meetings. You can speak under public hearing, old business, new business. And then we have general comments at the very end of the council meeting. I do ask if you're talking during the council meeting during an area specific legislation to keep your comments from our in remarks to the legislation being discussed. Because at the end of the council meeting, you can say whatever you want to say, as long as it's respectful for three minutes. If you're representing an organization that's affected by the legislation being discussed, you'll you can request five minutes. I do ask you to let me know so that I can make sure our fellows change the shot clock there so you have a correct time. Disruptions will be addressed with a warning and if necessary, removal and recess. So up first on our agenda, I'll uh make a motion to approve the September 2nd, 2025 regular meeting minutes. Do I have a second? Second. Second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Uh moving on for our adjustment. Does anyone uh oh we do have one? Um our resolution 132 25 needs to be moved from consent agenda to new business because we have an amendment sheet to go to that. Um are there any other changes to the agenda? Seeing none, I'll make a motion uh to approve the agenda with resolution 132 25 moving to new business. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Nick Foster.
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