Good evening, and now call to order the December 15th, 2025 Columbia City Council meeting to order.

I invite all those who are able to please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

And to the public for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Sheila Wee, please call roll.

Mr.

Waterman.

Here.

Ms.

Peters.

Here.

Ms.

Buffalo.

Here.

Miss Carroll.

Here.

Miss Elwood.

Here.

Ms.

Sample.

Here.

Mr.

Foster.

Here.

All right.

Well, good evening.

The public have multiple opportunities to speak on at Columbia City Council meetings.

You can speak during uh old business, new business, uh, and any public hearing if there's on that agenda.

We also have opportunities at the end uh for general comments by the public.

Um the rules that we have are that um uh I remind people to combine your remarks to the specific item being discussed.

Uh you'll can you'll have three minutes or you can request five minutes if you are an organization affected by the legislation being voted on.

Um at the end, same rules, uh, three minutes apply.

I ask people to respect the time limits uh for fairness.

We do that so that everybody has an opportunity to speak.

Um I ask that we avoid demonstrations that might intimidate your neighbors from speaking at council meetings.

Uh we will address issues, not individuals, and that and refrain from personal attacks, and that includes on city staff.

Uh disruptions would be addressed with a warning and if necessary, removal and recess.

Um I just want to comment too, just on the agenda, um, because we've had questions on this at the last one.

Just as an overview, if this is your first time, uh so when we say you can talk during uh the public hearings that we have for this evening, we don't have any.

So opportunities for public uh comment will be during the old business.

So bills 308 25, 322, 25, and anything else that's added.

Items that are on, if you see on the consent agenda, if they are not pulled, uh, usually there's not public comment on them.

So you'd have to save that for the end at the end of the at the end of the council meeting.

I say that because sometimes there's people in the audience.

And new business.

You can also comment on the items under new business.

All right.

So moving on for our uh minutes.

Up first, I'll make a motion to approve the November 17, 2025 regular meeting minutes.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Nick Foster, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

All right.

And then I'll make a motion to approve the December 1st, 2025 regular meeting minutes.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Don Waterman.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All right.

Now we had had some adjustments to the agenda, so there are a few things on the consent agenda that will be moving to old business and new business.

So we had a constituent ask that Bill 3125 be moved from the consent agenda.

That will go to old business.

And then staff has asked that resolutions 174-25 and resolutions 175-25 be moved from the consent agenda and those will go to new business.

Um they have some amendments that need to be made.

Are there any other changes to the agenda?

Seeing none, I'll make a motion to approve the agenda uh as amended.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Jackie.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

All right.

Uh now up first uh we have a special item.

We've asked for one of our uh ARPA recipients to come give us an update.

So we have an update um by Burl on the ARPA project and the crisis continuum.

And I think they have a few different presenters.

Yeah.

And the magic will just happen where what is on your laptop will magically come onto these screens.

All right, and this clicker is theoretically, yes.

All right.

Well, uh just want to say thank you.

This is a project that's been long.

Oh, and Matt, will you introduce yourself for those who don't know?

All right.

Uh my name is Matthew Gass.

I am the CEO of Center Stone, Missouri, and uh, you know, very thankful for the support of the council and and the opportunity that we're bringing before you.

So thought it might be nice to do a quick start.

There's been some some name changes and some things that are happening in the news with our organization.

Uh while we are uh in the next few months adopting the name Centerstone across Missouri.

Uh just wanted to make sure that this council understood that our board representation, uh leadership in Columbia, all of that remains unchanged.

But you will start to see some signage changes and those types of things in March.

But again, everything everything else remains uh very much the same.

Centerstone uh and Burl uh have are both uh companies with long legacies and and together combining resources allows us to provide additional services and other expertise.

So I'm gonna pass this off to to Megan.

Hello, my name is Megan Steen.

I'm the COO.

Uh so just a little bit about community behavioral health organizations.

Uh you can see the footprint that we serve uh throughout the state of Missouri.

And what uh so these are the ongoing treatment services that we provide that include include uh outpatient treatment, uh inpatient uh residential substance use treatment, um, and then the the update that we'll be providing tonight is part of our crisis continuum.

So we have many different points of entry uh and opportunities for immediate response when individuals are in crisis in our community.

Uh that crisis response can look like contacting 988 or 911.

988 will provide a call, text, or chat support for any issues uh that can be resolved uh via phone or text.

And then for individuals where uh an in-person response would be the most helpful, uh, we have a mobile crisis response team.

And so that response team is fairly new to uh to the state of Missouri and especially to the Columbia community.

So this is a 24-hour seven-day-a-week crisis response uh to where if an individual contacts 988 and is really needing that in-person response that these providers can go and respond.

Uh 911 uh can also transfer uh any calls to 988 or dispatch our mobile crisis response uh for individuals where a mental health response would be more appropriate.

And I've had the opportunity to talk with some of you about our mobile crisis response.

This is really an area where especially uh we're working to uh raise awareness, um especially with our downtown business and stakeholders around uh the availability of mobile crisis response.

All of our crisis services are at no cost.

Uh so this is through our partnership with the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Uh so our 988 suicide prevention uh hotline, uh, both phone and text are no uh no cost.

Our 24-7 behavioral crisis uh walk-in center, there are no cost uh for accessing that level of service, which you will hear a little bit more about the expansion tonight.

And then our community behavioral health liaisons.

So these liaisons work in partnership directly with law enforcement.

We have one that is embedded within uh Columbia Police Department and another that serves Boone County Sheriff Office and municipal police departments across the county.

We also have staff who are embedded at um Missouri Psychiatric Center for our emergency room enhancement program.

And so this is really designed as staff to be a warm handoff for individuals who have been in an inpatient hospitalization and are needing to be connected with follow-up services upon discharge.

You also um may have recently heard about uh our uh intensive residential treatment center.

So this is located at Town Drive.

Uh we have the capacity for up to 16 adults uh to receive uh in 24-7 intensive residential treatment.

And then our behavioral crisis center.

So this was in partnership with you all.

I'll talk a little bit about the programming side before I hand over to Susan.

Uh but this uh is a project that will extend our capacity as well as the hours.

So uh we will have the ability to have some additional beds that will extend from 23 hours to 72 hours for adults who are needing additional crisis stabilization.

Good evening.

I'm Susan Hart.

I'm president of Reinhardt Construction, and we are the general contractor for Burl on the new Crisis Center that's located at 107 Texas Avenue.

Um we started our notice to proceed was in September, and we are currently working on doing underground electrical.

We have all the footings, foundations in, we're doing the underground electrical and plumbing, so that we can start framing the walls, and you'll see it come out of the ground actually in January, have it in the dry by February.

We'll work through for a note for a substantial completion to turn it over to Burl the end of August.

So that's the timing for that.

Of course, they'll have some work that they need to do after we turn it over to them because they have uh to move in after that.

Um this facility is three times as large as the current behavioral health crisis center that's over on East Walnut.

It's gonna have extended hours.

Are you gonna talk a little bit about that?

Or um this slide talks about the extended hours.

It's a shared campus with the Phoenix Clinic, which is really a nice synergy for Borough, but it's located right over there.

Um we're thrilled to be able to put this facility in place in Columbia for Burl and Center Stone Company.

Thank you.

Oh, I think there's another picture here.

There we go.

Here you go.

This is the current facility that's located at 1805 Walnut Street that we completed about four years ago.

Um it's in the lower level there.

Um then um you can see the statistics how many they've served uh at that facility.

Here's the current progress.

You can see the footings, foundations, everything going on that were actually over there getting it out of the ground.

It's not the best time for construction, but we have we have ways to work through cold weather and snow and construction there.

See, there's the snow.

So we can keep working.

Um in fact, I have electric blankets rented for uh the week of New Year's so I can pour the floor slab and keep moving and get that thing out of the ground.

So we can keep it going.

It's very important we know that we need to get this facility done as soon as possible and start serving the individuals that need it.

So if you have questions for the team, we'd love to take them at this time.

Any questions for Matt, Megan?

All right, yeah.

Any anticipation date for taking possession of the new building and beginning services?

Um for taking for substantial completion to have our occupancy permit from the City of Columbia would be at the end of August.

We're going for August 31st right now.

And then after that, Matt.

The time that we take possession, it typically takes about 60 days to get through, you know, carfin DMH license.

And then, you know, our we're fortunate that we already have the staff in place that we'll be able to move directly over.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah, Betsy.

And how many people will you be able to serve?

Because you was like three times as many, but I don't know how many you can do on evil on East Walnut.

So our capacity will increase uh by at least four chairs uh within the uh the crisis uh center area, and then it will also allow for four beds uh that will be the acute stabilization.

So where individuals would be able to stay beyond that 23 hour, which is a brand new um opportunity for us here.

That is not currently a service that we have the capacity to to provide at our current facility.

You're currently serving about 300 people.

You're currently serving around 300 people a month, you said?

So this will allow you to expand to at least double that.

Okay.

What are you going to do with the East?

Be by the microphone if you're gonna talk.

What are you gonna do with the East Walnut?

Um, yeah, that's an interesting question.

Um we have several ideas that we're not quite ready to promote yet, uh, but that facility will not go unused.

So we just want to make sure that we we don't um communicate uh some future plans and then people show up there for the use of that facility.

Um but that's that's been a great location for us for a number of years.

I will also say, as you're talking about the increased capacity, one of the really important things about this center is the crisis stabilization.

So if you if you look at SAMPSHA standards, you've got you know some somewhere to go, which is the crisis center, you know, someone to call, which is our 988 line, or or the Boone County Crisis Line, and then additionally to that, someone to respond.

So those are those those mobile crisis folks that you're that you're seeing out there.

What you often find is it in it takes sometimes it takes more than 23 hours for an individual to stabilize if they're on a new medication regime.

Or one of the things that that is happening um, you know, is as we become Center Stone, Missouri is streamlined capacity for substance use treatment.

And so if an individual needs a residential bed that you can't find in Columbia or Boone County, we're already doing this, but it's a bit complicated.

But making sure that that individual has a place to stay if they need to access a residential bed in Kirksville or or St.

Louis, uh that's that's part of the benefit of having these additional hours.

And we've seen we've seen in other areas where we have that service, how successful that can be.

So this is a this is a really critical and key detail that that you all are are allowing us to provide.

So we want to thank you for that.

Are you hiding up?

Yeah, I was wondering what does it mean to have someone embedded with CPD and what does that um collaboration look like?

Yeah.

So community behavioral health liaisons were an initiative that just over 10 years ago uh were brought back.

And and so you know, our goal is about access.

And sometimes it's people that know they need care, and other times it's individuals who may show up in spots where we know that they need care, but they may not be able to advocate for that on their own, or individuals that may not know the resources.

So we're really thankful that uh the City of Columbia allows us to co-locate those officers uh provide referrals or high utilizers of of law enforcement in 911 time, and and so then they take those back uh to our team and we outreach them, or we make other referrals in the in the community where you know this may be somebody that needs a primary care doctor, and and we make sure that those those referrals are made made.

So thank you.

Do they have training from both Burrell and CPD?

Yeah, they're they're absolutely vetted and they become part of that culture.

They attend uh shift meetings and staffings, you know, all of that.

So, you know, we uh five years ago we had one community behavioral health liaison, uh, and now and now there's more than five working in in our service area, uh, two that are specifically working Columbia and Boone County.

Uh together, the CBHL and then the CIT council provide those 40 hour mental health trainings that Columbia and Boone County law enforcement officers receive.

Great, thanks.

Thank you.

Any other questions for Matt or Megan?

I think just one question that has come up before uh you mentioned you know, because of the service area that you provide, um you know, we have the um making sure that people are being taken care of where they are.

Do you see that we have the capacity to serve um those in need, or is it that's what you're trying to help grow is those additional beds so that somebody in Kirksville can stay in Kirksville?

Or is you mentioned kind of that you will take them to wherever a bed is.

Yeah, you know, that's I I appreciate the question.

You know, we we've got a very unique position.

I thought I had five minutes when we first saw that.

So I was rushing through our first couple of slides.

But you know, we serve a unique capacity as the contracted agent for the Department of Mental Health.

So you know, we're constantly growing services based on what's needed for the residents here.

But but ultimately, you know, our goal if somebody comes in and uses a behavioral health crisis center in Columbia, they want to get back home and and we want them to as well.

So, you know, as Megan was talking about these co-locations, part of what we're you know, what we have that we're really proud of is a partnership with the the University of Missouri Psychiatric Center where one of our staff are looking at individuals who consent uh to see whether or not they've been in services with us before and one streamlining and making it easy for them to get connection and two helping them get back to where where they came from and where they're going.

So yeah, I think you know, we we've got the ability and and capacity to support and assist.

Uh we receive about 9,000, about 8,500, 9,000 um, you know, crisis calls uh a year.

Um you know, we we um you know uh by standard, um, you know, you've got about you know, usually serve you usually refer uh mobile crisis to about 10% of those calls.

I think this is a place where uh as we continue to grow our partnership with CPD and with city and other resources, you'll start to see even more of those of those calls out for mobile.

Uh I think is the more that we talk about these positions, the more staff that we have or or more potential candidates who want to make a difference apply for those mobile crisis positions.

So I think you know, as as we continue to grow and and foster this conversation, um, it just makes our all of our services better.

Thank you.

Well, thank you.

Appreciate the update.

Oh, sorry, Faller, yeah.

I did have another question.

Um do you have an idea of what response time is like in general on a 988 call?

Yeah, so I I can tell you that I looked at the data earlier today, and um, you know, we uh borough, um, soon to be you know, Centerstone, Missouri, and Compass, too, you know, these are both organizations that you have working in this community.

Um, those are those are two organizations that you can be really proud of.

Um Borough operates the crisis line for uh this this service area, and we answer about 97% of those calls.

Um, you know, we we've got staff that are that are on 24-7, so and they work out of that behavioral crisis center that you guys are helping support and fund.

So going from 1800 square feet roughly to 5500 square feet allows for additional office space and those kinds of things for those those staff, and they can be they can be sent out immediately.

Thanks.

Well, thank you.

Appreciate the update, and especially the moved up time like you see that development happened.

So I appreciate the update.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

All right, moving on.

We have our appointments to boards and commissions.

So there are multiple opportunities for community members to serve uh and volunteer for the city of Columbia.

Um, and one of those ways is through boards and commissions.

And so this evening we have a few openings and a few applicants to appoint.

So we'll first start with our board of adjustment.

Um if agreeable, we have one applicant uh for a vacancy.

So if it were agreeable, no objection for Alexander Bryan to be appointed.

No objections.

All right.

Uh and then moving on, our newly formed collegiate advisory council.

Uh, this will be a group um advising council on issues from our local um higher education institutions.

So we will go through these.

We have three University of Missouri vacancies, and we have seven applicants.

So we will do roll call for these.

And so Sheila, if you want to start with the first of the University of Missouri vacancy.

Mr.

Waterman?

Julian Fletcher, Ms.

Peters.

Juan Pablo Geraldo Azaro.

Miss Buffalo.

Uh I will also go with the Juan Pablo Heraldo Azaza.

Miss Carroll.

Juan Pablo Geraldo Azaza.

Miss Elwood?

Juan Pablo Geraldo Azaza.

Ms.

Sample.

Julian Fletcher.

Mr.

Foster.

Juan Pablo Raldo Isaza.

Juan Pablo has been appointed.

Okay.

For the second vacancy.

Mr.

Waterman.

Julian Fletcher.

Miss Peters?

Julian Fillian Fletcher.

Miss Buffalo.

Julian Fletcher.

Miss Carroll.

Jackson Jacobson.

Miss Elwood.

Julian Fletcher.

Miss Sample.

Julian Fletcher.

And Mr.

Foster.

Julian Fletcher.

Julian has more than four votes, so he's been appointed.

All right.

And then the third and final University of Missouri representative.

Mr.

Waterman.

Carolina Rodriguez Rios.

Miss Peters.

Jackson Jacobson.

Miss Buffalo.

Carolina Rodriguez Rios.

Miss Carroll.

Jackson Jacobson.

Miss Elwood.

Carolina Rodriguez Rios.

Ms.

Sample.

Carolina Rodriguez Rios.

And Mr.

Foster.

Carolina Rodriguez Rios.

Carolina was appointed as well.

All right.

We have three applications for two vacancies representing Columbia College.

So we'll call roll for those.

Mr.

Waterman.

Landon Reg.

Ms.

Peters.

Emma Winchester.

Miss Buffalo.

Landon Rig.

Miss Carroll.

Emma Winchester.

Miss Elwood.

Emma Winchester.

Miss Sample.

Emma Winchester.

Mr.

Foster.

Emma Winchester.

Emma's been appointed.

For the second vacancy, Mr.

Waterman.

Landon Rig?

Ms.

Peters.

Landon Reag.

Ms.

Buffalo.

Landon Reg.

Miss Carroll.

Landon Reig.

Miss Elwood?

Landon Reigns?

Ms.

Sample?

Landon Reg.

Mr.

Foster.

Nicholas Huggins.

Landon was appointed.

And then we have three, or no, we have two vacancies and seven.

Seven applicants.

Eight applicants for two vacancies, sorry, for Stevens College.

So we'll call roll on those as well.

Mr.

Waterman.

Shannon Nunn.

Ms.

Peters.

Jubilee Forbes.

Ms.

Buffalo.

Jubilee Forbis.

Miss Carroll.

Jubilee Forbus.

Miss Elwood.

Shannon Nunn.

Ms.

Sample.

Shannon Nunn.

Mr.

Foster.

Jubilee Forbus.

Jubilee received four votes as she's been appointed.

And for the final vacancy for Stevens College.

Mr.

Waterman.

Shannon Nunn.

Miss Peters.

Shannon Nunn.

Miss Buffalo.

Shannon Nunn.

Miss Carroll.

Shannon Nunn.

Miss Elwood.

Shannon Nunn.

Miss Sample.

Shannon Nunn.

And Mr.

Foster.

Olivia Paws.

Shannon is appointed.

Or yeah.

Shana is appointed.

Right.

And then we have we have two applicants and two vacancies for the Moberly Area Community College representative.

So if there's no objections, uh we can appoint Chloe Campbell and Elizabeth Williams to those positions.

No objections?

No objections.

All right.

Well appreciate the level of interest in a newly formed council.

Moving forward for our Columbia Sports Commission.

If agreeable, so we have industries that need to be represented.

So if agreeable, the one applicant, Jared Clarfield can be appointed for the hotel motel industry representative vacancy if there's no objection.

No object.

All right.

Similarly, Ethan Cobb can be reappointed for the representative of sports club organization if there's no objection.

No objection.

And then see, okay, and then because Ethan was apported as the sports club, um, Carter Marks can be um uh appointed as the representative for the large business or employer if there's no objection.

No objection all right and then for our no and then that's all that's all the vacancies, is that right?

No, we have one for citizen at large.

Okay, sorry.

Um for our citizen at large, um, we have six applicants for one vacancy, so there will need to be role for that one.

Yeah, really there's only three left, so Mr.

Waterman, Bo Bayman, Miss Peters, Bo Bayman, Miss Buffalo, Bo Bayman, Miss Carroll, Bo Bayman, Miss Elwood, Bo Bayman, Ms.

Sample, Bo Bayman, and Mr.

Foster.

Devin Orgo.

Bo Bayman was appointed.

All right, so for our finance advisory and audit committee, we have uh three vacancies.

One uh needs to be a CPA representative, and so we'll need to call role because we have two applicants for that one.

Mr.

Waterman, Carolyn Bueller, Miss Peters, Carolyn Bueller, Miss Buffalo, Caroline Bueller, Miss Carroll, Caroline Bueller, Miss Elwood, Caroline Bueller, Miss Sample, Caroline Bueller, Mr.

Foster, Caroline Bueller.

Caroline's been appointed.

All right, and then for our general representative vacancy, uh, we have two vacancies, but we have multiple applicants, so we'll need to call role on that one.

Mr.

Waterman, Randy Minchu.

Miss Peters, Randy Minchew, Miss Buffalo, Peter Schneeberger, Miss Carroll, Peter Scheenberger, Miss Elwood, Peter Schneeburger, Miss Sample, Peter Schneeberger, Mr.

Foster, Peter Schneeberger.

Peter's been appointed to that vacancy.

And then for the second vacancy of that one, Mr.

Waterman.

Ms.

Peters?

Randy Minchew.

Miss Buffalo?

Randy Minchu.

Miss Carroll.

Jay McIntosh.

Miss Elwood?

Jay Mackintosh.

Ms.

Sample.

Jay McIntosh.

Mr.

Foster.

Brandy Minchew.

Randy Minchu was appointed.

Okay.

Moving forward for the Firefighters Retirement Board.

We have two applicants and one vacancy.

Mr.

Waterman.

Michael Yocham.

Ms.

Peters.

Michael Yokum.

Miss Buffalo.

Michael Yokam.

Ms.

Carroll.

Michael Yochum.

Miss Elwood.

Michael Yocham.

Ms.

Sample.

Michael Yokam.

Mr.

Foster.

Michael Yoakum.

Michael's been appointed.

Up next for our Human Services Commission.

We have six applicants for three vacancies.

Mr.

Waterman.

Rutasha Belcher Harris.

Miss Peters.

Ratasha Belcher Harris.

Miss Buffalo.

Ratasha Belcher Harris.

Ms.

Carroll.

Ratasha Belcher Harris.

Miss Elwood.

Rutasha Belcher Harris.

Miss Ample?

Rutasha Belcher Harris.

And Mr.

Foster.

Natasha Belcher Harris.

Tasha's been appointed.

Next vacancy, uh Mr.

Waterman.

Kimberly Getzoff.

Miss Peters.

Benjamin Hamra.

Ms.

Buffalo.

Kimberly Getzoff.

Miss Carroll.

Kimberly Getzoff.

Miss Elwood.

Kimberly Getzoff.

Ms.

Sample?

Kimberly gets off.

And Mr.

Foster.

Benjamin Hamro.

Kimberly's been appointed.

And for the last vacancy on that commission.

Mr.

Waterman.

Benjamin Hamro.

Ms.

Peters.

Benjamin Hamra.

Miss Buffalo.

Benjamin Hamra.

Ms.

Carroll.

Benjamin Hamra.

Miss Elwood.

Benjamin Hamra.

Ms.

Sample.

Krista Copeland.

Mr.

Foster.

Benjamin Hamra.

Benjamin's been appointed.

Moving on.

If there's no objection, we have one applicant for the one vacancy for the Mayor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health.

So if there's no objection, Melissa Frieders will be appointed to that one.

No objection.

For the police retirement board, we have two applicants for one vacancy.

Mr.

Waterman.

Mike Hackman.

Ms.

Peters.

Mike Hackman.

Ms.

Buffalo.

Michelle Curry.

Ms.

Carroll.

Mike Hackman.

Ms.

Elwood.

Mike Hackman.

Ms.

Sample?

Mike Hackman.

Ms.

Foster.

Show Curry.

Mike Hackman was reappointed.

And then finally, for our last for the Tobacco Retailer License Review Board, we have one applicant and one vacancy.

So if there's no objection, Michelle Curry can be appointed.

No objection.

All right.

And that is it.

Just for those interested in hearing their name tallied on the third Monday, or actually I believe third Tuesday in January.

Applications for the next round of vacancies for boards and commissions will go live on this coming Wednesday.

So keep an eye out for that.

All right.

So besides commenting during old business, new business at the very end, there's also opportunities for scheduled public comment.

Uh community members can reach out to the city manager's office by noon the Wednesday before a city council meeting and schedule public comment.

Schedule public cannot public comment cannot be on items.

They're on that same night's agenda.

And of note, it's been typical practice of the city council to ask for additional follow-up of questions asked tonight at the end if it's warranted.

So tonight we have three scheduled public comments.

So I'd like to first ask Travis Byrd to come forward to speak.

And each scheduled public comment has five minutes.

You don't have to request it, you get it.

You don't have to take it though.

Thanks everyone.

Good evening.

Uh my name is Travis Byrd.

I am going to read a statement here.

I want to comment on Vidwest studios as an entity that receives funds from the city that are in question.

I strongly believe Vidwest deserves a city's continued support as a model of successful community development and collaboration, especially in the arts.

I live in Columbia and I'm a media professional who shares working space with Vidwest.

I work for True False Film Fest and I operate my own film and music nonprofit.

So I've been able to observe their goings on from close range over the last five years or so, the entirety of my time living in Columbia.

I have shared space with other community media groups in a few different cities, and Vidwest is exceptional on every level.

Vidwest is a model of community collaboration and diversity of use.

This is Vidwest, the space and the organization.

VidWest houses an incredible variety of creative practices in a supportive and supervised and serious yet relaxed environment.

The mingling at Vidwest of amateur and professional is crucial.

Many of us create media on a daily basis for free, whether we like to or not.

But there are plenty of people who don't do that and they need help.

We can talk about economic benefits and return on investment, but people need to learn how to actually do this stuff, and they learn it at Vidwest.

It is the soil in which the media skills germinate.

I became a media professional in my twenties by being underemployed and gradually working my way into an industry.

This I believe hasn't changed very much.

You still have to put in lots of time, hope for connections, and make things first.

So you need a space in which to make things and you need it to do it in proximity to other people who can help you learn.

It is hard to get to the next level, especially without the privileges of free time or a university program.

Vidwest offers a way for anyone to see what the next level looks like and then reach for it.

I also want to emphasize how smartly Vidwest operates their space, which I have observed on a daily basis for years now.

Vidwest punches so far above their weight.

They are a volunteer-led organization that has created jobs for others.

They are resourceful and creative problem solvers in an old, really strange building, and they've improved key parts of it significantly.

This is in part because city funds allow them to focus on the work instead of living in the funding purgatory that so many nonprofits do permanently.

And without city funds, from my perspective, Vidwest's work and crucially the way that they do their work are imperiled.

There is no downsizing or reorganizing or moving.

We cannot simply assume that the work of these volunteers will continue regardless of funding.

This I think would be irresponsible at best.

This organization is doing as much with the city's support as can reasonably be done.

In return, the city is getting a strong return on its investment in measurable ways.

One small example.

Every year there are people who enter the Vidwest orbit who then go on to work jobs at true false or crew up for local video shoots.

Collaborations develop.

In short, Vidwest embodies how we in Columbia want to see ourselves.

I finally want to mention that Vidwest is, in my understanding, is entitled to money collected from the city from cable franchise fees.

The money from these fees is for community media, and thus this money is for Vidwest.

And at the very least, they should be involved directly in the decision-making process for disbursement of these funds.

I greatly admire Vidwest, but I also stand here as a community member who believes this money should go where it was intended to go and then processes that are in place.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks, Chavez.

I now like to ask Tana Moorehead to come forward to speak.

Good evening.

I'm Tana Moorhead with the Small Business, U.S.

Small Business Administration.

I'd like to ask if it's okay for my colleague to be able to take a picture of me.

We do have to report our outings.

You will justify that you are here.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

As I said, I'm with the U.S.

Small Business Administration.

And for those of you who may not be familiar with the Federal organization, we are the largest source of funds supplying businesses to start expand their business and basically provide technical assistance and support for them.

That is one aspect of SBA.

The other aspect is the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, which I represent and work under.

And we're here to support homeowners, renters, and small businesses who might have been impacted by the tornado that took place in March, April this year.

I understand that the main impact was in the Pilot Grove area.

We have about 20 primary counties that were impacted and about 21 contiguous counties that are impacted.

The difference between the two, the 20 primary counties actually are those where individuals and businesses can apply for physical damages.

For the contiguous counties, businesses can apply for economic injury.

So if they were impacted by indirectly or directly by the storm, they can apply for economic injury.

And that actually will allow them to cover their debts that they weren't able to pay had the disaster not taken place.

So those are the programs that we offer.

It's for businesses, homeowners, and with including the businesses, let me reference to that that includes nonprofit organizations as well.

So our program, I like to say is disaster friendly.

And generally we would typically have centers, what we call a disaster recovery center set up for applicants to apply.

That did take place for about a few days earlier before I got here.

But uh applicants can also go online to our website, which is www.sba dot gov, that's G O V forward slash disaster.

That's WWW.sba dot gov forward slash disaster.

The phone number to our customer service uh center is 800 6592955.

That's 800 6592955.

In addition to this information, um I'm also um scheduling different uh informational sessions for stakeholders, um, homeowners, renters, and small businesses to share disaster preparedness.

Um I've traveled with SBA for about three years.

We go disaster to disaster to disaster to disaster.

And a lot of times we meet with people who are obviously panicking and you know, needing help immediately.

Um, it is my um personal opinion that I think having the information before you ahead of time before disaster strike helps eliminate some of the stress and hasty decisions that are made when these things happen.

So I'd like any input.

If there are any other individuals that you think I can speak with uh to share this information and provide the details of our program, I would greatly appreciate it.

I will be happy to share my information.

Maybe I can stay after the meeting.

I don't know how long you guys are be here.

But perhaps I can share some information or share it with you by email.

You can give me a point of contact, and I'll be happy to share the information.

Appreciate it, Tanner.

Any questions?

Thank you.

Well, we'll probably cop we'll probably have staff follow-up with you.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you so much.

All right.

I'd now like to invite David Diamond to come forward to speak.

Thanks for the opportunity to speak, guys.

Um, and and thanks for listening.

Um my name is David Diamond, and I was the director of the Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership at the University of Missouri from 1996 to 2021.

During that time, we completed statewide ecological system classifications, descriptions, and maps for Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Arkansas, in addition to Missouri.

I am now a senior ecologist at the University of Missouri.

I am an enthusiastic cyclist and trail users.

My peak year was 4,000 miles in the COVID year, riding my bike on trails.

And I seldom miss a day of cycling or walking on one of the local trails, not five out of seven, ninety-nine out of a hundred.

So I'm very enthusiastic about trails.

The Gans Creek Recreation Area contains the most ecologically significant natural resources within the city park property, within any city park property by a wide margin.

Um the areas within a conservation opportunity area designated by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

It is also at the northeast corner of an important bird area designated by the National Audubon Society in conduct in conjunction with the American Bird Conservancy.

A diversity of natural habitats are present, including bluffs and cliffs, karst features, including a cave and sinkholes, and Gans Creek itself, which is an outstanding state resource water downstream as designated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Gans Creek Recreation Area property thus offers the opportunity to increase the size of that large protected block of core wildlife habitat.

The option to conserve such a significant ecological area does not exist anywhere else within the city.

We should take advantage of that opportunity, or it will be lost forever.

A coalition of environmental organizations, including Sierra Club, Columbia Audubon, Friends of Rockbridge State Park, and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment has developed a fact sheet on Gans Creek Recreation Area, a two-page sheet, and an accompanying PowerPoint presentation.

I gave the PowerPoint to the Climate and Environment Commission on September 23rd of this year.

I would be happy to provide the fact sheet or the PowerPoint to anyone who is interested or present the PowerPoint.

In summary, our coalition favors low impact recreation recreational development options, such as footpaths from the north bluff of Gans Creek southward to the property boundary.

Volunteer and student educational opportunities could be emphasized considering the diverse natural habitats and high ecological significance of this area.

Thank you.

Thank you, David.

All right, moving on.

We have no public hearings this evening.

We do have three items that will be discussed under old business and two items that will be under new business.

So we'll start first with Sheila, we please read bills Bill 30825.

Council Bill 30825 is an ordinance granting the issuance of conditional use permit to Marmar Atala and Hannah Shea Haday to allow the operation of a short-term rental on property located at 3408 Eastham Drive, providing a severality clause and fixing the time when this ordinance shall become a fact of second reading.

Do we have a staff report?

Yes.

Thank you, Mayor.

City Council, Clint Smith, Community Development Director.

As uh as Sheila stated, this is a uh conditional use permit uh for a short-term rental.

It's located at 3408 Eastham Drive.

Uh did appear in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Uh there were uh public hearing letters and notifications that were sent out.

Uh this particular one uh was for a 210-night uh and eight guest short-term rental application.

Uh as you can see in the uh kind of aerial there, uh the general location, kind of south of Green Meadows Road, a little broader look, kind of the context for the site.

Uh the red uh is the subject property that we're discussing tonight.

Uh the yellow, which is uh fronting on Green Meadows Road.

Uh actually uh we'll reference that here in a minute, but that is an existing short-term rental that has been licensed.

Um diagram, kind of from corner to corner, closest proximity is about 200 feet uh between those two properties.

Um but again I note uh the one that's yellow, front screen meadows road, and this one is on Eastham Drive.

Uh just a little note on the parking.

They do have um parking uh in front with two car garages, which would be enough for uh eight transient guests.

Uh just some of the pertin facts for this short-term rental.

Uh it is zoned R1, uh, it's three bedroom, two and a half bath.

Uh it has previously been uh used as a short-term rental uh in 2024, and approximately three of the parcels around this property have been used for rental purposes as well.

Uh as I noted earlier, there is an existing short-term rental.

That's the orange on this screen, uh, again, kind of along Green Meadows Road.

Um there are uh in looking back through the history of this property, there are uh we did find uh five violations.

So five property maintenance violations for this site.

Uh three of those were in 2025 alone for landscape management, generally for uh tall grass and weeds.

They're all resolved or uh upon inspection uh did not result in any type of uh violation at that time.

The other one was for vehicle blocking uh right-of-way that's from 2023.

Um we also had some information uh about uh police being called or contacted about marijuana odor.

Um the applicant did state that they have no smoking policy, and I would note that uh just the smell of marijuana is not something that uh for my understanding is something we can enforce, or there's no there's no violation there per se.

But uh that information was passed along to the uh to the short-term rental operator at that time.

Uh they have the one open code uh violation right now for uh operating an illegal short-term rental.

Um they actually had been sent uh letters of violation.

So we did identify this one as a short-term rental, and we did send letters notifying them of the requirement to be registered as a short-term rental.

Um there's no response from the uh property owner at that time.

So that case was uh forwarded on to the city prosecutor's office.

So it is currently within their purview.

They did have a hearing this week.

That case was continued again until uh January 21st of next year.

And so that that specific case is for uh the past identification of operating without a license.

Um no matter what would happen tonight, they would still need to to meet uh that uh that hearing and attend that uh in person.

Uh they do have an agent that lives within two miles, again, four compliant parking spaces.

Uh we did receive four emails.

Um yard maintenance is can I be seen from some of the property maintenance concerns, uh, that marijuana odor again, parking, uh, the proximity to other short-term uh rentals, uh, occupancy property values, uh, and the general kind of uh negative impacts uh of short-term rentals that may be real or perceived by the surrounding property owners.

Um to conclude that the plan and zoning did review this case, uh, and a motion to approve that short-term rental failed.

So it was a vote of three to four.

Uh if I was uh to kind of paraphrase, I think, some of the concerns and some of the feedback from planning and zoning.

I think uh the ones that voted uh in a in a negative uh kind of degree to this uh were concerned with kind of the culmination of things.

And so that's something we've seen, I think, from them.

It was the the failure to reply back to the short-term rental notification.

It was the property maintenance concerns, it was a short-term rental being uh that's in existence within 300 feet.

Um I would state about the proximity one.

Staff did review that.

Um kind of door-to-door measurement is more 400 feet.

And I think it is fair to say that there is some context difference between um a house that would be on the same block or the same street versus this one where uh it's fronting on green meadows, it's probably unlikely that traffic from that one is going to affect this neighborhood per se.

Um but again, that that's a that's that is a subjective measurement, and it's something that planned zoning can take into account.

Council can take to account.

Um I think um on the other hand, the three that voted for it, I say generally if I was paraphrasing, um, didn't see any one significant violation or concern that that was really uh I think not not meaningful, but that rose above being uh something that was out of the ordinary, right?

Or something that was that's really concerning.

So they were leaning a little more towards uh allowing them to kind of put this into practice and see if they can operate a short-term rental within the bounds of of the of the uh ordinance.

Um with that, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

All right.

Questions for Clint on this one?

Yeah, Valerie.

Yeah, I had a couple of questions.

Um can you remind me, does the ordinance say 300 feet as the crow flies, or does it specify how it's measured?

How I thought we had a specification.

So perhaps it is uh, you know, I'd have to pull up the ordinance and I can do that right here off the side, but I I know the measurement officially is as a crow flies.

It is a direct distance measurement.

Yeah.

Um other question in reviewing the P and Z minutes.

Um I thought that there had been some um complaints filed about the yard maintenance.

Is that the case?

Were they filed complaints that weren't because it it didn't come under complaints in the staff report?

Yes.

So there were uh from for my recollection, there's there were three property maintenance um uh basically uh reported violations.

Uh and I can tell you off the top of my head, I think at least one of those that the response was that there wasn't a violation, but the other two they were resolved.

I don't think there was any abatement.

Um at the testimony to planning and zoning, I think um you know there was conversation about that, and there was conversation about who was responsible for the maintenance.

Uh I think there is uh uh a uh family member that was responsible for mowing, so there was uh some recognition that maybe there had been some uh less than attentive uh maintenance of that location.

The three complaints two were violations but were resolved.

Correct.

Any other questions?

Yeah, um I guess um Oh, sorry, Don.

Again, in reading through the minutes, if I understood them correctly, have they they have rather than having a relative now take care of it, they've hired somebody to take care of the property, is that correct?

So that to avoid the future instances of uh inattentive maintenance.

I don't know if I could confirm that.

Um I wasn't real sure either from reading.

But as far as the day-to-day um yard maintenance, I I can't tell if that was I I can't recall if that was part of that or not.

They they were, I think, leaning towards a more professional approach.

So they had hired somebody who had familiarity with managing short-term rentals.

I don't necessarily know if that included um direct maintenance of the site.

Uh so I I would have to defer to the applicant, and I don't necessarily know if I see.

I think they're here.

They're here.

Yep.

There they are.

Okay, there.

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um any other question before I ask my.

All right.

So one of the questions um you mentioned in here uh that we sent out letters, community development sent out letters on June 27th and on July 30th.

Um I think my question is so that was around the time that enforcement started, June 1st.

Uh what has been the response?

Like how typical is it that we have not heard back or an application has not been entered once we have initiated a letter going?

Um how how many have escalated to municipal court?

I I don't want to warrant a guess.

I did have a conversation I think with um prosecutor's office on that.

And I think for my recollection, I think the majority of these don't get as far as this one has gotten, but I don't want to warrant a specific number at this point.

So I guess I'm not sure.

I guess I was just wondering, I I guess you don't know how many letters we sent out in June.

Not off the top of my head, no.

Okay.

I'm just trying to understand because I think as you pointed out, four of the members it appears that the reason why was because of the you know so many of the things compiling together.

Okay.

Um then and then you might I don't know if you'll be able to do this because you weren't on community development at that time when this was discussed, but kind of to Valerie's point about the 300.

Um was the discussion that 300 foot is not as big of a thing because it doesn't affect traffic flow.

I thought it was more about concentration of short-term rentals in a neighborhood.

I think it is.

I think those playing together.

It's concentration and what the impacts of the concentration mean, and that's additional traffic flow from each of those sites kind of affecting the other one.

Um I think other things.

Yeah, and it's a provision that uh again, you know, I think we look at it as it's something we can take into account.

So staff's trying to be very objective as much as possible.

Um and it's not uh looking at the location here and the context, didn't feel like that necessarily was a provision that uh in and of itself would have warranted uh a denial.

Uh all right.

Thank you.

Any other questions for staff?

All right, would anyone from the public wish to speak on bill 30825?

Good evening.

Sorry, that was loud.

It was very loud.

My bad.

Where are we going?

I didn't realize how, yeah.

Okay, cool.

You're awake.

Yeah, thank you.

Um well, thank you for the time and consideration.

I just wanted to clarify a few things.

Uh tell us your name in your I will.

Uh my name is Marma Atala.

I'm the applicant, um the owner of the house with uh my wife Hannah.

And um just a little bit of uh background about the property.

We purchased it back in 2019.

My wife was pregnant with our first child.

Um, and then in 2021, we had our second child, and we realized quickly like we're outgrowing the house, so we moved down the street.

Um but just you know, we really had um great neighbors, great relationship with our neighbors.

We had um love the community.

We walked up and down the stroller in the neighborhood.

Um so I just wanted to kind of leave you guys with some context as far as like it.

I know this looks bad.

Um I just wanted to clarify things so it looks so from my perspective, so you guys can get a better clarification of what's going on.

So um, you know, we we did it um initially just to kind of help support other families.

We have had families that like their house burned down and stayed our property, um, and we wanted to support the local community as far as that.

Um but we also, as far as the complaints, we we are strict, we do have strict rules about partying and noise and smoking in the house specifically.

Um we also um have um uh professional lung care service now that takes care of the house um specifically for that reason.

And I will say some of these complaints were before we even started doing anything with the business, like um the blockage I think was when we were moving, so it wasn't anything to do with our business at all at all at the time.

Um and then again, as far as the smoke in marijuana, I mean, if it was outside, it's legal, and I mean I was called about it two days later.

So um, but it was already resolved and had discontinued, so there was no action needed at the time, is what I was told by neighborhood services.

Um but we do we did order some special smoke detectors and uh noise detectors in the house that would actually report directly to Airbnb with their card on file.

So we're rest assured like we want to take care of it.

Um so they will be charged for any violation of that as well.

Um as far as um the missed notices, the early notices that was sent um to East Ham address, not to our primary residence address.

So that was the reason why we didn't see the letters.

And then we finally got the um note for the court date, and that's when we immediately took action.

We took them, took them off, um, took the listings off, and we started this process, so we make sure we're compliant and fully um, you know, within your um, you know, and obviously uh with your with your guys' uh new regulations and stuff.

So that's all they really had.

Thank you for the time and consideration.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, Mama.

Appreciate it.

Yeah.

Would anyone else from the public wish to speak on bill 30825?

My name is Jessica Simpson.

I'm gonna read something because I could ramble for like an hour.

Um I just want to thank you guys for the opportunity to speak today.

My name is Jessica Simpson.

I am a lifelong Missourian, a single mother, and a local business owner who manages short-term rentals here in Columbia and I'm also a realtor.

Um, I want to speak specifically about this property and the concerns that have been raised.

So there were complaints associated with this address over time.

Um, most of those predate its use as a short-term rental.

Since operating this property as an Airbnb, the issues have been minimal, and when something has been brought to our attention has been taken care of immediately.

Um recently I know there was a uh note about a violation about a trash can being left out after 10 p.m.

Um we had taken the property off of Airbnb, and this was actually the family um was staying there.

So this is actually like his father that left it out and just didn't realize.

Um the moment we were notified, we corrected it immediately.

Before coming here tonight, I did contact the city to confirm um the enforcement activity in the immediate area.

I was confronted there are no other nearby homes with active um comparable violations, and so there was a complaint filed in July regarding landscaping that was investigated, and it was determined not to actually be a violation.

Um so it kind of seemed like there were repeated complaints being filed and investigated and found unsubstantiated, um, and there was no similar scrutiny being applied to surrounding properties.

Um just kind of raises concerns about um neighbors being selective about enforcement rather than actual co-compliance.

Um I do want to actually and I just wanted to explain the real economic economic impact of this specific property.

So right now um we know there's a 210-day limit on short-term rentals, and so with that limit, this home supports roughly 40 to 45 cleaning jobs per year.

Um with basically we have like an average of a four-day stay.

Each clean pays 175 dollars, which is more than three times the minimum wage.

The women who I have cleaned this home and all of my Airbnbs, they're single mothers who are already working full-time minimum wage paying jobs.

This is um often the only time that they can earn meaningful additional income while maintaining flexibility around child care.

Um, even with the current cap, this one property puts over $7,000 into a single mom's home.

So denying this Airbnb would remove income from local working families.

I also would like to address a common misconception about short-term rentals and affordable housing.

Um, the majority of short-term rentals are not located in homes that would otherwise qualify as affordable housing, including this home that we're speaking of tonight.

Limiting or denying these um does not create affordable housing.

It's actually removing income from the very people we are trying to support.

You've reached time.

Oh, okay.

You're good.

Thank you.

You can also email us later for other things.

Yeah, yeah, thanks.

Okay, thank you.

Uh, would anyone else from the public wish to speak on bill 30825?

See none.

We'll come to council comments.

Any council comments or remarks?

Yeah, Valerie.

Yeah.

We have had a number of these come across that are somewhat marginal, um, both in their PZ vote and in their council vote.

Um, there are an actual history of violations here.

Um I do want to talk about the 300 feet as well as um affordable housing and housing supply.

Um I think that it is an oversimplification to say that removing any housing in the area from the housing stock doesn't affect the market during a housing shortage.

Um we have quite a pronounced housing shortage that's well documented, and every even middle level house affects that shortage.

One of the strategies that we have for the 300 feet is not only to prevent traffic, but also to pret prevent over concentration in a given area of STRs.

Um, and I prefer to view that 300 feet directly.

Um I think that is the only way we have outlined in this ordinance to prevent concentration of STRs that may affect available housing in a given area.

Um and I think that is a problem.

Um the economic factors are intertwined with many other layers.

The lack of available housing.

Can't be replaced even with finances.

Any other council comments on this?

Yeah, Bureau.

I actually have a question.

Yeah, a question for So we heard that a lot of the complaints were prior to the use of this property as an STR.

Is that something that matches our records?

I assume we're only looking at complaints while this home is running as an STR.

I can say I think the reported violations for the yard maintenance were all in 2025, from the information I have.

I think the blocking sidewalk was from 2023, which I think for the property owner, it wasn't in operation at that time as a short-term run.

And those violations come the violations from 2025, would those be before or after they started responding to notices.

So they said that maybe it was while they had shut it down as an STR and they then had family living there.

Can we tell if this would have been after they received those notices and decided to shut it down?

I I don't think I have the dates of individual violations right in front of me.

They're attached to the Oh, they're part of the Okay.

Then we do.

So I can't tell if this is just the STR violation or if this is also the code violations.

This might just be the STR violations.

Yeah, I think it's a very good thing.

Yes, those are those are the short-term rental notice that was sent out.

I think if I'm looking at the information I have here in front of me correctly, there was a violation in May.

I think they had stated there was a violation also in July.

I think July one is the one that was confirmed not to be a violation at that point.

Uh the third one, I'm not sure.

Any other questions or comments on it?

Yeah, Nick.

Well, I'm struck, you know, in reading through the minutes and as as I consider every one of these, I uh read through the minutes as carefully as possible.

And this is I appreciate the uh describing this as marginal, because I I think that it is.

And you know, while while some of these violations didn't happen while it was functioning as an STR, they they remain violations or concerns.

Um about the minutes in an ongoing fashion is how PNZ talks about the importance and the necessity of being a good neighbor if you're going to be an STR owner and manage an STR.

And for me, that means, and and we've seen this too, uh reaching out to the neighborhood to be sure they know what's going on, to answer any questions or to to address any concerns.

Um for me, this this does remain marginal at least, and I think that uh it's something that we would do well to communicate to potential STR owners that they really do need to go above and beyond in terms of reaching out and then maintaining that relationship.

And this is true about any neighbors, but you want to be a good neighbor, and that means being in good and clear uh communication and taking initiative uh with those kinds of things.

So that's something I'm keeping in mind as I consider this one.

Any other comments or questions?

Yeah, Don.

I apologize for not asking this earlier so that you would have a chance, but do you know if if there were any other law and care reported violations within 300 feet of this residence or was this one being singled out?

I probably couldn't confirm that at this moment.

It would take a little digging.

Can I ask?

Um with the new dash.

So I just want to acknowledge like I appreciate when people do the corrections of a behavior, you know, like when we when we're aware of something and they do the corrections.

Can you remind me, and we just did the new contract with the new kind of dashboard call line on that?

If somebody receives an issue, and it's a valid complaint that is issued or a violation of code, they get two chances before we pull back their permit or one, and what it what are the rules that gonna be again?

So I believe it is there are uh after two verified issues, uh the city may initiate uh revoking their short-term rental license.

So it's not a automatic, there is a process.

Uh and I think uh that gives some discretion there as far as what those provisions are, but that's generally how we're approaching it is after two verified complaints, uh then that's enough to initiate the replication process.

Yeah, Valerie.

Yeah.

Um I don't know if we have anybody from housing and neighborhood services or I guess the neighborhood services group in that department that could um speak to this.

Um I wanted to say um I had learned on an unrelated call.

Um when they have a um complaint on yard maintenance, they typically check the yard maintenance to see if there are violations on neighboring properties on this the length of the street.

Um is that is that still accurate?

I think I heard all the questions.

I was kind of in route.

Sorry.

So um the question was do if we observe other violations while we're in route, do we write them up?

So I believe the strategy of our code enforcement officers when they're investigating a complaint for tall grass, for example, is to give a notice to anyone on that they pass on the street that has the same violation that they can observe from the street to avoid singling out a single um neighbor that may be reported on unfairly.

That is correct.

Yeah.

Um I I appreciate that strategy.

Um and I hope that that is also useful in these kinds of um complaints or violations that may lead to our consideration on a short-term rental license.

Any other counsel comments?

Yeah, done.

Really more just comment that Yes, we do have the we do have the violations.

Um the violation for the violating short-term rental is going to be addressed appropriately in court.

Uh it sounds like from what the applicant said, you know, they've addressed the issue with the law and maintenance.

I've got a professional law and care.

I think, if I remember correctly from reading the minutes, um they have someone uh, and I believe that may have been Ms.

Simpson that will be also helping administer that, making sure that it is cleaned and so on.

So it sounds like the applicant is making efforts to address and be the good neighbor that uh is kind of requisite to this.

Um that's my comments.

Yeah, any other council comments?

Any follow-up questions on this one?

Okay.

Uh Sheila, will you please call roll on bill 30825?

Council Bill 30825, Mr.

Waterman?

Yes.

Ms.

Peters?

No.

Ms.

Buffalo?

Yes.

Ms.

Carroll?

No.

Ms.

Elwood.

Yes.

No.

Mr.

Foster.

No.

It failed.

Four to three.

Okay.

Thank you.

Moving on.

Uh Sheila, will you please read Bill 3225?

Council Bill 3225 is an ordinance amending the FY2026 annual budget by appropriating funds and the amount of $99,840 authorizing an agreement with for professional services with Powerhouse Community Development Corporation for community nav navigation liaison peer services and fixing the time when this ordinance shall become effective.

Second reading.

Do we have a staff report?

We do.

Good evening.

Uh DeMarcus Thomas Brown, the administrator for the Office of Violence Prevention.

And I also have Kel with me as well, who is uh our purchasing agent.

Yes.

Become good friends through this process.

No, so what we have is a an appropriation for funds uh to go into an account so we can actually enact the agreement here with Powerhouse Community Development Corporation.

It has already gone through RFP, and the reason we did not end up just where Kel could just sign that contract is because of the appropriations that needs to come from council.

Do you want to describe a little bit what the program is?

Sure.

So the community navigation liaisons is a program that was working with uh recently retired Mike Silkoff and the transit um folks over, just with an individual that can ride the transit lines and help get folks who need services to appropriate services as well as supply as a a de-escalation tactic for those who whether they have a mental health uh episode or uh something that happens on the bus, they can actually be there as resource for the individuals.

Um brain uh solidarity for the driver, so the driver can actually just focus on driving and not having to try to be a de-escalation agent, a peer support specialist, and a social worker while trying to navigate uh Columbia streets.

And so uh power, we put it out to bid.

Powerhouse actually had individuals they responded to the bid and Kel could speak to that.

But uh we put it out to bid and we got a response back, and these are the qualifications that we had.

We wanted certified peer specialists.

Those are Missouri uh credentialing boards, certified life lived experienced workers in the field with co-occurring, so the mental health and substance use disorder.

Uh they are trained in de-escalation, they are trained in the cycles of of recovery, and they are trained also in mental health.

Uh we also um our mental health um first aid, excuse me.

They are also we also wanted someone who uh had the heat training, that's the habilitation empowerment accountability therapy that also deals with uh lived experience that may not be in the substance use or mental health this disorder, but also in the lived experience as far as individuals who may be um have life experience that that has adverse childhood experiences, has had um incarceration, things of that nature.

And so with the mur the marrying of both of those, this individual will be uh skilled in de-escalation and also knowing where the services are apply that they can actually help someone get to the the right place versus being on the bus for eight hours.

Any questions from council for staff?

Yeah, Betsy.

Well, uh this sounds like a good program, but are we going to be gathering data?

Like how many people that interact?

I mean, I can be specific if you want.

You know, it's that how many people are they gonna act interact with, what the outcomes are, if they can get them to other services, if they continue to ride the bus.

Are we at the end of this year, will we get some data or what are your plans for that?

Yeah, so we plan to gather data that's uh was written in the in the agreement.

So the the community navigation liaisons will gather who they worked with.

We will do it to where individuals are protected, obviously, uh, but they will be gathering the information of who they come in contact with, where they referred them to.

Uh we also wanted to know where the individuals were from.

Um we have non-destination riders, we want to know like why they were non-destination riders so that we can further supply services to those in these situations.

Okay.

And that in the contract itself.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions?

Yeah, Don and then Nick.

A couple things.

One to kind of piggyback and go along with what Betsy asked, that the metrics, measurement metrics.

Uh, will there also be, and I don't know if metri if numbers are currently being kept about instances, you know, where the drivers have felt that they needed to intercede, and then you know, we can compare that, you know, at the end of the year when we get our feedback to uh I believe and I believe some one of my smart fellow council members asked the question as to where this was coming from, the money.

And this is from some funds that were previously set aside for your office.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Thank you.

Nick.

Uh I'm also very excited about this.

I think uh it could demonstrate something very good that we can that we can generalize to other things that we're doing in the city.

So I look forward to seeing it roll out.

Just a couple of logistical questions.

There'll be a couple of these folks working, and I assume they won't necessarily always be working the same days.

And they will be on different routes from time to time.

How will it be determined what routes they're on on any given day?

So we um in the agreement we will partner with transit, and so we will let them we when we did some of the preliminary studies and and questionnaires with transit.

We we thought we could identify two lines that would they identified more than two lines.

So uh they we will leave to their discretion on what lines we will uh concentrate on.

We do already have two lines already that we will concentrate and then they will be spread throughout because the driver's voice that they every line would like to have community navigation liaisons.

So it will kind of be situational, I assume then you know on any given day, right?

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Other questions?

Yeah, Vera.

So I know that this is um through a contractor.

Um, but I'm wondering for the people who'll be doing these jobs.

Are these trainings that they have before they receive the job?

Are these trainings that will be provided to them where we're helping grow the knowledge and awareness of our community?

So the the RFP specified that these would be trainings before, and so they would need to be working with or at the agency before they came over.

We can, but the certified peer specialist, if somebody was to sign up to take that training, you're gonna we're probably gonna be pushed out four months.

Um we didn't have that time uh in the in the RP process.

We wanted them to have that training.

So when they when the contract was signed, they could start working with transit.

Any other questions on this one?

All right.

Would anyone from the public wish to speak on bill 3225?

See none, we'll go to to council comments.

Council comments on this one.

Yeah, Bowery, go ahead.

I'm pleased to see this coming forward.

Um I'm glad that there is a contractor in our community that has individuals with all of the training that we're requesting to fill this contract.

Um this has been a need for a long time on our bus system.

Um thank you for that.

Um and I think unrelated to this request, I think now might be a good time to um give voice as well to the safety boxes for drivers, the safety enclosures that were requested by our bus drivers.

I think that's another layer that we can help meet the needs of citizens and help protect the drivers who need to be paying attention to the road at the same time and you know, kind of properly um separate and staff those two roles.

Any council comments to this legislation?

Well, it was just a I say maybe save that for when we kind of go off on that legislation.

Uh I'll just say that I view this um, you know, people are gonna say, oh, it's not enough, right?

Because we have multiple buses running at the same time.

I'm viewing this sort of as a pilot to see the impacts of it.

This is something that we talked about two budget cycles ago, like the idea of having kind of bus monitors, because I the way that in talking to our transit drivers and and transit supervisors, it's more than just people are like, oh, it's because people are riding the bus all day.

It's more than that.

The expectations of drivers is more than when I rode the bus.

And so I think I appreciate this innovative solution that might may or may not work.

And I think that's the point when we try innovation is that we have to try something.

Um so I appreciate coming up with this and having a good partnership and following our purchasing process, which Cale was very excited about, I'm sure.

All right, Sheila, will you please call roll on bill 3225?

Council Bill 3225, Mr.

Waterman?

Yes.

Ms.

Peters?

Yes.

Ms.

Buffalo?

Yes.

Ms.

Carroll?

Yes.

Ms.

Elwood?

Yes.

Ms.

Sample?

Yes.

Mr.

Foster?

Yes.

All right.

Moving on.

Uh we had a request from a resident to have Bill 3125 pulled from the consent agenda.

So she'll Sheila, will you please read Bill 3125?

Council Bill 3125 is an ordinance rezoning property located on the southeast corner of Green Valley Drive and Moon Valley Road from District PD plan development to district RMF multifamily dwelling, repealing all conflicting ordinances and parts of ordinances and fixing the time when this ordinance shall become effective second reading.

Do we have a staff report?

Yes, Mayor C to Council, thank you.

Um we have uh I can give a kind of a brief overview here of this request.

Uh I don't have a presentation uh given I think the the timing of uh this being removed from consent.

Uh but I can kind of give a a quick overview of that.

Um generally uh the request is fairly straightforward.

This property, uh, which is uh essentially a multifamily development is currently zoned P D.

Uh the owner of that site uh had requested to rezone that out of PD into uh the RMF uh, which is uh residential multifamily.

Um staff evaluated it and found that would be an appropriate zoning because that is uh generally what multifamily development would be zoned if it were to occur today.

Uh a little bit of background on that.

Uh this property developed in 1984.

Uh so at that time there were very few kind of land development restrictions uh or or guides uh within the city.

Uh so I think it's it's fair to say that one of the tools available at that time was to zone things into PD to allow some control uh over that development.

Um kind of fast forward at 2017, we adopted the UN unified development code with one of the express purposes of trying to put in some of the protections uh that a lot of these PDs were trying to uh essentially kind of shoehorn in into development.

Uh and one of those outcomes then would be hopefully to remove some of the PD zoning uh on some property within the community.

Uh it's I think common knowledge of PD obviously has an additional element to it.

There is an administrative and a regulatory process that individuals who zone it to a PD go through.

Uh and any changes, significant changes to a site has to come back through that regulatory process, has to go through planning zoning, public hearings, and be approved by city councils.

So really this request is to uh do basically for staff to look at this site and determine whether or not it felt appropriate to be basically base zoned, as we would call it, out of the PD, and let the controls that the city has adopted over the years.

In 2017, I mentioned UDC, but prior to that, stormwater controls uh uh and things such as floodplain development controls, a lot of things that have been put in place over the years uh to help, I think, mitigate the need for that PD zoning.

Uh are there reasons why we uh still would use PD zoning?

Yes, but part of our evaluation then is to look at this and say, is there is there some control that is put in place by this PD that wouldn't otherwise be in place now?

And I think there's not very much here that would uh in that PD that would require uh a more strict level of scrutiny than we have on open zoning sites.

Uh so uh based on that analysis, staff did recommend approval of rezoning this into RMF.

Uh and the planning and zoning's recommendation uh followed the staff's recommendation as well uh for zone.

I think that was a vote of seven to zero as well, yes.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Any questions for Clint?

Yeah, Betsy.

Uh my understanding is that the this is a new owner and that they are a couple years recently new owner, not the guy who developed the property in 84, and that they want to now use some of the undeveloped land there.

They're not planning to tear everything down, they're just trying to use some of the undeveloped land there that's out of the floodplain.

Is that your understanding?

Or this has nothing to do with that when we rezone it?

So I I think there um and I think there may be a representative here tonight, but if not, uh I think there's no concrete plans that have been submitted to our office.

I think we had some preliminary um sketches for some some development on that site, and that is part of the long-term plan is to is to build on that.

And that is part of the reason uh that they are seeking to take it out of PD so that they can do improvements that would otherwise be allowed on other open zone properties without going through the regulatory process uh that exists for P D.

I believe that some of the sketches I saw look like maybe 12 to 15 additional buildings on that site.

Uh there is some floodplain kind of on the west and south portion of this property.

Floodplain development is permitted in the city, but there are floodplain development permit restrictions uh that they have to meet to be able to do that.

Uh that's different from the floodway.

So if you think of the floodway almost as like the channel of the stream, that is heavily restricted.

Really no development can occur in that.

Uh the area kind of alongside that floodway where there is about a 1 percent chance of potential flood, uh, that has additional restrictions if you build in that.

Any development within the community can uh submit development plans to develop within the floodplain as long as they meet the requirements.

And one of those specific uh kind of principal ones is make sure that the uh the base uh elevation of that uh the uh any structures is about two feet above that base flood elevation.

Okay.

Thanks.

Yeah, Dick.

My impression is that the zoner intends to develop the property.

Removal from PD to RMF just removes some of the administrative hurdles that might be in the way of them going ahead and doing that and reducing the cost then associated with that as well, I would assume.

Correct.

Cost and time.

I think it adds, you know, probably three months to that approval process.

And I think talking about housing, a lot of what we hear is the amount of time it takes to get approvals.

Okay, great.

Thanks.

Other questions for Clint?

Um I have one uh in in floodplain uh development in those additional kind of restrictions besides elevation.

In floodplain development in those additional kind of restrictions besides elevation, is there something about volume and quantity of additional stormwater on the impervious sections that's then having to be mitigated to what is there before?

I think so, and I'll apologize.

I'm not a stormwater engineer.

I could have probably brought one with me.

I do know there's other uh kind of components of that evaluation that that will be evaluated for any development in the floodplain.

Um I think in this site, it looked like maybe just a very small portion of what they could propose.

And again, nothing is set in stone, nothing is concrete, uh, would have been in the floodplain.

Some of that is pavement, not necessarily buildings as well.

But I do think, yes, there is an evaluation to make sure there is not significant changes to that floodplain quantity uh and the ability for the floodplains to kind of uh I think handle the additional flow in that area.

All right.

Does anyone from the public wish to speak on Bill 3125?

Hello, happy holidays to all of you.

Uh my name is Carolyn Omperon, and I am speaking on behalf of the Missouri Mid-Missouri group of the Sierra Club and our members.

Can I have five minutes?

Yeah, we'll add two and two.

Okay, thank you.

Um the Sierra Club appreciates that this property, if further developed as PD or residential multifamily, there will be stormwater mitigation for the increased pervious service and that they will have to update older construction to comply with stormwater standards.

And also the Sierra Club is in favor of more density to accommodate more housing, but we would rather see that density avoiding the floodplain by using other building methods, and this for the following reason.

No fill in floodplains.

Further development on this property would require using fill in the floodway fringe, also called the floodplain.

This fill is used so that houses or buildings can be lifted one feet or two feet, as he mentioned above the elevation of an anticipated base flood.

That is also known as a 1 percent annual chance flood hazard or a hundred-year flood.

Though this removes them from Federal flood regulations, it isn't real a real solution.

It damages the floodplain and the value it provides.

Healthy floodplains are the result of thousands of years of floods and meanders.

They store floodwater and lower flood depths, recharge groundwater, and reduce pollution.

Filling in the floodplain just moves the water downstream and across the landscape to other areas less suited to perform these services.

The best and most reasonable use of floodplains is for wetlands, agriculture, parks, and green belts.

Some communities require compensatory storage when fill is added to the floodplain to ensure the water stays within the area of the new development.

Columbia needs to add this regulation if our community continues to allow developers to fill in the 100-year flood zone.

The rezoning documentation states that flooding already occurs on the southeast and west side of the property.

Do these residential structures already in the flood zone and with parking lots that are not elevated to have insurance to protect the residents and their cars?

Heavier rainfall events are increasing localized flooding.

This property is at an even greater risk of flooding going forward than it has been in the past.

The role of human-induced climate change in the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events is well established.

For each one degree Celsius of warming, the air's holding capacity for water vapor goes up 7%.

With more water vapor in the air, there is more water available to precipitate in extreme single event downpours.

According to the U.S.

National Climate Assessment, the heaviest rainfall events have become heavier and more frequent across most of the United States.

From Columbia's latest climate vulnerability assessment, in the last 50 years, average rainfall on the wettest day of the year has risen 35 percent.

Additionally, the water level, the highest water levels in rivers has increased 20 percent.

According to the assessment, 8.2 percent of Columbia homes face a flood risk in the next 30 years.

Do we need to add to that?

If this rezoning and future development is approved as proposed, not only will some residential buildings be exposed to historical one-year flood, even more will be exposed to a 500-year flood.

The FEMA maps for this property are for 2017.

From 2020 to 2023, there were 80 major flood disasters declared by FEMA.

It only took four years to reach half the number that occurred in the prior 10 years.

Climate change is accelerating, and all of these factors are not incorporated into flood maps for this property.

Scientists and risk experts are telling us that communities should plan defenses and emergency responses based on the climate of the future, not the past.

Today's 500 year floodplain could be tomorrow's 100 year floodplain.

According to the 2013 report from the Congressional Research Service, 18 percent of Americans living in flood zones, only 18 percent have the required insurance.

This is bad news for them and for the governments to help with relief after a flooding disaster.

Who will be responsible for explaining to the new residents of these buildings that the real flood risk of their home and parking area and how it might change over the next 10 to 50 years?

It is time for the City of Columbia to update its regulations for providing permits for fill in the flood zone or flood fringe.

Sierra Club is opposed to making new development easier on the open areas of this property.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Would anyone else from the public wish to speak on Bill 3125?

See none, I'll go to council follow-up questions for staff or comments?

I have a follow-up question.

Um do you think, Clint, um does RMF give any more protection from building in the floodplain with or without fill than the PD plan would?

Would one protect more than the other for their current plan?

With the current plan, um I would say there's no language that I'm aware of in the in the existing PD plan from 1984 that would impose some sort of more strict floodplain requirements on this site.

I think if they came in with an amendment to the PD, if if the state in PD, we'd evaluate it against our current stormwater and floodplain requirements and make a recommendation based on that, the same as if someone came in and developed in an RMF site.

And that would be the same never mind, you just said that.

You would evaluate a change to a PD plan with an RMF use based on the RMF requirements.

That that was how I would would presume it to be for our staff to evaluate it, yes.

Now, PDs do allow additional conditions, but I think the question would be raised is what what additional conditions would we put on this site that aren't appropriate for all sites within the community.

So when it comes to stormwater and floodplain development.

And they would need to do a revision to their PD plan no matter what, since it's an aged PD plan, correct?

Uh there's some thresholds there, but if they're adding new structures, I believe that's generally going to be a revision that's that's a major revision that would come to council.

There may be some, I'm not familiar with it enough to speak off top of my head.

There may be some minor changes they can do, but I think if you're adding a new structure, it's it's going to go through the full process.

I hesitate to say this because the changes come up so much, but do we need to revisit our requirements for floodplain and fill development?

Um I understand that that's something that's no longer recommended.

Um do we need to updo update our code?

I don't know if I'm prepared to answer that.

That answer would probably come with after consultation with with other departments.

Yeah, I'd say you're probably talking with um stormwater, especially for that for water quality.

I I think the question I would have building on Valerie's is um could that be part of the consideration as we're looking to updates to the code anyway, is whether, and I imagine you are looking at that in the coming.

We think we have RFP out for a consultant for helping us review some improvements to the code.

Or we did last year.

I don't know.

But that aside, I know it's real related to your vote on this one, so I think that's why you're asking the questions for stormwater.

I will say I think RMF is better for this property than PD, especially if it doesn't provide any additional protection for the flood plane.

Yeah, Betsy.

Um I will say I talked to it was the realtor, but he was telling me what the developer was planning to do.

And they were staying out of the floodplain.

They were actually building up more on the hill, sort of at the back part of this property.

Now I don't know if I'm getting lied to or not.

And I will certainly keep an eye on what they do, but when I talked to them, they were able to add these buildings without ending up in that sort of lower floodplain area that floods certainly more often than once every hundred years.

So you know they seem to have already taken that into consideration.

Although I realize they haven't brought you a plan and now it's making me a little nervous.

But uh I'm gonna trust them right now and see what happens.

Yeah, Vera.

So I understand what happens if they stay PD and want to request a change to add a building.

If it becomes RMF, what does that process look like?

Where are the protections in place?

So the protections uh would come from what the standard development code uh has in it right now.

Uh that includes our our stormwater uh provision of the code, which is Chapter 12A, uh floodplain development uh requirements.

Uh there's also um parking requirements and landscape requirements, and there's some neighborhood protection requirements, all the things that that didn't exist in 1984 when this was approved uh previously.

Yeah.

Nick.

P and Z had a pretty good bit of conversation around this issue as well, um raising the questions themselves, and then they they did talk about it for a while.

Um thing I I do want to say that I appreciate this going from PD to RMF.

And part of that is I get excited about multifamily development.

Uh it's it's a desperate need in our city.

And part of the things that does keep people from doing it is that the administrative and the cost, the delays that come with all of that.

So I appreciate what what brings this forward.

Um I understand part of the property does flood from time to time.

I can't remember exactly in what area.

With the renewed with new development here, would any of that be addressed as a part of that?

Uh because we are talking about more appropriate surface.

We're talking about concerns related to uh stormwater management.

Sure.

And I may be getting a little outside my wheelhouse, but I know you know I think we do have areas that are known flood areas, and I think there's the ability for our review team to look at those, and if there's known issues to do some sort of mitigation for those, I I hesitate uh not being here as long as I have to say specifically any anything that might happen on that site, but I believe that's the procedure.

Any other council comments or questions?

Uh say I agree with you that yeah, I I want to especially to the point about more density closer to town rather than sprawling is of an interest.

Uh and I'm I understand that it will be reviewed by staff um when any plan comes forward uh and the considerations in council's concerns, I think will probably come in for the concept review for some of that feedback at the same time.

So all right, Sheila, will you please call roll on bill 3125?

Council Bill 3125, Mr.

Waterman.

Yes.

Ms.

Peters?

Yes.

Ms.

Buffalo?

Yes.

Ms.

Carroll.

Yes.

Ms.

Elwood?

Yes.

Ms.

Sample?

Yes.

Mr.

Foster?

Yes.

All right.

Moving on.

Um Sheila, will you please read the items under the consent agenda and call roll?

Items on the consent agenda include bills 30925, 31025, 3115, 313, 25, 314, 25, 315, 25, 316, 25, 317, 25, 318, 25, 319, 25, 320, 25, 321, 25 in resolutions, 167, 25, 168, 25, 169, 25, 170, 25, 171, 25, 172, 25, 173, 25, 176, 25, 177, 25, and 17825.

Bills 309 25, 310, 25, 311, 25, 313, 25, 314, 25, 315, 25, 316, 25, 317, 25, 318, 25, 319, 25, 320, 25, 321, 25 in resolutions, 167, 25, 168, 25, 169, 25, 170, 25, 171, 25, 172, 25, 173, 25, 176, 25, 177, 25, and 178, 25.

Mr.

Waterman.

Yes.

Ms.

Peters.

Stepped out.

Ms.

Buffalo.

Yes.

Ms.

Carroll.

Yes.

Ms.

Elwood.

Yes.

Ms.

Sample.

Yes.

Mr.

Foster.

Yes.

All right.

Moving on.

We had two items moved from consent to the new business.

So Sheila, will you please read resolution 17425?

Council Bill 17425 is a resolution authorizing FY2026 social services provider agreements prescribing the form and content of the agreements.

Do we have a staff report?

Yes.

Rebecca Rosslett, Public Health and Human Services Director.

So on this particular action, I'm asking to amend this resolution to delete page two of exhibit A.

These are our social services contract for the next calendar year.

And inadvertently, exhibit A should have only been one page, not two.

So the second page does not belong with this particular council action.

All right.

Are there any additional questions?

Are there any questions from staff?

No, the one who pointed out, yes, I I appreciate that.

Um I I would just say um can you remind us though all the years of all of our different social services funding?

Is that available on the website?

So if people want to go and look at the trends?

I believe so.

And if it's not, we'll certainly put it there.

Okay.

That was just my question on that one.

All right.

Would anyone from the public wish to speak on resolution 17425?

See none, we'll go back to council comments.

Sure, there's none.

I I appreciate oh yeah, done, sorry.

Just wanted I just to clarify.

The monies that we're talking about here, this was already put into the FY26 budget.

This is just assigning it.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right.

Um so first I'll make a motion to amend resolution 17425 uh per the amendment sheet, which would remove page two of exhibit A.

So exhibit A was just one page.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Thank you by Don.

All those in favor of the amendment say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

All right.

Uh Sheila, we please call roll on resolution 174-25 as amended.

Councilville once Council Bill 17425 as amended, Mr.

Waterman.

Yes.

Ms.

Peters?

Yes.

Ms.

Buffalo?

Yes.

Ms.

Carroll?

Yes.

Ms.

Elwood?

Yes.

Ms.

Sample?

Yes.

Mr.

Foster?

Yes.

All right.

Sheila, will you please read resolution 17525?

Council Bill 175.25 is a resolution authorizing a social services provider agreement with Voluntary Action Center for Overnight Emergency Shelter Services authorizing a social services provider agreement with turning point day center for homeless drop-in and overnight warming cooling services.

Do we have a staff report?

Yes.

This particular contract, we have errors on the council memo.

So apologies for that.

The resolution and the contract are correct.

We have some numerical errors.

We inadvertently were looking at a prior year version instead of looking directly at the contract when we drafted the memo.

So for Voluntary Action Center's dollar amount, the amount in the memo reads 584,095 and 61 cents.

The 61 cents has been deleted.

So the correct amount is 584,956.

For turning point, the amount written on the memo is 409,047 and 58 cents.

This was the prior amount in early 2025.

We amended that contract in August of 25 to add additional units.

And that new contract amount became 431,978, which is the current amount in the 2026 contract as well.

So the total investment for these two agreements is 1,16,934, whereas the memo incorrectly states it is $194,435 and 19 cents.

These two contracts, there's been no change from their 2025 amount to 2026.

One thing that is different is that Voluntary Action Center's contract, up until this point, that contract has been with CERC for the services provided at room at the end.

With the uh build of Opportunity Campus, CERC and the room at the end operations are coming under Voluntary Action Center, which is why there is an agency change with this particular contract.

This contract also allows Voluntary Action Center to begin occupying the Ashley Street Building as of January 1 with that operational change that they have.

All right, are there any questions?

Yes, Betsy.

Um what is CERC?

Columbia Interfaith Resource Center.

Okay.

It's a room at the end.

Yes.

Okay.

And then um just you said that this is the same contract we had with I mean the same amount of money that we had last year.

Well, minus the sixty-one cents.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

And just for clarification, this one doesn't need an amendment sheet because really it's just the memo that has the incorrect, the contracts have the correct information in them.

Yes.

Any questions for staff?

Yeah, done.

And again, this money's already been allocated into the budget.

This is not additional money that we're is bringing.

Correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um would anyone from the public wish to speak on resolution one seventy-five twenty-five.

See none.

Any follow-up council comments?

All right.

Sheila, will you please call roll on resolution one seventy-five twenty-five?

Council Bill 175-25, Mr.

Waterman.

Yes.

Ms.

Peters?

Yes.

Ms.

Buffalo?

Yes.

Ms.

Carroll?

Yes.

Miss Elwood?

Yes.

Ms.

Sample?

Yes.

Mr.

Foster.

Yes.

All right.

Moving on.

Sheila, will you please read the items under introduction and first reading?

All bills are introduced by the mayor unless otherwise indicated.

32325, 32425, 325, 25, 326, 25, 32, 7, 25, 328, 25, 329, 25, 33, 25, 331, 25, 332, 25, 333, 25, and 33425 first reading.

All right.

And as a reminder, items under introduction first read are not discussed this evening.

If they have an asterisk on them, they're scheduled to be on consent at the next meeting.

If they do not have an asterisk, we will talk about them at the next meeting.

So moving on to our report section.

Our first is our uh annual membership for the downtown community improvement district.

Um the slate of candidates for this are voted upon upon that board.

Uh and then um they are sent to us uh for approval.

Um so is there any discussion, any questions about this one we have?

Well then I will make a motion.

Uh let's see.

All right, make a motion uh as suggested by the downtown CID board of Laura Pieper, John Gilbreth, Nick McHugh.

Oh, McCow.

Sorry, Kate.

Sorry, Nick.

Uh Colleen Riemann and Michael Graves be appointed to terms starting on February seventh, 2026 and ending on February 6, 2029.

Uh, and see if I have the consent of council.

Is there any objection to that?

No objection.

No objection.

All right.

So the slate of candidates is oh there's Nicki.

Hey Nikki.

There you go.

So instead of a motion, you just suggested it and everybody's okay with it.

Yep.

Okay.

All right.

I know, yeah, sorry, not a motion.

You go you have motion in here too.

I see it.

I don't always follow my script.

I'm sorry.

All right.

Moving on.

Uh moving on, we have uh a report that was requested.

Um and I think our fellows are gonna present to us.

Um there was discussion recently um from visits with Springfield, Missouri, about some of their city council meeting process.

So I believe our fellows are going to present on some overviews for that uh for discussion and if there's recommendations um about practices that we might want to to interject that then.

Yes.

So hello, mayor and council, good evening.

Thank you for having us today.

We are very excited to present this to you.

Um my name is Lacey Salazar.

I am a city management fellow.

My name is Peyton Oliver.

I'm the other city management fellow.

So brief overview of what we're gonna talk about tonight.

We're gonna talk about um Columbia City Council meetings and Springfield City Council meetings as well as the agendas and just compare and contrast.

So a brief overview of Springfield is a city of about 170,000 people in southwestern Missouri.

They have nine council members, four are elected to what they call zones similar to our wards, four at-large members are elected by the whole city, and then one mayor also elected by the city.

They have their meetings every Monday at 630, and they also have Tuesdays with council, which are lunch meetings that we will explain in a little bit.

All right, so jumping right in.

So we're gonna talk about the Springfield, Missouri's agenda.

Um so one of the first differences we have here is that Springfield posts their agendas the Wednesday prior to City Council, whereas we currently post ours Thursday prior to City Council.

Now there are some differences here in the notations that we wanted to point out.

Um first in number three I have underlined in red as well as six.

But there are notations on the agenda that specify whether whether citizens have spoken um and it may be voted on.

Um and another example I'll show next, it will say that it's not anticipated to be voted on, and I think that is just very helpful to have, just as, you know, if I've never been to a city council meeting before and looked at the agenda, it would say on there if that item is going to be voted on and if citizens can speak.

Um another difference here is the city manager report is at the beginning of the meeting, as well as staff reports.

So currently ours is at the very end.

Um so I wanted to note that difference as well.

And then here you can see on line item 12 there, it says citizens may speak not anticipated to be voted on.

There were uh another thing we wanted to point out is for their first reading bills, they note when they require one reading versus when they require two reading and they are split up into two different categories.

Personally, I think this would be helpful, not only for the public, but also for staff and council, because sometimes that can be confusing on when items are on the agenda and if they require one reading or two reading two readings.

Um line on 15, it's gonna be at the top on the right hand side.

It's the petitions, remonstrances, and communications.

Now, this is fairly similar to what we have as a scheduled public comment.

Um they don't have many specifications in their code uh as we do for scheduled public comment for this.

Um, but this is a place for um citizens where they can address the uh council on anything that's not related to the agenda.

Um then similarly to the first reading bills for the consent agenda, it notes if it's a first reading bill, one reading bill, or second reading bill.

Now for public comments, Springfield does require citizens to sign up for public comment.

Um and they can speak on amended bills, emergency bills, first reading, public hearing, and resolutions.

Um similarly to our scheduled public comment, um, there is a time allotted as well as our general just public comment in general.

Um but if there are less than eight members signed up for one specific topic, um they are given five minutes to speak.

Whereas if there are more than eight members signed up on one specific topic, they are only allowed three minutes.

Um this is on the right-hand side here is an example of what their online form looks like.

Additionally, they do allow for um comments to be submitted online.

Um this is to help individuals who are either uncomfortable coming to city council or unable to come to city council, um, they are able to do an online version.

These comments are sent directly to city council members members and are kept as supporting documents.

So you guys have all expressed interest in the Zoom aspect of Springfield does.

Uh Zoom is not used for every meeting only under certain certain circumstances, usually when there's a quorum issue.

So it would just be like to add one or two members just to make sure that they have a quorum for that meeting.

It would be very convenient.

Um we would never have to worry about not having a quorum.

However, it would take more effort on city staff.

They would have to prepare the technology, make sure everything is working, and there would have to be someone monitoring the Zoom call at all times to make sure that like everything's being communicated and that if that speaker on Zoom has a comment that it's relayed.

Again, it's just last-minute issue.

Now, something we found interesting is they do virtual voting.

Um City of Columbia also has this capability too with Granicus.

So they can just vote yes, no, or abstain, and it creates an easy accessible visual on our monitors.

So as you can see here, you're just easy some that everyone can see in the audience.

And something we found interesting is during their public comments, if at the end city council might be able to ask them questions, provide comment or ask for a clarification.

We kind of do stuff at the end with that, but I think that that's something uh that'd be very good, very responsive for the council to do.

And Tuesdays with council, like I mentioned before, these are lunch meetings, very similar to how we would do pre-council or work sessions, but for lunch meetings, it's usually just the city council uh certain city staff like the city manager or the department director on the specific topic.

And of course, there would be no discussion at these only votes.

Uh this could potentially balloon the the food budget if we are to keep pre-councils and add Tuesdays with councils or any other day we would like.

Yeah, and to dive in with that.

So Springfield uh Missouri does not have a pre-council sessions.

So Monday is their city council meeting at 6.30.

And then every for every Tuesday they have a Tuesday with councils.

Um I will note here that sometimes they are canceled, whether due to quorum, lack of topics, um through December 2024 to December 2025, they had 22 uh Tuesday with council meetings.

They last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour and 30 minutes.

Um then following these meetings, typically are there special meetings, and these are majority closed sessions.

Um a little bit of the structure of Tuesday with council.

So it's very similar to our pre-council or work session.

It could be a project update, it could be um recycling presentation, anything along those lines.

Um if it is a Tuesday following a city council meeting, the city manager at the end has a little bit of time where he kind of gives a synopsis of what he got from the meeting.

So any requests that council members had, any questions, and then he kind of addressed, you know, whether they have answers for them for Springfield, they have a report that goes out to City Council on Friday, so sometimes he'll be like those will be included in that report.

Um then if it's a Tuesday prior to city council, um, same for the very beginning.

Usually there's a presentation on a specific topic.

Um and then at the end, usually no more than 30 minutes is when the city manager goes over the proposed agenda for the upcoming meeting.

Um it's a pretty short pre preview of the proposed agenda.

Um what he does is he'll uh for instance they have uh uh second reading and final passage.

He'll read all of the uh items on there and then he'll ask if there's any questions.

Um usually they're clarifying questions, um, but that is when they do that.

I also did want to set up kind of like a preview of what they have for their Tuesdays with council.

I'm a very visual person, so that is how I explain things.

Um but fairly similar to what we have for pre-council and work sessions, we have that U-shaped table for our council members and our mayor, as well as the city manager and city clerk.

And then at the front of the room is the speaker location.

Staff in the public are uh sitting on one side.

They do have on the other side a media table and a public information table.

Something I did want to point out is at the back of the room, they do have public comment forms, handouts, and a sign-in sheet.

So similarly to our pre-council work sessions, typically public comment is not allowed.

Um, but they do have those comment forms for public who want to leave written comments during these sessions.

As you can see here, this uh chart shows the length of our meetings versus Springfield from November of last year to November of this year.

As you can see, our meetings are significantly longer, running about two to three hours, with a few going a lot longer.

And then Springfield, they typically stay within the one or two hour range.

RC goes up towards the fall as well.

You know, the students come back, and it's also budget season.

And here is the number of public comments that each meeting has.

As you can see, we have more public comments.

Usually that's because we just have more opportunities for public comments, like Way C mentioned before, Springfield, you have to sign up for every time you want to give public comment.

And something we just thought we would mention.

If someone say spoke at scheduled public comment at the beginning of the meeting and then general comments at the end, we counted that as two public comments.

And then just to kind of summarize here, um, not all of Springfield practices will translate to the City of Columbia, but I do we do feel like there may be some that we could um adopt to kind of improve our accessibility as well as efficiency.

Um and then we do want to open it up for some some conversations, some questions, comments, anything along those lines.

Yeah, well, thank you, Lacey and Peyton.

Appreciate uh the additional information that you provided.

Um I think one of the things to help guide the conversation, and this is not the end all be all.

Um what we also part of these conversations are in a future report, like two reports from now.

Yes.

So I think we'll probably save some of those for for that part of the report that we have from staff response.

I I think the question I would have for you, uh, you all is I I know we talked about this at the mini retreat, and Matt, this might be more for the city manager's office as well.

Is some of the things that are recommended, we've kind of talked about like the potential of what would it take for an agenda to be published a day earlier.

Just giving us at least one more day to take in that information.

Um then similarly, like what would change the potential.

I I think we'll need feedback from staff on what would change for the potential of those Tuesdays with lunch as opposed to work sessions or pre-councils.

And then also just to see um other thoughts that the staff have on or I mean sorry, the council have on just the initial presentation or review.

So I don't know if you want to respond to any of the staff ones or if those are things you all are looking into anyway.

I know that we're looking into the Wednesday agenda.

Um that's something that we've talked about.

Um it it you know, limited amount of time, you know, looking at it, but I think I think with a few administrative changes, we can accommodate that pretty easily.

I think as far as a Tuesday lunch, we'd like to try the second Mondays for a while first and see if that doesn't mitigate some of the time, see if we can get some of those bar graphs to go down on those those four and five hour meetings.

If that if that helps, then maybe that's the solution.

If not, then absolutely we're willing to try um Thursday lunch with you guys or Friday lunch, whatever makes sense.

So you have the agenda in hand and you can you can look at it a bit of a primer, kind of give you a preview of what's going to happen.

Yeah we got Nick and then Valerie and then Vera.

Well you know I I like some especially the Wednesday agenda that would be helpful.

And we've done some things to try to address some of these concerns having having these we're we have more work sessions, more pre-councils than I think have previously been done.

And that has had an impact there.

So the question for me is if we make any other changes what's what's our purpose for doing that.

And I'd I'll do like the idea of trying the second Mondays for a while we have tried that or we have our determined that we're going to do that and I think that'll impact some of the concerns that we have moving forward.

The other concern really is just about who's available when if you especially if you had something at lunch that's going to be problematic for some people.

So that's something just immediate concerns or thoughts that come to mind.

But I really appreciate the presentation.

There's always something we can learn from others who are doing things differently.

All right I've got Valerie Vera Jackie.

Yeah.

I believe that during the retreat we discussed um agenda rundowns either during lunch or possibly during Mondays.

I I believe City Council Monday pre-council used to be more of a pre-council.

And and I think that with the addition of an off council Monday meeting perhaps that's something that we could revisit given that not everyone's available during the day it may not impact schedules quite as much and still allow us to gather the information that we were hoping for I know you mentioned it kind of briefly in the presentation but can you talk a little bit about Springfield's practice of having public comment on the first read instead of the second read and how that affects when people are talking and like the amount of time that council has to to ponder the public comment?

Yes.

So I will say there was not out of the public comment that you know we've watched through the videos that they have, read through the minutes a lot of them were not it's not a a lot as RLI if that makes sense.

So their biggest public comment it was during public hearing on July on June 9th and it was due to a rezoning but it was a they it was it didn't like push anything back if that may if that is what you're asking.

I'm not too sure it wasn't impactful?

No I'm not saying that but like it was a public hearing so they change that information and then voted on the next one.

I guess if I can if I can clarify my question maybe so right now we don't hear public comment until the second read and then we vote on it just a few minutes after hearing public comment.

And in Springfield they hear public comment on the first read and then have until their next meeting to think about public comment.

Okay.

I see what you're saying.

Yeah honestly I probably it probably is impactful because when you get into the the second reading and final passage there is no comment usually from council.

If there is any it's one comment um and then they just vote and either pass or fail items.

So I feel like I'm not saying there's a direct correlation there but there could be an an effect there.

Yeah.

So I I guess my my follow-up comment would be um I would be really interested in pursuing something like that which would then give us the opportunity not only to really hear and be affected by public comment and have the time to think about the impact that it has on our community but also have the time to collaborate with staff and lean on their expertise instead of trying to sitting in this chair come up with a solution to a public comment for an issue I am not trained in.

And so I think it would then lead to less putting staff on the spot to be responsive to questions immediately and give all of us more of a time to work through our problems and to receive and value the input of the community that was one of the things I was most excited about with Springfield.

Yeah, I wonder if that could be something that staff just looks into.

Like what does that I would suggest we look into it because I I know it's in the policy resolution that we're going to review, but I don't know if it's in the city charter and code if that's where it came from, but it said to allow comment before final passage.

And so without that, you which would mean you would have to allow comment again for first read and then again second read.

And I just want to point out again that we have three reads for ordinances technically, just at two meetings, and that's a charter thing too.

So we just need to keep in mind that we are slightly different in some ways, and we just need to look look into what our charter requires and what it doesn't, because we can change the code.

We can change chapter two as long as we don't conflict with what the charter says.

And technically you could change charter, but that takes a lot more effort.

Yeah.

Because it goes to the vote of the people.

Yeah, I know.

I've got Jackie asked, and then Betsy.

So Jackie.

Sure.

So I um generally in favor of talking about having the lunch the lunch times.

Um, but I do want to talk about the accessibility piece because there are people, as I think Nick mentioned, that it'd be very difficult for people to get to.

And I think, but I think it's important to then reinforce that we have already um decided that people can virtually attend those work sessions.

And so being a making sure that we have the IT in place that would allow uh fluid virtual attendance for those daytime meetings.

Council attendance.

Council attendance.

Sorry.

Yes, not public council attendance for those daytime meetings, just to make sure we have that in place if that's something we're thinking about.

Um I did have some questions regarding the public comment as well.

So do they did you find that the do they have to does the public have to sign up for each item that they want to speak to, or is it just for that specific date?

Yes, it's for the specific item because then that determines how much time is allotted per person per topic.

Yeah, you did mention that.

Thank you.

And is when do they have to turn that in?

Um so that is the uh 5 p.m.

the Friday prior.

But if it is after 5 p.m., typically and it's not related to anything on the agenda, then they would go into the remonstrances, petitions, reminisces, and communication slot.

And that would be like an automatic transition.

Yes.

Okay.

And it's so okay.

I'm just trying to Yeah.

Because I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Because I think it puts a barrier to the public speaking up.

So thank you.

That's fine.

Uh Betsy.

Um Yeah, I just um I'm not I think like everyone else, I'm trying to figure out what the logistics of this would be.

I don't mind I I'm happy to hear comment uh at first read as opposed to second read for exactly what Vera said.

It gives you more time to think about it.

You're not sort of just bombarded with a lot of public comment and then having to make a decision.

But I'm I'm wondering if we if that would give people enough time.

You know, like usually the first read, at least I always describe it as we're letting you know what's coming up at the next city council meeting.

So if you have a concern or question, you can let us know.

So this decreases the amount of time for that.

So I don't know whether we would need to have public comment at both the first read and the second read, or whether we would need to actually notice uh a meeting before that, so that we actually do have a first read.

We take public comment at the second read and then we vote on it at the third read.

And that's off the top of my head, just having read read this.

Yeah, done.

This may be a little bit down in the weeds, but if you during the public comment on first read and then is that is evaluated if that generates changes to the proposed bill.

Does it go back to first read so that there's a they can review and comment on the revisions, or does it go then directly to second read and vote?

So if there is amendments that are made, um I actually have uh it's actually an example I have here.

Um the citizens may uh speak on amended bills.

So even if it is amended and comes up as a second reading final passage, it allows for public comment then as well.

Okay.

Yeah, yeah.

I just wanted to um I mean, first of all, Lacey, incredible preparation that we're asking you deep in the weeds questions, and you have had an answer prepared in the slide deck for every single one.

Um give it to Peyton as well.

And yes, yes, absolutely, Peyton.

Um to comment on the on the first read question, which I think is incredibly valid and it sounds like something we'll want to talk about and ponder for a while.

I also don't think we have a ton of people who are the day after, you know, on Tuesday morning sitting down and saying, what was on first read that I should be pondering for the next two weeks before the upcoming city council meeting.

Um I think most people are waiting until it comes up to for the public comment section, whether that is a public hearing, whether that is a second read, whatever it is for that item.

Um I'm not and I I this I'm also saying this publicly to welcome people telling me that I'm wrong before we get to the point of voting on this.

I'm not sure I would see that changing how people are interacting with our voting items.

It would just give us more time to then problem solve with them, in my perspective.

Yeah, pal.

Yeah.

Um I feel like there's different types of comments, different types of agenda items that have a different kind of response at first read and second read.

We've had a number of um agenda items that had a large degree of engagement.

We've had another number of agenda items that people noticed at first read.

There I agree there's a small group of people that take notice at first group, but I think that there's a tendency for that small group of people to activate and engage with the public and bring people in.

Um I also think that that group of people helps tell people who are affected by agenda items.

Um I think it's a good practice to have comment on the first read because it does give us the time to sit with the comments, learn from them, adjust if we need to.

Um I think that it definitely has the potential to provide a better service to our citizens.

I just think that there's going to be if that's something we want to pursue, there's rather a large learning curve and communication burden to the public to get ready for that kind of change.

Any other council comment?

Yeah, Nick.

Well, I I think that whatever we do, we want we there are just certain things we want to be sure that we're we're addressing in the questions.

And one of those is will the public have adequate opportunity to see items in time to be able to talk to them, speak to them, and then will there be adequate time for them to um to sp to actually speak to them before before council votes.

Um so there are a lot of there are a lot of moving parts to this.

I think we need to just take note of of that and and and again ask ourselves what are we trying to accomplish with any of these, with any of these changes if we make them.

Uh and in any regard, you're right.

It'll take a while if we make those kinds of changes for people to get into that rhythm.

No less the council.

Yeah, Betsy.

Um I'd like to see how okay, I'm probably mixing apples and oranges now, but you know, we just made this decision last week, and I'm not even sure I'm how many of the people in the public know this that we're going to have you know more work sessions.

I realize there's not public comment there, but we are gonna have more work sessions to try and get caught up.

Um and then the other question I'd have is just do we want to um ask the public what they think about um you know this change?

Because you're right.

I mean it would be a big change.

I think we certainly need to get out in front of people, but it might also be for those who come on a regular basis to give us public comment, you know, what what do they think?

Do they think this will work or not?

And do we allow public comment at the second reading then?

Because people will want to, you know, we'll get riled up about it or have thought of more things and want to discuss it again.

Yeah, and so I think we have a lot of questions that we've asked the staff to kind of look into these.

Um so if I can just recommend, you know, in one of our upcoming work sessions, like continue this conversation uh going forward and and to the point about um public comment at work sessions.

I'd be interested in what happens to the public comment at Springfield's work sessions on those forms at the back.

So does that then come into the record?

How does that then go?

Because I think that could help to some of these issues if it comes up that we have a way to capture that from those um that are giving it.

So I know we're we're gonna I'm I'm probably gonna have us move along and then we can talk about timing for all of these things and expectations on what we'll see because this is kind of related to a few reports from now.

So thank you.

Are we gonna we don't have to make you go over there now, but maybe we I actually we do because you skip you for the moment.

Now it's Sheila's time to show you.

You've access to click the thing over.

I click it for you.

Are you sure?

Yeah, okay.

All right.

Um so next report 5925.

Uh this is uh the recommendations or potential changes uh to some of our rules as discussed at an October work session.

Sheila, I'm gonna kick it to you.

Okay.

So there are three resolutions slash policy resolutions.

They will all be policy resolutions in the future that uh we discussed at the October 20th pre-council meeting.

So this um, based on the comments made at that meeting, staff has provided that some of the red line changes for you guys to review before we bring forward final legislation to change things, assuming you want to change things.

So for the first um resolution, it was the 1881 that talked about the rules for public hearings and comments.

And again, if we're gonna change the way we do things in the future, we'll have to change this again.

Again, but temporarily we could change it to do what we want now.

Um so the first um, as you can see, we wanted the main thing is like we wanted to update the time limits to current practices.

Um I think you guys discussed uh that exceptions could be allowed to those time limits depending on council consent.

Um you wanted to change the address, like not require people to state their name and address, but rather state their name in Ward.

And then you wanted the decorum piece to be updated as well as to remove the smoking piece since that's not allowed at all.

So you so here's um the first three sections, and if Lacey clicks, we've got the text for four, which again is the time limits, and then if she goes down further, there's the decorum piece that's been updated.

Um then lastly, it eliminates the prior decorum statements as well as the smoking ordinance or the smoking part of it.

So I don't know if you guys um have any thoughts on that, and we can move on because you guys have can see it in your packet fully versus off the slide.

I just wanted to do that for the public.

Yeah.

So the next um bill is the one on schedule public comments.

Again, it's just updating things, facts aren't really used anymore, but we do have an online form, and people can contact the manager's office a lot of times by phone or email as well, and they'll they'll they'll respond that way to schedule public comments.

And in addition, on the next page, it updates the five minutes.

Um for some reason it said three to five minutes, so we just cleaned it up.

It's five minutes for everyone.

Um and so those are the changes involved there.

And then the last thing is our board and commission application process.

Um it's been discussed.

A couple things have been discussed.

First, the way we notice things is you know, we do it on social media, we have it on the website, um, and right now we put it in the papers, both the Tribune and Missourian.

Um, and so there's been discussion about eliminating that because the number of people that access it from the papers very small compared to other things.

So my staff report did include how people learned of this in 25, and then again how many people used the or it were notified of a vacancy from the newspaper in 22, 23, and 24.

Um I I can list those if you'd like, but otherwise it's in the report.

Um so again, it's if you want to do that media advisories, we don't do, we really do press releases, so it goes out to everybody, not just the media.

Um so it's just basically updating things and removing placing those notices in the papers.

Um I guess it's up.

I need uh some direction if that is exactly where you want to go because I felt like it was, but then there was up in the air, so it's very unclear to me.

All right, so we have three um proposed changes to policy resolutions.

Um appreciate that this is not the first time we've seen this.

This came to us at a work session uh for a lot of discussion on it as well.

Is there any comments for Sheila or questions?

Yeah, Betsy.

I'd move ahead.

Any other discussion on this?

All right, Sheila, do you need a motion for requesting for you to come back with updated policy resolutions for us to vote on?

No, we'll just bring them forward at a future meeting.

I'll get with law to see when the easiest time is for them to get it on.

Okay.

All right.

Well, yeah.

If there's no objection to that, no appreciate the cleaning up.

Yeah, okay, awesome.

And also not allowing smoking in the chambers.

Correct.

Nice try, everybody.

All right.

Uh moving on.

Our next one is um our oh yeah, two kind of back to back reports.

So options related to the broadcasting streaming city council meetings.

So there was discussion um in the past, but again, a little bit more detailed at the October 20th pre-council.

Um for like those pre-council meetings and work sessions that are held in 1A1B.

Um we do do audio for the ones that are open.

Um we don't do them for closed meetings or when you guys interview applicants so that other applicants can't hear.

Um, but we do usually provide at least audio after the fact on the website for those meetings.

So option one is to continue like that.

Um option two is to add a static video feed.

And then um to that, so you'll have a video feed with that with audio, um, but it'd be posted later after it goes through a closed captioning process with some software we have.

And can someone click?

Um option three would be to live stream using YouTube and using YouTube's closed captioning software.

Um, and then the video would be uploaded to the website later.

Um option four would be to move all meetings from 1A 1B into the council chambers, and then it would be set up like this regular meeting is set up.

And then option five, if someone will click, is to revisit this issue if you wanted to delay it further until the improvements are made to both the chamber and 1A1B.

Um this is you know, um, because my understanding is that we've gone we're going through an RFP process to make 1A1B better in terms of acoustics and um other things where it um might function better in that space.

So um based on a conversation I think I had with Carol earlier today, those changes are likely not going to be happen until the summer, probably June, July-ish.

Um so that would be a delay of at least six months or so.

So just keeping that in mind.

So at this point, I just need to need to know if you guys want to make a change, keep it as it is, and what that change might be.

Okay, yeah.

Questions, comments on this one.

Yeah, Valerie.

Yeah, I'm gonna say I do refer to our um audio as well as our video quite a bit.

Um it's useful to me to recall the meeting where my notes sometimes fail.

Um I would very much like to have a video because it helps me identify who the speaker is when I'm listening to audio.

I don't know, it's a jumble of voices.

Um and on video, I can say like, oh yeah, that was Betsy's motion, or um it it brings a lot to the understanding.

Even, you know, I I tend to favor the most simplistic approach, which would be a static video, given the knowledge that we do have future technology coming.

Um but any added improvement would help me.

Yeah, Vera.

Um in option one, which is just continuing as we are.

Are we offering closed captioning for the audio recordings in any capacity?

I don't believe so.

No, Josh is saying no.

Okay.

So every options two through five.

Well, I guess five would not.

Options two through four would all provide closed captioning, which we do not currently offer.

Closed captioning at some level, correct.

Yeah.

Are there council questions, comments on this?

Yeah, Nick.

Well, uh I was surprised to know that we may have these changes by the summer, actually.

Uh I was anticipating it taking longer than that.

And it might, right, Carol.

We are in the process of negotiating a contract with the vendor.

And we anticipate um receiving uh their comments.

We were supposed to receive them today, but we did not.

Um my hope is that I can bring an agreement uh awarding the contract and appropriating the funds at the first meeting in January, assuming everything goes as planned.

Well, I I would support either two or three.

And I think you any kind of closed captioning at all would help with that.

And I think video would help.

And then we'll see what we've got when we when we have these changes made in 1A1B.

Before you make another comment, let's clear everyone else.

Yeah, Jackie.

Because I like the live stream, but I also would defer to our city staff to see which one of those causes them a greater amount of work or what they think would be easier for them to implement.

I had the same thoughts.

Yeah, done.

Without disclosing what you cannot disclose because of the negotiation.

Option five was I think this was talked about actually prior to the October meeting as well when we were talking about the upgrades.

Would Jackie's point would it be easier for staff to go with option five, wait till the improvements are done, then we know what we've got to work with.

And then those and those improvements could then kind of incorporate what we're looking at as far as audio and video and closed captioning.

So option five really is going to be as it says it will be vastly improved as far as the audio and video outputs.

So we are ideally wanting and put this out uh to the vendors of wanting camera improvements, audio improvements in the space uh that will give us a greater amount of control than what we have currently.

So right now in our current capacity, uh we would be able to provide a visual, but it would be a static video.

The audio would be about the same, at least in our current capacity.

And so the captionings could be an option, but it would be something we would have to experience to see how well the software handles kind of that lower quality audio that we currently have.

And a quick follow-up.

What would be your preference?

So my preference would be in these and as I'm doing some quick double checks.

Um really it would be continuing with option one.

It's kind of a tried and true thing that we have been doing.

We know the setup, we know how to do it.

Otherwise moving then into option four would get us kind of the fastest result of currently we have all the infrastructure here in place.

We have the microphones, the captioning, the broadcast, the streaming capabilities, and or uh option five of kind of holding off until the improvements are done.

Okay.

Thank you.

The fact that a lot of us have said two and three, you just like I think I think my question, my question I have what was actually to that.

So, you know, I know that there's obviously a cost to four for the additional one if it's here.

Also, I think four four limits us on the kind of like easier way to have generative conversations, because I feel like I'm just going back and forth, and it's it feels a lot more formal as opposed to the informal nature of a work session.

Um my question for you, Josh, was like how what is what is the impact if if it were YouTube.

Is it is it that your preference is not two or three because you're you hold yourself to a higher level of production for our video meetings?

And so something like that.

Because I think we see, I mean, a lot of like the reels I see on Instagram of other people's council meetings, it doesn't look or their work sessions.

It's kind of like an iPhone is recording it, it seems at times.

So is that your hesitance on two and three because of the quality of production?

For me personally, it's not so much production quality.

It's um primarily the audio.

So our our current setup that we have we wouldn't be able to get better audio quality, because that's kind of the primary concern with any of the captioning softwares, is that if things are slightly garbled or if potentially a speaker is a little further away from a microphone, there introduces a higher risk of misinterpretation in the captioning.

And so just kind of that is the consideration of these being public documents uh and permanent records of if we have in text something that really shouldn't be there versus someone that's actually saying something that we can hear but we can't read.

That's really at least my primary concern.

I just want to point out they're not permanent records.

Oh, there we go.

Because once you have minutes, that's your permanent record.

So if for pre-councils and work sessions, it's what the city manager's office provides for regular meetings, it's what's what I provide.

And the other thing is when you do audio or whatever, you're really only required to keep it for a year because your minutes are what your permanent record is.

We obviously keep it longer, but it's technically and and Nancy can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's technically not a permanent record.

Okay.

That's good clarification.

Heroes for Vera and then Nick.

Um with the closed captioning on two and three.

Um I guess I have some in the weeds questions, because anyone who has spent much time watching closed captioning on YouTube knows that their automatic closed captioning is awful and has not seemed to have improved at all with time.

Will we have secondary editing services go in to ensure that the closed captioning is actually correct, particularly as we talk about names, places specific terms?

And then sorry, to just like throw both the questions at you.

Um with option two, do you we know what that closed captioning service would be?

Would it be internal?

Would it be a contractor?

So right now, um at least my current plan for option two would be utilizing we have um an Adobe creative license uh in our department.

So uh Adobe Premiere Pro has a really good um speech to text um program that it can run within the video.

Um so that is something that I actually do have a a pretty decent amount of confidence in.

That's also something that can be fully edited on the back end.

So if the automated captions come up and there's some mistakes or things like that, that is something a staff member can go back in and edit.

Um option three, that one's gonna be much more dependent on the platform because it is a live streamed piece.

You can go back and re-edit the captions, but that is something that will be more time consuming than the other software.

Um and since it is also a live software with that closed captioning when it's going out live, it is what it is in the moment until it can be readdressed and edited.

So my uh follow-up to that would be um I would be very interested in uh the disability commission's preferences of closed captioning format and software, and whether they would prefer worse closed captioning live or better closed captioning that you don't get until after the fact.

Good question.

Yeah, Nick.

I assume that once all the upgrades are done, this issue of closed captioning will be more fully addressed and so forth.

Would that be the audio will be better?

Because the audio would be better and so forth.

Well, I I want to I'll just point out we're talking about an interim step here.

I I don't want the perfect to be the enemy of the good.

And if we if we take a step or two in this direction, it'll it'll be an improvement.

It won't it won't be perfect, and I don't think we have a perfect solution.

It'll be perfect once the room is re is redone, right?

No problems whatsoever.

No, I think that's a good point uh that Nick raised.

So I guess the question is from from council suggested going forward, obviously we know we'll revisit this.

For sure, option five is going to happen once it is done.

But what is our preference for guidance is if we do want an interim and then we need to move on because we've got another one related to these meetings as well.

Um so yeah, Valerie.

Yeah, sorry.

I just wanted confirmation.

Is closed captioning in the RFP for option five?

Or was that an optional piece?

I I don't think it's that sort of in the weeds for for the is it in the weeds for the um upgrades to 1A1B about how we do closed captioning.

So with that, we um are going to be supplying based on another uh vendor's recommendation, we will be supplying our own captioning services for the system.

So we have a plan for um a model that will be producing captions live in spaces as the event is happening, as well as then a separate captioner for a broadcast out.

Yeah.

Um so is there any sorry it's it kind of sounded like okay.

It sounds like council would like some sort of interim in until option five is is an option.

Um is you and you made it sound like two or three were not as preferred, but it sounded like I feel like from the majority of council they want to kind of see something.

And then is there a preference over two or three?

Um because at least we would have greater control on the back end for captioning correction.

Um I would vote on option two personally, but um if that is kind of the direction of those two options.

Reference from council.

Who's there?

Okay, yeah.

So two is the um taking a static feed and then uploading it, similar to how the audio is uploaded now, but uploading it a a day or two later with that.

Yeah.

I think, yeah, I think at least and again, this is us piloting to see if it works and if it helps um some of the the issues that we've we've been wanting to solve.

Yeah.

Is that good, good direction?

Ish?

I hear option two, correct?

Okay, I heard two.

For now.

Yeah, for now.

Ugh, yeah.

Appreciate.

Thank you.

Thank you all for coming up with creative ways to to meet the needs that we're giving you.

All right, moving on to our next one.

This is uh virtual participation um of council members in city council meetings.

So um this is again follow-up to prior discussions, especially the October 20th pre-council meeting.

Um we've got some discussion points here because we just and I coordinated with lots of different people on this one.

So we have some discussion points that we need guidance from you all on.

First, do you want to do per virtual participation for council members?

Um if so, do you want to do them only for the open city council meetings, or do you want to include include the closed meetings?

If so, do you want it to be the exception, not the rule?

If so, what is an circumstance in which an exception would be allowed?

Um, there'd be some notification requirements that need to be discussed.

Um do you want to require an in-person quorum regardless of the situation, or does that matter to you all?

Um then we also have some guidance about what's expected of the chair or the mayor that's running the meeting as well as the person participating.

So if we just go through the slides, um this kind of talks about virtual participation is the exception, not the rule.

Here are some examples of some extraordinary circumstances.

Are you guys good with this, not good with it?

Um then moving on to the next one.

It just talks about technology and then the notice that would be required.

We'd need at least 24 hours of notice.

Um that's something to keep in mind, or that is what um creative services people would need.

Um if there's an unavoidable circumstance, I think we try to do what we could do.

Um can you click to the next one?

Again, this is your um quorum issue and parameters if you do want to require a quorum, et cetera.

And it's gonna be very important for you all to let us know almost for every meeting if you're gonna not be there at all, like in person or virtual if you wanted to go that way, or if you wanted to participate virtually, like sometimes you all talk to each other about what meetings you're gonna miss but fail to let staff know.

So it would be important for us to know more often.

Um then, you know, if you do require that in-person quorum and a lot of you want to participate virtually, we'd have to see about how to balance that out.

Um can you go to the next slide?

Again, this is what text you want based on in-person or not.

Go ahead.

Um and these are some things about whoever the presiding officer is, like things that they might want to do.

And I know the mayor already told me the chat box comments things would be more on a staff level.

Hoping staff will manage the chat box.

We can try to um handle that.

And moving on, some of the responsibilities of um can you go to the next one?

Responsibilities of the council members.

This is kind of broken up into two parts, but that they provide their own um equipment, have the camera on at all times.

If they leave the room or have the camera off, it's gonna be like they're not they're absent or whatever, or you know, when you guys get up to go to the restroom or something.

Um, you know, ensuring you have quality audio, knowing to raise your hand, we'd have to figure out that process.

Can you um when you're not speaking?

Um and be in a space without distractions, kind of as much as you can, kind of like here, um, in including what the lighting is behind you, appropriate clothing, um, and um because of all the scary things we've seen on social media.

And then um maybe arriving a little earlier so that we can make sure everything's working correctly.

And then the last part is on the closed meetings.

Do you want to allow virtual participation for closed meetings or not?

And if so, the person really will need to be in a space that they can maintain that confidentiality throughout that closed meeting.

Yeah, so if I can um just as a fruit, like I think going through these based on the conversation that we had that led to this.

Like, am I right that it is the intent of council is that it is the exception.

I mean, right in and we also know that in-person quorum is ideal because as you listed as an example of previous discussion, um, if technology fails, we still want to have the ability to be having a council meeting.

And so having having an in-person quorum is important for that one.

Um I think the other question I have is that we normally don't have a regular council meeting be closed.

And so um this is in reference to a work session.

If there's a closed meeting, work session or pre-council.

Right.

We're looking at all open meetings at this point.

Yeah.

Um so any open or closed, any meeting, because we already kind of allowed the virtual participation for for pre-councils um and work sessions because there aren't any votes.

It's the regular meeting that we're adding, obviously.

But once we go into the system, uh the rules should apply pretty much regardless.

Well, I think um I think we have done closed meetings virtually um in the past.

And I think they're I I'm not sure.

I think this is the one that gets a little bit trickier because how do you know what's on the other side of the computer?

So that one is a little bit kind of uh when it's a closed meeting, I think that that does raise some questions on that one.

Yeah, done.

No, I was gonna say if to move forward, I would say yes, we have to have all in-person quorum.

Um I would go with the slide that's up uh prohibit virtual participation in any closed meetings because to the mayor's point.

You don't know who's what's going on on the other end, you know, to try and maintain the confidentiality.

So I would say for a closed meeting, no, you could not participate virtually.

Yeah.

And then also the other one was about this is the exception, the intent is the same.

And definitely the exception, not the rule.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, Jackie.

I just had a question.

Um would the so uh if as we move forward, the verse virtual participation, the council member could vote, but they wouldn't be part of the quorum.

Is that accurate?

I don't think I don't think that's correct.

You'd be part of the vote.

Yeah.

Okay.

And you'd be part of the quorum.

Well, if a quorum is required to be present in the room, it doesn't you're not counting it for for the quorum.

You're you're present, so your your attendance is counted.

Um but it's not necessary for the quorum.

So the question is is whether or not a quorum is required to be present in the room.

Okay.

So your vote will count regardless.

Right.

And you count in terms of attendance.

And attendance counts.

And the other thing that Nancy pointed out to me, which I did not realize, is if we do have virtual participation, so I'm gonna have to like remember this.

Um roll call votes required for everything.

So you know how we do the approval of the agenda and uh minutes and all of that, and sometimes public hearings we do just by voice vote.

Um it'll take roll call vote in the future.

And no longer no objection to voice No, that's only if there is a virtual participation.

So yeah, it's a little bit of a switch in our thinking, but we can handle that so long as um, you know.

And just the other comment I had, and I don't think I read it in the stuff in but other groups I'm part of who um that are not elected bodies have a specific um statement about not allowing virtual participation while driving a car.

Because sometimes people will hop on as they're driving, and that liability issue is huge.

So I think it would be important to include that statement.

Okay.

Yeah, I've seen the nose.

How many airports have you set in when you've heard overheard somebody's tell some conversation?

Which leads to the no closed session, right?

Yeah, as part of that.

Yeah.

Or operating a boat either.

Flying a plane.

All right, yeah, Valerie.

I just wanted to weigh in on the quorum need, quorum in the room.

To me, that makes sense for a regular that we have a quorum present in the room, and that virtual wouldn't count toward that quorum.

It may be helpful for us for a work session to allow virtual to count towards the quorum.

Um especially some of our special call work sessions where we're having troubles finding dates where everybody can attend.

Yeah.

No, I think that's a good point.

Good point.

Yeah.

Good point.

Yeah.

Yeah, Betsy.

Well, there's no vote in the case.

That's why she means it's my virtual.

That's why I think that's that would be fine.

Quorum counting virtual for work session, I think would be appropriate.

Yeah.

Um can you guys go back a few slides to the exceptions?

I think that was this.

Right.

No, I think we passed uh No, it's it's earlier, I think.

Okay.

Because it's one of the first things you talked about.

Oh yeah.

Right there.

Is that what you're okay with?

Anything else you can think of?

Or is there confusion anywhere there?

I'm okay with it.

I mean, it gives just examples.

It doesn't say that's what it has to be, but um Right.

And you're here for like members out of town for a short duration.

That's like, yeah, if you're at a conference, but there's no evening session to Florida in the winter for six months.

That doesn't count.

That would not be allowed.

Okay.

Noted.

Okay.

All right, yeah, that works.

Do you have clear direction from us?

I think we have enough direction to bring forward um policy resolution.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Uh moving on.

Oh, we have finally we have correspondence from our substance use prevention advisory commission regarding the 23-hour alcohol service during the FIFA World Cup.

Do we have a staff report?

I know that we have my yeah, I see your staff liaison is there.

We have our chair here as well, I see.

You can come up here, Molly.

Hello, everybody.

I'm Molly Lindner.

Um, and I um am the chair for the Substance Use Prevention Advisory Commission.

And so um we were, well, we've this summer uh Governor Kehoe signed into law, the Missouri American Beer Act.

Um part of that Missouri American Beer Act does allow for during the um World Cup that is happening from June 11th through July 19th of this next year.

It allows for them um it allows for establishments that serve alcohol to serve alcohol from 6 a.m.

to 5 a.m.

Um so for 23 hours a day, which we all can say that's maybe not the best idea in many cases.

So as you could see in the memo, we put together some just uh different talking points about the public health and safety risks, um the workforce and operational burdens, and then also some unintended consequences.

The good thing about this um this law that went into effect is that we are allowed to, and any municipality is allowed to either opt out entirely and or modify what that law states.

So I do have the full law if you need me to read it, but um basically what the uh the commission is recommending is that we fully opt out.

Um but if that is not uh feasible, then also just uh modifying that.

Um and I will say there are many cities throughout the state that have already um opted out and or modified.

Um so if you would like concepts on some of those modification things that have occurred, I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Molly.

I think I'm also gonna invite I've got I see we have convention and visitor bureau and the police chief as well.

Do you have you all put your heads into thinking what we would do in this instance and what recommendations you would have?

Jill's like jumping up.

And I also asked the what currently we can start serving alcohol at 6 a.m.

No, no.

We can do it now at 6 a.m.

Yeah.

It's 6 a.m.

to 1 30 tech no one o'clock.

And you can serve yeah, till 1 30.

Okay.

So I didn't buy a sort of thing.

For breakfast.

I guess so.

I think we're going away from the intent of the substance prevention.

Thanks for that update.

Yeah.

No, and I mean, yeah, and you can speak to it too.

I was gonna say the things that we really looked for was um there is so much alcohol-related harm that comes from that extension in hours.

There's a lot of research that also is included within our memo.

And then also the workforce and operational burden specifically to our police force and ERs and ambulance drivers.

Yeah.

So Chief, do you have you and or Amy, whoever or Michelle want to speak to what how we're thinking about this?

So we tasked one of our uh sergeants, a sergeant that's currently assigned to the downtown project to kind of talk with some of the business owners downtown and also outside the downtown footprint, people have liquor licenses and kind of get a feeling for what they were thinking about this.

And so the consensus was that for one thing, they're not going to have staff 24 hours a day.

They just don't have that capacity.

Especially downtown during the summertime, a lot of their staff is gone home anyway.

So that was one issue that came up, but we were really trying to get a sense of, hey, if we decide we want to opt out of this, how upset are you guys going to be?

And we didn't get the sense that that was something that was going to be an issue.

So the consensus amongst the police department was to approach this as a special events permit.

So if someone comes forward and says, hey, we've put together an event, we want to do a street closure and have a watch party or something of that nature, that's completely different than just bars randomly staying open for 23 hours a day all over the city and then us trying to figure out how to manage that.

Yeah.

And so the the thought is is that what would come back to us would be some sort of ordinance that or would anything have to come back to us?

Since this is a state law, something would have to come back to us, right, Nancy, that says basically this is not a blanket allowance in the city unless they go through our special events process.

Well, I would make a motion that we do that.

Oh, something unless you want to have more discussion on it.

Um discussion.

Well, hold on, Molly, hold on a second.

Yeah, Nick.

Well, uh from time to time, I'm sure there are members of the public who um learn about what we've done here and wonder what were they thinking.

This very much applies in this one for me, uh, but I wonder what they were thinking.

What what's the what's the rationale for doing this?

And what you mean what Jefferson City was thinking?

You mean like I know that's a hard question to answer, but I think I do have information on that too, just from my job.

Yeah.

I'll start and then I'll throw it to you.

Um Amy Schneider Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Um the thought is is that we have a lot of um people coming from other countries to watch these matches.

Um the way that the bars and restaurants are set up in those other countries, they're set up a lot later at night than ours.

And a lot of people will go at one or two in the morning to watch a match, or to celebrate after a match.

I think the biggest thought was that um it's going to really hit Kansas City more than some of our satellite cities because you will have more people staying in Kansas City.

We are within a 200 mile radius, which makes us an ideal satellite city for people to that don't want to pay the price in Kansas City or may not find a place to stay in Kansas City.

So we would be um kind of an ideal satellite city for people from other countries to stay in our city.

So, you know, we'd have to look at um the special events permit process.

The only thing I would say is, I mean, would do you need a permit from that?

I would just kind of want to talk about what that looks like.

Um but we will have people domestically and internationally coming here, so we just need to know what the perimeters are so that we can share that information.

But I would say too.

Um but yeah, the other pieces, like because as you noted, there are people coming in from other countries.

That's where we have seen some modifications in other um jurisdictions where they've said, okay, your establishment can stay open to serve food, but you cannot serve alcoholic beverages that entire time.

And you're still cutting off your alcoholic beverage sales at that point in time.

But I will also note um the bar owners I have talked to in establishments are like we didn't even know this was a thing.

Um which is good because they also are all coming back and saying we don't want to do, but we wouldn't want to do this.

So I think that's a good thing to keep in mind as well.

Okay, so we have a discussion about a motion of bringing something back for us uh following the recommendations of our professionals on what it would take, but with the intent of being we don't want to be a free-for-all of potential um liabilities.

Yeah.

All right.

Any concerns on that one?

All right.

Thank you.

Introduction.

Thank you.

Thank you for bringing it to our attention, Molly.

All right.

Uh final report of the evening.

Our final reports of our final meeting of 2025 is the finance report.

Mayor may just say was there a motion to bring that back?

Did you actually get I had no objection?

Okay, I missed that.

Thank you.

Yeah, I heard the motion.

I'm saying I let it go this time.

It's the last meeting.

She's giving me three.

Showing the love.

All right.

Do we have a staff report on the finance report?

Uh guess and what you have in the in the finance report uh this evening is our um quarter, the year-in quarterly report, and basically for fiscal year 2025.

So uh this is the quarterly report uh for the quarter ending September 30 uh 2025, and uh it is an unaudited report, but it is pretty factual uh in what we expect to see when the audited financials come forward, probably sometime in February.

And so uh basically the the sum of this report comes on page six, and um you can see the comparison of fiscal year 24, uh fiscal year 25 to fiscal year 24, and then the fiscal year 25 budget as well.

Um if you look on the on pay also on page six uh at the miscellaneous line, you can see that 16 million dollars, the unexpected litigation that we received uh in that fourth quarter.

Uh and then another thing of note is the expenses, uh the miscellaneous contractuals.

Uh that was basically a we we include 22 million dollar amendment to allow for the ARPA spending, which this year should roll from 25 to 26, so we won't have to make that amendment again this year.

So any questions, I'd be happy to answer.

Any questions from Matthew?

Matthew, I think one of the things that we often talk about is our expected sales tax revenue or expected property tax revenue.

And usually property tax is pretty close to our budget, like actuals are pretty close to our budget.

Um and I feel like on the sales tax, it's also pretty close to what we're budgeting.

Are we seeing that trend continuing?

Yes, and and we were pretty pretty close on anticipations for this uh fiscal year, uh, although we were down uh around um 100,000 or so uh from what we actually budgeted uh and down compared to last year as well.

So we did not expect that, but we did expect some sort of increase.

What was the cause of the additional two million in other local taxes?

Do you know?

I I apologize for not clicking on the desk.

I know what that is.

That's the other, that's the remaining um century link settlement.

So it was a total of a $16 million settlement.

It wasn't just $14, it was 16.

So that's um So it came in under other local taxes?

They had paid uh those taxes in protest, and those were the protested taxes that were being held and got released from escrow.

Oh well, thank you.

All right.

Any questions for Matt?

See none?

Thank you for the additional information.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

All right, now we'll go to general comments from the public.

Would anyone from the public wish to speak?

Eugene Elkin Ward 2.

Hey.

I kind of like hearing the chat idea that you're all gonna make lots of changes.

I thought I clearly heard five minutes for each speaker.

Now, is that not true?

No.

Okay, she's already shaking her head.

It was spoken, but nobody's agreeing.

Okay.

Good question now.

Tonight, I am making mention of good things that happen, and we don't realize by just word of mouth.

Hey, I've got a lot of things I need to get rid of.

I'll be traveling three hours to a town called Whittle Willow Springs, and when I get back, I need to get rid of all of it.

This is a homeless individual, but my suggestion was love ink.

Why would I say something like Love Columbia, Love Inc., the recycling of possessions, because that money goes to help the homeless.

And in a thing that's not ever mentioned is houses are actually being built right behind Love Columbia here in downtown Columbia.

And this is something very appreciative, knowing that if others can say Love Columbia, they may turn you down, but at least we know it's going to help the homeless if you don't know how to help them.

Maybe your possessions is a very great gift to another person.

I'm here to wish you a Merry Christmas this year.

Ho ho ho.

I hope your jobs get easier because downtown Columbia might be lacking a few Christmas decorations.

And I want you to think about that.

We have a lot of issues constantly on the negative side.

Violence.

We don't want to talk about it.

We don't want to hear about it.

Well, how can we go about getting rid of it?

Let's make downtown Columbia a place you want to go.

The decorations have a lot to do with it.

And those beautiful red balls that are at the 9th Broadway are so beautiful.

Why not a few more of them?

Just things to think about.

God bless each one of you.

Thank you, Eugene.

Would anyone else from the public wish to speak?

Good evening, Dr.

Tracy Wilson Cleekamp.

My granddaughter pointed out to me that she likes the big red balls downtown.

She brought it up and I didn't know what she was talking about.

And she's like, Granny, the big ball downtown by Sweetie Hall.

Oh, okay.

So then we had to drive by and check it out.

And then we came that night to the legislative priorities.

I wanted to thank all of you for participating in the retreat this week.

It's really hard to have those kind of difficult conversations where we talk about the things that are the most difficult.

I think I used the analogy and it came from Carol talking about either a sli clone or a whirlwind, and I use the metaphor of when you go to marriage counseling and you're in a conflict and the therapist says, now this person said XYZ.

We want you to repeat back what they said so that you know they know that you heard what they said.

And what I heard was sometimes things get relayed to the city manager, and it doesn't get relayed back so that you're on the same page.

And there seems to be a lot of that from those of us watching from afar.

So I hope you will keep working on that.

I will say that you were at a you were at a location where there was no recording.

And so I did record a recording, it's not fantastic.

It did cost us about $800 to get a transcription.

But I felt that it was important to hear each one of your voices.

When you have a consultant, um, they give a summary and your voices are diluted, and this way I could hear what each one of you were saying and use order to run queries to think about um the specific topics that you brought up.

So that was very helpful for me to study um afterwards.

Um I'm working on that.

I spent about 20 hours on that last week.

Um anyway, I th I think it's important to think about where you're when you have events like that, and they are open to the public.

Um I think accessibility is really important along those lines.

I know the 1A room is going to be getting some improvements.

The audio is not great there, and there's also not uh good sound uh quality.

Um, and so I wondered about having a transcriptionist or some kind of transcription that comes from those meetings because they they are difficult to to manage sometimes.

Um I think um I think that is that is that is it.

I hope going forward as you work out times to meet and times to um chat, that you remember that when you don't chat, the people that um are affected by your unwillingness to meet for whatever reason is the public.

And at the end of the day, you all work for us.

And I think it's really important that you continue to do the work even when it's really hard.

It's like when you get a fight with your spouse and you have to make up the next day and make amends.

Um it's a constant uh battle in that way.

But thank you, and happy holidays.

Would anyone else from the public wish to speak?

See none, we'll go to council comments.

We'll begin with Don.

I'll keep it short.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, happy Hanukkah, and happy new year.

Thanks.

Betsy.

You know.

All right.

Oh, it's kind of hard for me to follow that.

Um Thanks for the retreat.

I think we did some hard work.

Um it was not always easy, but I think that it will be meaningful for us if we stay the course, because that's how we get on the same page and how we make um policies and processes to do those policies that are robust and useful.

We had a discussion tonight about floodplain.

It was off the consent agenda, so I didn't have the time to run a possible motion by staff because I didn't expect to discuss it and think of motions.

But I think it would be very useful to have planning and P and Z take a look at our code related to the floodplain overlay and fill in build as a practice and see if there are any updates in the current standard of practice surrounding fill and build and um EPA recommendations surrounding that need to be updated in our code.

May I ask before well, I mean, are you making that motion?

I hesitate to make them.

I couldn't without running it by staff because usually I send an email saying this is the motion I intend to make, and then we think it through as a group and we haven't done that.

Yeah, I think I'd appreciate that.

Just to see some more information.

I'm happy to revisit this, but I do want to bring it up during my closing comments to mark that intention.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Um I was I'm I'm happy to allow others to, since I've passed on my comments and I've already made one non-motion motion.

We're going to.

Okay.

Okay, fabulous.

Um I also want to um wish everyone a happy holidays.

Um, particularly anyone who might be either attending or tuning in on a religious holy day for themselves as we are actively celebrating Hanukkah.

Um I hope that potentially, you know, conversation for the future, but I hope that potentially we can look at considering holy days when we are scheduling council meetings so that people don't have to make the decision between being publicly engaged and um celebrating their religion.

Um I also left the um council retreat um feeling um excited about moving forward in a way where we are communicating openly with each other and understanding each other a little bit better.

It sounds like there were um I'm a communication nerd, so I love figuring out accidental miscommunications, and I think we got to do a lot of that work together sitting in the same room when we actually had the opportunity to do so.

Um and so I am excited to see those clarifications have more actionable results in the future.

I'm also really excited about this conversation with changes to um potential changes to council meetings.

Um I am really I've been excited about this spring field talking about things on first read since I heard about it a month ago, two months ago.

Um I've been pondering this for a while, and I really love the opportunity for not only more public engagement, which is so important, but also more ability to actively collaborate with staff.

Um I I just think it would create so many opportunities for us.

So I can't wait to see where that conversation leads us.

Um and I hope everyone has a happy, safe and warm holiday season.

I think I echo the holiday wishes and I will be doing a CPD ride-along on New Year's, so just right now.

I'm excited to crack New Year's Eve.

Tend to technically both.

Yeah, both.

So 10 p.m.

to 2 a.m.

Yep.

So see you out there.

Um to bring up the bus enclosures just so um everyone knows.

So this was it came from a discussion with some transit drivers, and I sent an email to DeCarlin uh regarding that conversation and copied Valerie and Vera because they were part of that discussion as well and sent them ideas that were brought to us by transit drivers.

Um so DeCarlin has that email um request, and I did request if he could um find out if we could use some of our reserve funds to cover that.

I have you talked with him about that at all, Matt.

Yes, ma'am.

Um he and I and uh public works directors spoke about that last week.

And so we've we've got a couple of ideas.

I appreciate you sharing some links.

Um our biggest concern is we believe that there's a possibility sometime in the future we might actually collect um you know, money to money to ride ride the bus.

We're gonna best have bus fare a little um little change thing or uh touch um kiosk.

And so how would that work with the um bus bubbles?

I'm not sure what you're gonna call them the safety, the plexiglass.

Um so we're we're still kind of working things through.

But yeah, we we've started working on it already, yes, ma'am.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you for the update.

So I just wanted to kind of catch everybody up on that.

Um and then I just had a quick request a couple of weeks ago I um had requested a campaign finance reform report to come back to council and then after further discussion, specifically at the retreat, it was suggested that that would work better as a work session so we could talk through different possibilities versus just a quick report.

So my request is that if I could alter that request from instead of getting a report back on campaign finance reform that we could switch it to a future work session and put it lower on the priority list because we have other things that we need to tackle first.

Yeah, I don't think is there any objection to to that?

I don't think any of us were just like waiting on the edge of our seats for it to come back.

Because you're right.

I mean, there's a lot on our priority list.

So yeah.

No objection.

All right, yeah, appreciate that.

Anything else, Jack?

All right.

Uh Nick.

Well, last week was a busy one with the retreat uh beginning the week, the legislative priorities uh reception ending the week, uh, and other the the housing study meeting that took place in the middle of the week.

And then uh also on Tuesday, uh there was a let's talk local that I hosted and I very much appreciate uh public health and human services personnel for coming and sharing what we do with social services and how we fund those and so forth.

And of course there were a number of other things that were brought up, but it just reinforced for me how important these kinds of meetings are with the public and uh I want us to just I I don't think I need to do much to encourage us to continue to do those.

Um I I had a really good time there.

Um I have a motion to offer tonight.

And here it is.

Um this is in light of our concerns related to homelessness, that being a priority for us.

Um and this is something that I've been looking at and working on for a long time, but many in the staff have also been doing that, and I uh so I bring this motion with that in mind.

Uh I move that city staff determine the feasibility and manner of establishing a managed property for the provision of temporary transitional housing for unsheltered persons in the City of Columbia, considering the use of pallet shelters or similar structures.

Staff will explore location, number of shelters, cost, management of the site, and any other elements that need to be considered and will provide a tentative timeline for establishing the site.

I'll make that in the form of the motion.

Uh I'll second that.

Is there any discussion on this?

You say which struct sorry.

No, no, it's you, Vera.

Okay, sorry.

Can you say uh what type of structures you were saying again?

Well, I'm referring to pallet structures uh in particular, those are these small um buildings that are very easily set up.

Um part of the question would be how many of those could we afford?

What what space would that would provide for those and uh what's the need and so forth?

Yeah.

There are some other folks that are coming into that space as well and providing similar structures, uh pallets, the one I'm most familiar with.

Yeah.

Um and then and Betsy, did you have your hand up?

Okay.

Well, then I think it was Betsy then done, sorry.

Um so the and I know Nick, you and I have talked about this just sort of for clarification.

This is sort of revisiting the same questions we had.

Was it like two years ago that we tried to use some ARPA funds for, but we couldn't get anyone to we couldn't find anyone to manage the proper or to manage the shelters.

So we're gonna try and you're asking the staff to try and take another look at it and see if things have changed.

And I and I talked to DeCarlin about it.

The staff has continued to explore this and to look at different options and so forth.

And so uh this motion just really asked them to move it and bring something back with us, back to us.

Yeah, because I I mean I didn't know they were still working on it.

So I'll be happy to hear about it.

There have been some visits to other places and uh some conversations taking place otherwise.

Okay.

Don?

Um I just want to make sure I heard you correctly that uh part of this would include management as in who would manage this.

Okay.

Any other discussion on this?

All right.

So we've got a motion and a second.

All those in favor of the request um for staff to bring back the report with this, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Um I'll just want to mention one other thing.

Uh, yesterday, for those who uh celebrate uh the Christian calendar, um, this was the third Sunday in Advent, which is the Sunday of joy.

And I was reminded yesterday in worship that uh the holidays can be difficult for some people, and so finding joy is sometimes hard.

But I hope that all of us can experience that joy and share it uh however we find it, and that we can share it with others, especially those who are struggling.

Well, I appreciate that.

Um and I'll echo all the holiday wishes, best wishes.

I also note that tomorrow um will be uh seven foot Lego menorah in front will be lit at 6 p.m.

in front of City Hall.

So there's your additional decorations, Eugene.

We're bringing more things down.

Um that will be at 6 p.m.

The fire department will drop chocolate from a really tall ladder.

I don't know if you know that, Chief, but it's gonna be very exciting.

Uh so hopefully people are able to come down and join us for that.

Um I I will make note I do appreciate everyone's participation in the retreat, and the intent of it is to continue our collaboration with each other.

Um sorry that all the department heads got on Monday free and didn't have to hang out with us.

Uh, but we look forward to continuing our relationship building and conversations on that.

And then my last little thing just to add is I I saw some staff go out afterwards.

I'm just hoping that any of our staff that's interested in talking to the small business administration office about the resiliency programs and advertising.

I'm looking at sustainability and economic development.

I'm hoping that that can go forward so that people have awareness on this.

I know she has reached out to council before, and I hope she's put in contact with staff.

So better.

We got her talking about it.

Perfect.

Perfect.

Is there any staff comments?

Apologize that DeCarlin stepped away uh sick.

So thanks for stepping in, Deputy City Manager Matt Unring.

You're very welcome.

All right, Nancy, anything?

Sheila talked more at this meeting than any other ones, and you're ready to go home.

All right, so I'll go ahead and adjourn us at 10 22.

Okay.