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Randy Minchew confirms candidacy for mayor of Columbia

Randy Minchew confirmed Monday that he plans to run for the soon-to-be-vacant position of mayor in Columbia.

The former Sixth Ward City Council candidate plans to put the experience of that campaign from earlier this year to good use.

“I spent some time on certain things that I don’t think were productive,” Minchew said. “We were successful in getting our message out there ... the biggest lesson learned from the previous campaign is you’ve gotta get people out to vote.”

An active volunteer in Columbia for 20 years, Minchew currently serves on the Board of Directors for Phoenix Programs, an addiction recovery center in Columbia.

Minchew also hopes to apply entrepreneurial talent from owning over 20 businesses in his lifetime to his potential mayorship.

“I understand business,” he said.

Minchew hopes to focus on the infrastructural issues of the sewer system and streets in Columbia and setting up systems to improve them.

“I think we’ve still got a trash issue to discuss,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve solved the trash issue.”

His platform will focus on economics and making Columbia safer.

“I think we need to be stronger economically,” Minchew said of his platform. “I think we need to be a safer community (too).”

Current Mayor Brian Treece announced last month that he would not run for reelection. Barbara Buffaloe, David Seamon and Tanya Heath have also announced intentions to run.

Official filing will open Tuesday.

The Columbia Missourian is a community news organization managed by professional editors and staffed by Missouri School of Journalism students who do the reporting, design, copy editing, information graphics, photography and multimedia.