The Columbia City Council is expected to vote to purchase 24-hour emergency shelter services with the Columbia Interfaith Resource Center during Monday’s meeting.
The Interfaith Resource Center is funded by the Columbia Interfaith Council, which brings together faith communities, nonprofits and government agencies to respond to homelessness. Along with emergency sheltering, it also helps people access services to help bring them out of homelessness.
The council had previously approved the appropriation of $75,000 for the expansion of emergency shelter capacity at its May 3 meeting. It was established in the budget for the winter of 2021-2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The shelter will specifically serve homeless people in isolation or quarantine.
Electric buses under question — again
Also on the agenda Monday, the Columbia Public Works Department is requesting approval of the purchase of three compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for city public transit.
The request is a part of the Go COMO Transit Alternative Fuel Follow-Up Report, which states CNG buses are to act as a “bridge” until electric bus technology “has proven itself fully reliable.”
CNG buses are low- or no-emission vehicles that would meet the city’s Climate Action and Adaptation Program goals.
Go COMO is also requesting that the council allow another year to monitor the performance of the city’s four electric buses before purchasing more. A few years ago, the city leased nine electric buses that performed poorly and were returned to the manufacturer.
Fire Station 10
The council is expected to set a public hearing on the construction of Fire Station 10 at Monday’s meeting. The proposed hearing will be Dec. 6.
The Public Works Department is also asking council to approve the acquisition of property for the new station to be located near the intersection of St. Charles Road and E. Richland Road.
In a memo to the city council, the department says the new station is necessary because of growth in east Columbia. The proposed location should allow for more timely responses to fires, and the memo notes lower insurance rates for residents.
An interested-parties meeting for Fire Station 10 was held in October where a few property owners expressed concern.
Construction for another new station, Fire Station 11, was approved at the previous city council meeting. A 2018 Fire Department risk assessment determined, based on run volume, that east and southwest Columbia would benefit most from new fire stations.
Meter controversy
On Monday, the council will hear public comment from Bill and Judy Weitkemper regarding the issue of master meters versus individual meters.
Master meters, which are often used in apartment buildings or large office buildings, divert several users’ sewage through one pipe, whereas individual meters are used more commonly in single-family residences. With master metering, building owners are billed for water usage rather than billing the individual residents of the buildings.
Buildings with master metering pay a much lower base rate, according to previous Missourian reporting. Weitkemper has argued in the past that individual metering, rather than master metering, would be more fair and bring the city additional revenue.
Also Monday, the council is expected to approve the results of the Nov. 2 special election that extends the one-eighth of a cent local park sales tax. The tax will be in place for the next 10 years.
The meeting will take place at the Daniel Boone City Building at 7 p.m. Monday and is open to the public.
