A date for a potential public hearing on the future of the city’s Flock camera system could be finalized, pending a vote from the Columbia City Council at its meeting Monday.
The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday at the Daniel Boone City Building, 701 E. Broadway.
The city passed a motion for a public hearing at a previous meeting and agreed to hold a hearing at 6 p.m. Nov. 9. An approval Monday would solidify the date for the public hearing.
The city entered a contract with Flock Safety to implement automated license plate recognition systems in 2024. Since then, the city has implemented 114 license plate readers, which are managed by Flock Safety, according to the Columbia Police Department’s Flock transparency portal.
Land donation for new park
The council is scheduled to vote on approving the donation of 80 acres of land to the city for use as a park. The proposal includes 7.85 miles of trails, a 40-car parking lot and a restroom facility near South Stanley Poe Road just south of the city.
The land is currently owned by the Frank W. Morris Memorial Trust, which previously donated $90,000 to the Columbia Parks and Recreation Fund for maintenance of the trails and will donate an additional $100,000 for maintenance if the property is acquired by Dec. 15. The total estimated value of the donation given by the trust is $3.8 million.
If approved, the park will be named Boone Horizon Trails. No new hard surface roads may be established, except for additional biking and hiking trails.
Municipal animal shelter
The council will consider purchasing a $995,000 property to be used as a joint city-county animal shelter and Animal Control building. The city would provide $595,000, and the remaining $400,000 would be provided by Boone County.
Central Missouri Humane Society’s contract with the city for animal shelters and veterinary services for small animals will end in 2028. If approved, the city would look for new providers for animal care and veterinary services to operate the shelter and to manage adoptions.
The building would also house the city’s animal control team.
The property is located at 1300 Boone Industrial Drive and is currently owned by Chi Baby LLC, a real estate management company. It was previously used as a veterinary clinic.
HIV testing program
In early 2026, the council approved a partnership between the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department and Lifeline Services clinic to provide free rapid HIV test kits across central Missouri, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting.
The city may soon further expand its HIV testing program services with an ordinance to be voted on in the upcoming council meeting.
The ordinance would allow the city manager to enter into an agreement of collaboration between the city of Columbia and Randolph County’s health department on an expanded HIV testing program.
The program would support healthcare entities in performing routine opt-out HIV testing. The Health Department would provide rapid HIV test kits, technical assistance and staff training as well as aid in connecting those with HIV to ongoing services.
The project aims to “make HIV screening a normal part of healthcare delivery,” according to the city.
Other business
Two items will be introduced concerning collaboration between the city and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The first is an ordinance allowing the city manager to sign amendment two of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Contract, extending the contract period to Sept. 30, 2027.
The second is an ordinance allowing the city manager to sign the Food Safety Assurance for Summer Food Service Program and At-Risk Afterschool Program Site Inspections.
Those programs reimburse community agencies that provide meals to students when school is not in session, ensuring that those eligible have access to nutritious food during the summer.
Food Safety Assurance helps ensure that the meals provided by these agencies meet safety standards. This is accomplished through food safety inspections and training of environmental health specialists.
The community agencies that provide these meals are currently reimbursed a maximum of $3,600. The proposed ordinance would raise that number to $4,000 and expire on Sept. 30, 2027.
