As temperatures begin to drop, the city is responding by allocating over $1 million toward social services aimed to help homeless people brave the winter.
At its regular Monday night meeting, the Columbia City Council approved the use of city funds to support overnight shelter, drop-in center and overnight warming center services from the Voluntary Action Center and Turning Point, two homeless service groups, according to a council memo.
The Voluntary Action Center, a social services agency, will receive nearly $585,000 for overnight shelter services. Turning Point, a United Methodist Ministry and community resource center, will receive just under $432,000 for its homeless drop-in center and overnight warming center services.
These allocations are part of an ongoing city effort to combat homelessness in and around Columbia. About 323 people are experiencing homelessness in Boone County, according to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development records.
Council hears update on health services
Burrell Behavioral Health presented an update related to mental health emergency services in Columbia. This comes after a recent merger between the Columbia Burrell Behavioral Health and Clarity Healthcare locations, which will adopt the Centerstone name and brand by the end of March.
Its new Behavioral Health Crisis Center, located at 107 Texas Ave., is slated to be three times as large as the current center, located at 1805 Walnut St., when construction is complete next fall. The new facility will be able to serve individuals in crisis for up to 72-hours, increased from the maximum 23 hours of care currently available.
“This will add increased capacity to whatever the community needs,” Matthew Gass, CEO of Centerstone, said. “No one should have to worry about whether or not they could be seen.”
The city has talked about forming a mental health co-response partnership with Burrell since 2020. In the 2021 fiscal year, $600,000 was set aside by the city to develop the collaboration between the Columbia Police Department and Burrell.
New electric vehicle chargers coming to city
Columbia may be getting new electric vehicle charging stations across the city.
The council approved an agreement to work with Olsson Inc. to begin reviewing sites and designing four new charging stations.
Chargers are slated to be implemented at the Short Street Garage, the Fifth and Walnut Garage, Columbia Regional Airport and the Columbia Public Library’s overflow parking lot, according to a council memo.
The project will cost about $317,000.
City police, county sheriff to collaborate on K-9 training
The council also approved a one-year agreement between the Columbia Police Department and the Boone County Sheriff’s Department focused on K-9 training. The city’s police dogs and their handlers will receive training in obedience and explosives detection from the sheriff’s certified K-9 training staff, according to a council memo.
Columbia police operate a K-9 unit that handles patrol, detection and public safety operations.
Community navigation liaison program will pilot
The council also took the next step in piloting a community navigation liaison program designed to reduce disruptions on transit routes.
The Office of Violence Prevention and GoCOMO Transit approved a contract with Powerhouse Community Development Organization, which will administer the program, according to a council memo.
The city’s budget allocated about $100,000 to the first year of the program.
Liaisons will rotate between transit routes to engage with riders and ensure a safe presence on public transportation. They will also collect data on nondestination riders, such as homeless individuals seeking to stay out of the elements.
“They can actually be there as a resource for the individuals,” said D’Markus Thomas Brown, administrator for the Office of Violence Prevention. “So the driver can actually focus on driving and not have to try to be a de-escalation agent, a peer support specialist and a social worker while trying to navigate Columbia streets.”
Other agenda items
The council also voted on appointments to the newly created Collegiate Advisory Council. It is made up of local undergraduate and graduate students who advise the city council on all matters related to university students.
The following applicants were appointed, with terms expiring at the end of 2026:
- University of Missouri students: Juan Pablo Giraldo Isaza, Julian Fletcher and Carolina Rodriguez Rios
- Stephens College students: Jubilee Forbess and Shana Nunn
- Columbia College students: Landon Rehg and Emma Winchester
- Moberly Area Community College students: Chloe Campbell and Elizabeth Williams
The council also voted to fill several other city board and commission vacancies. The follow applicants were appointed:
- Board of Adjustment: Alexandra Bryan
- Columbia Sports Commission: Jared Klarfeld, Ethan Cobb, Carter Marcks and Beau Baehman
- Finance Advisory and Audit Committee: Caroline Bueler, Peter Schneeberger and Randy Minchew
- Firefighters’ Retirement Board: Michael Yoakum
- Human Services Commission: Reuutasha Belcher-Harris, Kimberly Getzoff and Benjamin Hamrah
- Police Retirement Board: Mike Hackmann
- Tobacco Retailer License Review Board: Michele Curry
The meeting took place at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Daniel Boone City Building, 701 E. Broadway.
