Sidney Steele

The Columbia City Council voted unanimously to approve option one for the Flat Branch Park Expansion. The council discussed four options for plans for the Flat Branch Park Expansion. The primary difference between the plans is what to do with a city-owned parking lot at the corner of Providence and Broadway.

The Columbia Board of Education and City Council are supporting a Missouri House bill that would allow cities and schools to split costs for city buses. House Bill 606 would allow the city and school district to make more efficient bus routes, and allow high school students to ride city buses.

Columbia Board of Education Vice President Jonathan Sessions said this is common practice in other cities across the country, including Kansas City. Kansas City Area Transit Authority offers unlimited free bus rides for metro-area high school students. Sessions wants the state legislature to expand that option to every city in Missouri.

After 16 months of research and planning, the Mayor’s Task Force for Climate Action and Adaptation Planning has completed its plan to make Columbia a carbon neutral city by the year 2060. The task force presented its plan to the public Monday night.

Energy consumption accounts for 70 percent of Columbia’s greenhouse gas emissions. The largest change the city is expected to make is a shift to 100 percent clean energy sources. The plan calls for Columbia Water and Light to purchase and produce 100 percent renewable energy.

The Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, is criticizing the Missouri House for advancing legislation that would allow concealed firearms on college campuses. The Missouri House advances HB575 Monday, which will allow colleges to arm faculty and force public colleges to allow people to carry concealed handguns on campus.

Moms Demand Action has sent representatives to Jefferson City to testify in opposition of the bill and uses social media to drive calls to state legislators.

The Fair Housing Task Force, formed last July, presented its findings about housing disparities in Columbia and a plan of action to provide more affordable housing.

Beginning next school year, sex education curriculum in Columbia Public Schools will include education on sexual harassment, sexual violence, and consent.

House Bill 1606 requires that by July, any course relating to human sexuality include these topics. The Columbia Board of Education voted unanimously to implement the updated curriculum, and to approve academic calendars for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years required by the state law. The board also approved a contract with a new substitute employer service.

Columbia Police Department is working to become accredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The Police Department held the second Police Policy Public Review and Input meeting Thursday to discuss policy changes required for accreditation.

CALEA accreditation sets standards for police department policy, said Columbia Police Department spokesperson Jeffery Pitts. Currently, MU Police Department is the only agency in Boone County with this accreditation.

The Columbia School Board race narrowed to three candidates after Brian Jones’ withdrawal from the race Thursday.

Jones sent a statement to the Columbia Daily Tribune and the Columbia Missourian announcing his withdrawal from the race. In the statement Jones said he has accepted an “unexpected employment opportunity” and will be relocating to Wisconsin at the end of February. He says this is in the best interests of his family.