Columbia City Council approves CPS SRO program and reconstruction at airport

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

On Monday night, the Columbia City Council approved the student resource officer program with Columbia Public Schools as well as reconstruction of taxiway A at the Columbia Regional Airport.

CPS SRO Program

Columbia Public Schools will once again have multiple school resource officers in three of its high schools.

The program was pulled during the pandemic because Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones said he didn't see the value of having officers in the buildings while students weren't in school.

The agreement will place one officer in Hickman High School, one at Rock Bridge High School and two at Battle High School.

Chief Jones said the program could expand and the approved agreement will run through the end of June 2023.

The CPS SRO program agenda item details can be found in the council agenda below.

Taxiway Reconstruction at Columbia Regional Airport

The council approved reconstruction of Taxiway A at the Columbia Regional Airport which will cost around $2.5 million dollars.

Ninety percent of the cost will be covered by the Federal Aviation Administration while the other 10% will be covered by the city.

The council passed the motion unanimously to approve the reconstruction with Mayor Treece saying the project was a "good use of federal funds."

Bids will be accepted for the reconstruction project starting on Wednesday.

Reconstruction for the taxiway is expected to start in July and last for 95 days. This comes as the new terminal for the airport is expected to open this summer; seven years after it was initially given the green light by Columbia City Council.

The taxiway agenda item details can be found in the council agenda below.