Columbia Chamber of Commerce questions delay on some voter-approved projects

For the past two years, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce has worked off a local agenda. It includes priorities and goals the organization can work on throughout the year.

Both years, the chamber included on the agenda a goal to “encourage the City Council to abide by the voters’ will on ballot measures and vote to respect those outcomes.”

Chamber leaders now say they are questioning a number of projects that remain incomplete, despite being voter-approved.

“One of the things we heard constantly from our members was helping to make sure that the things being passed in bond elections are getting done,” said Chamber president Matt McCormick.

In a letter to the city council, Board of Directors Chairman David Nivens said that the incompletion of the projects “erodes public trust and the success of future ballot measures needed to advance the city.”

McCormick said they are concerned about several projects, but mentioned specifically the highly publicized Henderson Branch Sewer extension and the Transmission Line and Substation project. The city council rejected the Henderson project, which was first proposed as part of the 2013 sewer bond issue that voters approved. Staff said the price tag had ballooned from the original $2.6 million estimate.

Councilman Matt Pitzer partially agreed with the chamber, and said in an email that “inaction by Council on voter-approved projects risks eroding public trust.” He said he supports the Henderson Branch project and if the council hadn’t delayed the project, costs would not have been driven up due to “tariffs and trade wars.”

“If voters have reason to think that their wishes will not be acted upon, we risk losing their support for future ballot initiatives,” said Pitzer.

But Mayor Brian Treece said Wednesday the Henderson and Transmission Line projects didn’t pas the “smell test” when it came to using city resources to pay for them.

“I also think the voters expect their city council to be wise stewards of resources,” he said. “The reality is these projects are being completed and taxpayers are receiving benefits.”

McCormick said the city should better communicate progress, or lack thereof, to the voters for any projects on bond issues that have yet to be completed.

“We’re concerned that things aren’t moving forward with that and want to make sure that things are transparent where voters can see where does the city stand.”

Chamber leaders are set to address Council on this issue on Monday night.

There will be a $38.9 million Water and Light bond issue on the August ballot.