Columbia City Government Archives

Columbia City Council reviews study for potential new convention center in Columbia

March 3, 2025 11:47 AM Erika McGuire

The Columbia City Council will review a feasibility study for a convention center at its pre-council meeting Monday.

Murphy nets $182k in donations for Columbia mayoral race; outdraws Buffaloe, Heath by wide margin

February 28, 2025 3:46 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A staggering difference in donations have occurred in Columbia’s mayoral race, according to the reports submitted to the Missouri Ethics Commission on Thursday. Thursday’s filings were the reports campaigns submit 40 days before the election. This year’s municipal elections will be April 8. A committee disclosure report for candidate Blair Murphy’s

Columbia Utilities to resume utility disconnections soon

February 26, 2025 7:02 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Now that the weather is warming up, the City of Columbia Utilities department will soon start utility disconnections, according to a press release from the city. The city does not disconnect utilities for electric customer when the National Weather Service expects temperatures to drop below 32 degrees over a 24-hour period during

Local governments monitor House bill that may eliminate sales tax on food

February 24, 2025 12:24 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) City of Columbia officials estimate the elimination of sales tax on groceries will cost $10 million in its first year. House Bill 432 is making its way through the Missouri Legislature and is now awaiting a committee assignment. If passed, HB 432 will remove sales tax on food. This tax elimination will

Columbia mayoral candidate Blair Murphy nets third five-figure donation

February 21, 2025 8:50 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia mayoral candidate this week collected another five-figure check, his third such donation this winter. Blair Murphy’s campaign took a $10,000 donation from Richard Miller, owner of Miller’s Professional Imaging. The picture printing company has a location in east Columbia. Miller is also a prominent University of Missouri athletics booster, having

Water tower will not be built next to Beulah Ralph Elementary School

February 18, 2025 3:01 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Editor’s Note: The lede has been corrected. A proposed water tower will not be built by Beulah Ralph Elementary School in Columbia. According to an email from Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark, the Columbia Board of Education decided not to sell the land near the schools to the City of Columbia.

City Council asks Parks and Rec to gather more community feedback on Douglass Park basketball court renovations after pushback over name

February 17, 2025 9:06 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council wants the Parks and Recreation Department to come up with a plan for reaching the community on the Douglass Park Improvement Project. The council on Monday unanimously decided to continue with the basketball court renovation project, but wants Parks and Rec staff to deliver a report on a

Residents voice concerns over naming of basketball court at Douglass Park in Columbia

February 14, 2025 11:24 AM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Some Columbia residents are voicing their concerns over the naming of the basketball courts at Douglass Park as renovations begin. The City of Columbia announced in 2023 the park would be named after former coach Willie Cox. Cox died back in 2019 and was an assistant coach for the University of Missouri’s

Columbia utilities director to retire March 14

February 12, 2025 3:45 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMZ) After 24 years of working for the City of Columbia, Utilities Director Dave Sorrell will retire on March 14, the city announced in a Wednesday press release. The release says Sorrell was hired as a civil engineer in 2001 and was promoted in 2006 to an engineer in the electric division of

Columbia Police Officers Association announces more endorsements for city elections

February 11, 2025 2:42 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Officer Association on Tuesday announced more endorsements for the April 8 municipal elections. The CPOA in November announced that it would endorse Blair Murphy for mayor. The mayoral race consists of Murphy, incumbent Barbara Buffaloe, Tanya Heath and certified write-in candidate Lucio Bitoy. The April election includes races for

More town halls on Columbia city budget occur this month

February 4, 2025 6:03 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A series of town halls in Columbia about the city’s budget process will continue later this month. The city held two town hall meetings about the overview of the budget in January. The upcoming meetings will focus on budget priorities, “where City staff will provide an overview of how decisions are made

Columbia firefighter’s union to withhold endorsements during city elections

January 29, 2025 3:37 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1055 announced in a Wednesday press release that it will not endorse any candidates in the April 8 election. The union has endorsed candidates in prior city elections and supported former First Ward Councilman Nick Knoth during his recall. “Breaking from the years long tradition of supporting

Local union makes endorsement for Columbia mayor and Third Ward council member

January 25, 2025 7:16 PM Haley Swaino

LiUNA Local 955, a Mid-Missouri construction workers and public employeeses union, announced it is endorsing incumbent Barbara Buffaloe for mayor and Jacque Sample for Ward 3 council member in the April 8 municipal election.

The union hosted a candidate forum on Saturday for city council in the 3rd Ward, 4th Ward and mayor for the city of Columbia. The forum was the first of the election cycle and addressed crucial topics for union members.

Long debated Columbia sewer extension project returns for public discussion

January 22, 2025 3:38 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA. Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia Sewer Utility is hosting an interested parties meeting on Wednesday to discuss the proposed Henderson Branch Sewer Extension to the Midway area. After years of debate and multiple failed attempts, the City of Columbia is once again attempting to expand its sewer system. On Wednesday, Columbia Sewer Utility

Local union, Board of Realtors to hold separate Columbia candidate forums

January 17, 2025 7:57 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) LiUNA Local 955 and the Columbia Board of Realtors announced in separate press releases Friday that they would be holding candidate forums for city elections. LiUNA Local 955 will host the first city candidate forum at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. “This forum will focus on vital issues for union workers including

Candidates announced for Columbia April elections

January 14, 2025 5:10 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two contested races will occur in the April 8 election in Columbia. Three races will occur in the April 8 election: Mayor, Ward 3 and Ward 4. The deadline to file was 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. Ron Graves and incumbent Nick Foster have filed for the Ward 4 race, according to City Clerk Sheela Amin.

Columbia city offices closed for MLK Day, trash services impacted

January 13, 2025 2:40 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) City of Columbia offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and some city services will be impacted, a Monday release from the city says. Curbside trash and recycling will not be collected on Monday and all pickup will be delayed one day for

Boone County board rebuffs Columbia application for violence prevention grant money

January 10, 2025 3:21 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County Children’s Services Board gave the City of Columbia a zero on its application for grant money on its violence-prevention efforts. The city’s application for $1.5 million was the only one to receive a zero, according to documents released by the county board on Tuesday. Columbia had asked for money

Nature activists want delay in approval of new south Columbia hiking, biking trails

January 2, 2025 4:55 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) More than 10 miles of new natural surface trails could be built in south Columbia if the City Council approves the plan on Monday. The council will consider the $403,000 project at its Monday meeting. If approved, Columbia Parks and Recreation will work with Nomad Trails Development to build 10.5 miles of

City of Columbia to host town hall meetings on budget process

December 30, 2024 6:40 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia is asking residents to attend a series of town hall meetings that is aimed to discuss the city’s budget process, a Monday press release says. Residents who attend will have the chance to participate in a question-and-answer session “where they can share ideas and get clarification on how