Columbia City Council to discuss COVID-19 relief

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council is scheduled to meet Monday at 7 p.m. to discuss, among other topics, COVID-19 relief and a growth impact study group.

The COVID-19 ordinance expected to be discussed said it would authorize the city manager to, "make applications and execute all necessary documents for federal and state funding related to the COVID-19 public health emergency."

According to a council memo, the legislation would be a formality to ensure the authority is clearly established for city staff to apply various COVID-19 emergency funding grants, submit required certifications and assurances, execute grant offers and supplemental grant amendments and submit any other required information on behalf of the city.

The legislation would also ratify prior actions with the city in regards to CARES Act funding.

The ordinance is scheduled to go through a first reading Monday and will not be voted on.

The council will also be considering a resolution establishing a Growth Impact Study Working Group. This would be done in an effort to assist the city's consultant with a Growth Impact Study for fiscal year 2021.

The working group would be a seven person team and would assist the consultant in areas of research, public education and involvement and comment on the consultant's work as it progresses.

The working group would not be producing their own report, rather just offer local perspective to the consultant.

The budget for the group is $75,000 and the city said it would take them no longer than seven to nine months.