Buffaloe wins Columbia mayoral race

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Barbara Buffaloe won the Columbia mayoral race, defeating Randy Minchew 8,528 to 7,728.

A total of four people ran to be Columbia's next mayor.

There is no incumbent in this race as in September, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece announced he would not be running for re-election stating the job is not compatible with his new upcoming professional responsibilities.

Monday, was Mayor Treece's last night as mayor and serving on the city council.

The four candidates running for Columbia Mayor are Barbara Buffaloe, Tanya Heath, David Seamon, and Randy Minchew.

Barbara Buffaloe

Barbara Buffaloe moved to Columbia in the late 90s and in 2010 she joined the City of Columbia to be the city's first sustainability manager. Buffaloe left her position in May 2021, after 11 years of working for the city, stating she needed to make more time for her family.

Buffaloe received both her Bachelor's and Master of Science degrees from the University of Missouri.

In her Facebook post, Buffaloe characterized her campaign as a grassroots operation.

"I am starting this process as I've done most of my projects, with a little help from my friends and this amazing community," she wrote. "There's no 'machine' behind me -- so far it's just me and whoever wants to help out."

According to Buffaloe's candidate website, she is "advocating to invest in resilient infrastructure and our vibrant community to make Columbia one of the best places to live in the nation."

Buffaloe said she is advocating for a 24/7 homeless shelter, intentional infill development, and accessible housing for teachers, law enforcement officers, new graduates starting out in the workforce and people retiring and downsizing.

Buffaloe also says she advocates to repair the city roads, a reliable water distribution system, and a resilient electrical grid for clean and reliable energy.

David Seamon

David Seamon is a current member of the Columbia Board of Education. He announced his run for mayor of Columbia last October. Seamon was elected to the CPS Board of Education in June 2020.

According to his press release, Seamon is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and would be Columbia's first black mayor if he's elected.

Seamon moved to Columbia with his family in 2003 and graduated from Rock Bridge High School and Columbia College.

Seamon said that as mayor, he will work to build a vibrant future for Columbia, and work to ensure the city continues its leadership as a welcoming and innovative community.

Seamon said he is committed to a vision of municipal governance that focuses on equity.

“Our city is a hub for education, healthcare, and business. We enjoy a lot of prosperity, but everyone deserves a share in it. The challenges we're facing right now –– keeping Columbia affordable, reimagining community safety, distributing opportunity across the city –– are chances to do better than we have in the past. Let's make sure City
Hall is open to people who don't feel like the city works for them. And let's take action on the things we already agree our community needs, like establishing a permanent shelter for the unhoused and implementing the recommendations found in the 2014 Mayor’s Task Force on Violence,” Seamon said.

Seamon said his experience as an elected official during the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped his approach to leadership and problem-solving.

Randy Minchew

Randy Minchew is a former candidate for Columbia's sixth ward seat and has been a business owner in Columbia for 25 years but has been managing and growing businesses for 43 years. He also ran for the city council in 2021 and 2015 but dropped out of the race.

When Randy Minchew announced his candidacy in October 2021, a news release said, "Randy believes less is better when it comes to government and taxes."

Minchew moved to Columbia with his family 27 years ago.

He says wants to fix the city's trash issues, create better training for police, and bring in more officers to the department. He also wants to add more fire stations to Columbia.

According to Minchew's candidate website, he overcame years of physical abuse and addiction as a youth and has dedicated much of his adult life to working with the recovery community. Minchew has served on non-profit boards including Phoenix Programs, Grade A Plus and Love Columbia.

Minchew said he wants to make Columbia more affordable, and with his years of experience in the private sector, will bring more common sense to the city's finances.

Minchew has previously called for transparency from the City of Columbia when officials were searching for a new city manager. He also has criticized the lack and quality of trash bags with the mandated city logo.

Minchew told ABC 17 News in a statement, "I have been serving in my community for 40 years now. I see service to our community as the only way to keep the foundation strong for the next generation. Retirement is not something I’ve ever looked at as a requirement for me and so because of my skills, gifts and talent the Mayor's office looks like a great fit for me."

Minchew said if elected, one of his first actions will be to push for the creation of a City Commission on Poverty. He said the commission will focus on all issues related to local people living below or near the poverty line, including homelessness, child hunger, affordable housing, and a myriad of others.

Tanya Heath

Tanya Heath has a background in advertising, including being the Director of Advertising for Mizzou Magazine, a wellness practitioner, and a professor for strategic communication at the MU School of Journalism.

Heath said she is running on the campaign of "common sense and collaborative solutions" to make the community stronger and improve the community's physical, mental and emotional health.

According to a press release from her campaign, Heath is a Hickman High School and University of Missouri alumna.

Heath said her goal is to talk to as many residents in as many neighborhoods as possible to better understand the concerns and suggestions of city residents.

According to Heath's candidate website, she believes in the importance of a strong business community in Columbia.

"The reason I’m running for Mayor of Columbia is that we are at a pivotal point in our history,” Heath said. “In my career, my specialty is listening and brainstorming with folks to find positive solutions that help everyone move forward.” 

Heath has been a member and volunteered in leadership positions with 4-H, West Broadway Swim Club and the American Advertising Federation of Mid-Missouri. She is also a 27-year member of Community United Methodist Church.