Columbia 4th Ward candidates make case to voters at public forum

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

Candidates vying to fill Columbia’s vacant Fourth Ward City Council seat laid out competing visions for growth, government efficiency, housing and public safety during a forum Tuesday hosted by the Columbia Board of Realtors.

The forum, held at 311 Bernadette Dr., featured former Columbia Utilities Director Dave Sorrell, attorney Sharon Jones and social services attorney Ryan King. The election will be held Aug. 4, with the winner serving the remainder of former Councilman Nick Foster’s term through April 2028.

Candidates were asked to address some of the city’s biggest challenges, including housing affordability, homelessness, infrastructure and city finances.

King, a social services attorney, judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve and member of Columbia’s Affordable Housing and Community Development Commission, said his campaign centers on preserving Columbia’s identity while managing growth intentionally.

“We need to to make sure we're building around parks and we're not building around the sprawl," he said. "I like to think of St. Louis County for example, of what we’ve got to avoid, even though I love many places in St. Louis County. Let's have parks be the center and let's not have the big-box retail at the center. Let's be deliberate about how we build our infrastructure, especially with our budget issues.”

King also framed himself as an alternative to the current structure at city hall.

“As a candidate, I feel like I'm largely outside of the city government city hall system, but I think we need someone who's, outside of the machine," he said.

On city finances, King said Columbia should avoid expanding faster than revenues allow.

“I think we just need to be more careful not to get too big too quickly. I think it's nice to build things out in terms of other employees and make sure everyone's paid but at the same time," King said. "We need to wait for revenues to catch up.”

King also focused heavily on housing and homelessness, saying Columbia should encourage denser housing options and remove barriers to accessing services.

“I think we can emphasize multifamily [homes]. You know, what's better than one home on a lot? Two homes on a lot, maybe three," he said

King said homelessness requires solutions beyond expanding shelter space.

“In my experience, I know that a lot of, unhoused people would qualify for public benefits if they could just get through the application process. And, that's a big hurdle. When you're homeless, you don't have, a mailing address. You probably don't have all these things, and so much is still done on paper through the mail. So, one of the things I'd like to focus on is working with nonprofits to, take more of a social work aspect. It's an approach that won't cost the city any money we can apply for grants to try and get people approved for public benefits that they otherwise would qualify for.”

Jones, who is a lobbyist and currently serves as the chair of Columbia’s Planning and Zoning Commission and has lived in Columbia for 26 years, said she entered the race after being encouraged by city and county leaders following Foster’s resignation.

She said her understanding of city processes and willingness to challenge decisions sets her apart.

“If you want someone who will ask the tough questions and make the tough calls, who understands our ordinances, how they're made, and how the processes of city government work, and it's going to do all of that, will protect the things that make Columbia an amazing place to live, then I think you should vote for me," she said.

Jones identified private sewer systems and utility capacity as major issues facing the Fourth Ward and said the city should be more "intentional" when evaluating future projects. She also argued Columbia could better manage its budget by relying less on outside consultants.

“I know that at least two plans where we spent, a couple of million dollars each, if not more, to hire these consultants, only to not use the plans that they presented," she said. "So I think that's one easy place to go. And consultants may sometimes be the right answer, and sometimes you can't do that in-house. But I think a lot of times we jump to that, especially if we think it might be a controversial issue rather than having the wherewithal to say we know it's not popular, but it has to be done.”

Jones also proposed structural changes to city government, saying Columbia would benefit from a full-time City Council.

“I think that the answer is that you need a full-time City Council. The problem isn't that we've got too much public engagement, or that our discussions are too lengthy, or that we're getting too much into the weeds on important questions," Jones said. "The problem is that we have a limited number of meetings a month, and that we have to fit all of these things into that limited number of people.”

Without a charter change, Jones suggested increasing work sessions and allowing virtual meetings. She also argued delays from city leadership contribute to lengthy meetings.

“I think often they take so long because the top-level staff are delaying answering the questions they're getting from City Council, and the City Council doesn't want to vote until their questions get answered," she said. "So I think this goes back to what I was saying about we need to fix that balance, because right now we're in a place where our city council is asked by the voters to make policy decisions, and when they ask questions and when they seek information, they're getting stonewalled.”

Jones also said she viewed the city’s new median ordinance as unconstitutional and would have voted "no" because it targets the homeless. 

Sorrell, who has worked for the city for 24 years as an engineer in the public works department, said his experience delivering city services gives him a unique perspective.

He said his campaign priorities include infrastructure, public safety and housing density ,and emphasized that he would approach the council as a policymaker rather than an activist.

“The things I think is really important are responsible financial management, reliable core services, and planning for our future," Sorrell said. "Those are the things that guided my 24-year career with the city. I spent my entire career working on the practical side of government and have helped deliver the services that our resident depend on. I understand how the government works. I understand the challenges the city faces because I've seen it firsthand.”

Sorrell also criticized the city’s use of utility revenue transfers.

“I think that the huge transfer of funds from the utility revenues to the general fund is not very responsible," he said. "That's such a large transfer on an annual basis that the general fund has become dependent upon those transfers, and it just dries up our utility rates.”

On decision-making, Sorrell said the council should focus on evaluating proposals based on long-term benefits rather than opposition from vocal groups.

“Every project or program that you propose, you're going to have people that are in favor of you and people that are opposed to it," he said. "What we need to do as a council, is evaluate the project for the program for its merits. And is it in best long term interests of community? And if it is, it should be approved over some local injection or a small group of people that very vocal.”

Sorrell also supported the city’s median ordinance, citing concerns about pedestrian safety, and said council meetings could become more efficient by focusing more heavily on policy discussions and moving public hearings later in the agenda.

The forum also included a discussion on Proposition 1 featuring Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude, Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer and Third Ward Councilwoman Jacque Sample. The measure asks voters to approve a new sales tax to support public safety, with city leaders saying the funding would go toward facility upgrades, new technology and staffing improvements.