City Council - Regular Meeting

How beautiful.

Order. Madame clerk, could you read the role? Absolutely. Good afternoon. Mr. Johnson here. Mr. Bailey, present. Mr. Brown, here. Miss Herbert here. Mr. Brennan, present. Mr. McDow. Mayor Rickman here. Thank you. Reverend McDow, would you mind saying a word, please?

Let's bow our heads, please. for this day and for all you've done for us, for the blessings of life, health, and strength. We come together today to discuss and yet make decisions on some sensitive items within our community. Bless our community. Bless this city of ours. We ask it and claim it in your name. Amen. Amen. Stand for the pledge of allegiance, please.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Mayor and Council, we will ask for the adoption of the agenda. And at this time, Mr. Mayor, I'm being notified that the beautiful Mrs. Jenny Ruth Dingle Mixon will not be in attendance today. So, um, Mr. Mayor, you can either, um, still acknowledge the proclamation. And I think there's another event being planned this week for her.

I think so. So, um, let's just adopt when we get there. I'm just going to say say a couple words. So, move. We got a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as is presented. Madame Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, I. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. Public input. Individuals are allotted up to three minutes to address city council about items on the agenda. Items requiring a public hearing cannot be addressed at this time. Madam clerk.

Yes, sir. So, it appears that most individuals have signed up for the Vista bid public hearing and we have one individual who will speak at the end of the meeting. All right. Thank you, Miss We just had a sign up, so let's double check right there quickly. All right, same thing. Uh, Miss Bruce will speak at the end of the meeting. All right, with that, um, Mr. Johnson asked for a moment of personal privilege, Mr. Johnson.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, I want to, uh, thank our city manager, assistant city manager, Henry Simons. I see uh, uh, Mr. Kenya Brian in the back. Uh, I want to thank Shenique and uh, Mr. Tia Atkins uh, for helping uh, and all of our city staff, our parks and uh, recreation staff, uh, police, fire, uh, relations,

our PR team, uh, Riverbanks, Zoo, Adventure, Richland Library for partnering uh, with us to pull off a phenomenal uh, Easter egg hunt, Mr. there uh where we were able to have uh thousands of kids come out. Uh situation where we had to go back and purchase more Easter eggs uh to make sure uh not one kid left uh uh left there unhappy. Uh but I want to thank staff for going above and beyond to uh make sure that the investment that this city has made uh in a phenomenal Finley Park uh is being utilized thoroughly by our community. And so I just want to thank city staff, uh our partners, uh the volunteers that we had that day, uh and making sure it was a uh memorable opportunity for our children in our community.

Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Heard it was a great event. Thank you, Councilman. With that, Mr. Mayor, would you like to approve the minutes? Yes, ma'am. The council is asked to approve the March 17, 2026 work session and regular meeting minutes. So moved. Second. Got a motion in a second. Any further discussion, changes, or concerns? Seeing none hearing none, Madam Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, hi. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman,

I. Moving into a period of presentations. Um, we again are acknowledging item two, the Mrs. Jenny Ruth Dingle Mixon 100th birthday proclamation, the Honorable Daniel J. Rickman, mayor.

Uh, I'm sorry that Miss Mixon couldn't be here today. Yesterday was her 100th birthday and marking an extraordinary century of life, service, and faith to this community. Um we hope that we can celebrate with her at another time, but this council did adopt a proclamation um so that we proclaiming April 13th, 2026 is Jenny Ruth Dingle Mixon 100th birthday here in the city of Colombia. But I do want people to know this. This was a woman who opened her home and heart and fostered uh children, adopted them, providing care, stability, unconditional love to many kids in this community. Uh she faithfully served the city of Columbia as a daycare worker, a nurturing teacher, and caring for countless children, supporting working families throughout this community. And she's hit a remarkable milestone. and uh we wish her the best and we hope that we can celebrate her 100th and first birthday with her in the future. But with that, I think we should just

Thank you, Mayor. Item three, National Telecommunicator Week Proclamation. The Honorable Daniel J. Rickman. Mayor, can my telecommunicators come on down? I know y'all are here. Communicators. That's what it is. Tell the communicator. I didn't. No. Did I do Did I You missed that note, man. Some Some of the best of the best employees. Absolutely. Yes. Creators. I did.

Creators. Will y'all remind me at some point? I take a personal point of privilege to talk about my edism that I heard in Korea. Y'all come on up. The United States Congress designated the second full week of April as National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week in 1991 to recognize and honor the nation's first first responders, public safety telecommunicators, for their contributions to the safety and security of residents in the United States. The citizens of Richland County, the city of Columbia depend on the skill, expertise, and commitment of the men and women who answer 911 calls every day. Columbia Richland 911 Communications will be celebrating the 2026 National Telecommunications Week with a variety of activities during the week of April 12th through 18th. Everyone is encouraged to take a moment this week to contact the dedicated men and women. Please don't call 911 just to say hello, but think about them and when you see them here, thank them for their contributions to public safety because they truly are the first of the first responders. City of Columbia recognizes the hard work and their thanks them for their continued dedication to the safety of our city. So we do hereby as the mayor of the city of Columbia along with all the fellow members of council proclaim the week of 12 April 12th through 18 2026 is national public safety telecommunicator week in the great city. And y'all let's give these folks a hand.

I do. I do. Well, first of all, good afternoon everyone. I want to first thank uh Mr. Simons, uh, who is my boss, assistant city manager Simons, um, Miss Wilson and Mayor Rickman and city council for first, you know, just taking the time to acknowledge us and presenting us with this proclamation. It is much appreciated. And to all of my 911 staff, I really do from the bottom of my heart, thank you guys for each and every day for answering the call, for just being there. And we are celebrating this week. Um, so you might see that couple people are representing their hometown. So, we have a different, you know, shirts on today. So, each day we're just doing another thing or different thing, I'm sorry. But again, thank you guys. I really do appreciate you. And thank you guys.

Mr. mayor and council as they are going to take their photo op with the mayor. I want to acknowledge director Wendy Royal who was speaking because Wendy is truly an example of how you can grow in a profession. Um Wendy started as dispatch a young telecommunicator and is now the director and is knows it from the ground up. And um she has the temperament and the personality to bring on great employees and we're so proud of Wendy and her team. All right. Another wonderful agenda item or presentation by our office of neighborhood safety and engagement. Um I know they may um have a video. Mr. Mayor, I'm not sure if we will present that before after you proclaim second chance Month.

Mr. Brown, our program assistant. I think who who is going to kind of lead us? I'm glad to Would you like to to start? Do you want to watch the video first?

All right. off of the neighborhood safety engagement for the city of Columbia. April is a second chance awareness month and I'm very excited about this because I was given a second chance. Second chance gave me an opportunity to receive improvement to help me support my family and be very impactful in the community. I'm very thankful for those opportunities to be able to move forward in life and just, you know, be able to give back everything that I have learned and continue to be, you know, resourceful. So now I would like to introduce a community member that share his input and ideas of what second chance awareness means to him.

My name is Alfonso Sten. I am a community member. I'm here in recognition of second chance awareness one. I am living proof what a second chance look like and show you how the chances when you give one the effects of it. Do you know that one in three American adults that's roughly 70 million people that have records? Successful re-entry is the cornerstone of public safety. When you give returning citizens, resources and tools, jobs, secure housing, community support, it decreases recidivism and it increases the safety in our communities. So that means our communities grow stronger and they are strengthened. So this month of April is a call to action to restore dignity, reunite families, and to give returning citizens the tools and the resources they need to be successful in our society. Thank you for your time and um I appreciate this opportunity.

I encourage employers to give brothers and sisters that's returning back into society the opportunity to receive these jobs so they can be impactful in their community and their famil family's lives as well so they will not return back to prison. I'm excited to announce the community healing circle that's going to take place in Belmont Community Center, but it's going to be monthly and we will be able to announce it on our website to let you know where each event will take place and the times and dates. So, we're looking forward to seeing you on April 23rd. The community healing circle is going to be based around trauma you experienced in your life that you want to be able to share and try to receive some resources to get help and be able to move forward in life. So, we're very excited to have you come and be able to meet you and learn all the resources that we have available to you to be able to help your healing. Thank you. Mr. Brown, did you want to come to the podium um with the staff as well? Everybody from the office. The city of Columbia recognizes our nation is founded upon principles of prese preserv cannot talk today. Redemption and the belief that every individual deserves dignity, respect, opportunity to rebuild their lives. Individuals returning to our communities after incarceration have paid their debt to society often face significant barriers to employment, housing, education, and civic participation, which hinders successful, excuse me, which hinders their sexual return to our community. Second Chance

Month, first designated in 2017, recognizes nationally by the state of South Carolina, reserve serves to raise awareness about the challenges of re-entry and the importance of providing meaningful opportunities for individuals with conviction histories. City of Columbia affirms the past conviction should not define a person's future nor permanently exclude them from access to opportunity, stability, and the ability to contribute positively to their community. The city has demonstrated its commitment to second chances through fair chance hi hiring p practices including ban the box initiatives that remove barriers to employment and ensure applica applicants are evaluated on their qualities and not their past experiences. This effort strengthens our local economy, reduces and promotes both our public safety, and affirms the inherent worth and potential of every resident. The city of Columbia calls upon local businesses, nonprofit organization, faith-based institutions, community members to join in this effort by expanding second chance employment, fostering inclusive workplaces that welcome returning citizens. The city of Columbia proudly pledges its ongoing commitment to advance second chances, removing those barriers to opportunity, and ensuring that all individuals have the ability to rebuild their lives and contribute to the vitality of our community. Supporting successful re-entry not only transforms individuals lives, but also builds strong families, safer neighborhoods, and more equitable and prosper prosperous Colombia. Therefore, I Daniel recommend the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina along with

all of city council do by proclaim to April 2026 is second chance month and we encourage all our citizens to not only recognize but participate in creating opportunity to those folks who deserve a second chance. Thank you all for being here. Thank you for what you do. I'll start. Is yours

cuz I know he's a little nervous, but we got this. I want to start by thanking um our assistant city manager, Mr. Simons. He's in here, I believe, still. Uh our city manager, the council, and you as well, mayor. And I also want to show my appreciation just the fact that we are a second chance hireer and and I know that you know a lot of people get cut off right at the door but we get the opportunity to scan our folks prior and then run a background and get to know them because that doesn't define their work. So I do want to give Raphael a chance to talk and kind of speak on his second chance.

Uh thank you for this opportunity and I'm very appreciative you've been hired by the city of Columbia with neighborhood safety engagement. uh just being able to get an opportunity to do something I love to do, work with the youth, you know, and try to change their disruptive mindset and be able to I mean create programs and um reduce violence in the city of Columbia in these neighborhoods. So, but I also wanted to recognize brothers that is also has been impactful in our community, you know, that has came out and been very resourceful and u they also have I mean established their own businesses. they are working in the barber shops and you know they just continue to interact with the the community and the youth to sort of let them know that like we're here and we're here to make a positive change. So I'm very thankful for that opportunity.

Thank you mayor.

Mayor, can I can I just add one comment? So that is the the message that you all have is very powerful. Okay. And I think a lot of people need to hear it. Um, and I want you all to get with PR and do a real jazzy. Not jazzy. I used to say sexy, but Well, no, no, no. Cuz sex. And I'm not saying I probably shouldn't even say it the way I just said it, but to reach other people, to reach the kids, to reach other offenders, to show them the potential and the possibility. So, and then make it like 30 seconds so that we can blow it out. Um because the message you have is really really important and I am proud of each and every one of you.

Yes ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,

Mr. Mayor. May I say something? Yeah, Reverend McDow. Yes.

Let me just say a word of thanks. Don't Don't leave right now. Don't leave her. Don't, brother. Don't leave right now. Look, let me just say a word of thanks. Second chance. How grateful and how powerful that message is to e every young man, young woman who find themselves in critical situations, a second chance. All of us deserve a second chance. All of us stand in need of a second chance. And I thank you for what you're doing and the impact the impactation it's going to place on African-American young men who find themselves in real critical situation. Continue to do your work. If I can help, you let me know.

I appreciate Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.

I know. I know. Dr. Forom, Dr. Trarevon Forom, our director of the um office of neighborhood safety and engagement, who couldn't be here today, but would be very proud um of the of the um different strides that the office has been making, Mr. Mayor, since its inception. Um great job. The consent agenda items 5 through 15 are here for your consideration. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Questions or concerns? None. Seeing none, madame clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, hi. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, hi. Miss Herbert, hi. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow,

yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. Moving into a period of resolutions. Item 16, resolution number R2026030, approving the reissuance solely for federal tax purposes by the housing authority of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, of its not to exceed 22 million multif family housing revenue note, the Haven at Palmer Point project pursuant to section 147F of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended, providing certain other matters in connection therewith, and providing an effective date. So move, Mr. May second.

Motion in a second. And for the public record, this is just a pass through at the city of Columbia. This isn't us actually issuing. This is just a requirement that we have to go through for legal. Um and so we are approving this as a community. Any further discussion? Hearing none, seeing none, madam clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, hi. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown. Miss Herbert. I Mr. Brennan. Yes. Mr. McDow. Yes. Mayor Rickman. I.

Thank you. Item 17, resolution number R2026028, authorizing the city manager to execute and ratifying the execution of a purchase and sale agreement as well as any necessary closing documents between Orville Stanley Smith III and the city of Colombia for the purchase of 1950 Jery Street in Richland County and any documents necessary and approved by the city attorney to consummate the purchase. Mayor so move. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. Madame clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, hi. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, hi. Miss Herbert, Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman,

I. Thank you. Item 18, resolution number R2026027, certifying a building site as abandoned buildings pursuant to the South Carolina abandoned buildings revitalization act, title 12, chapter 67, section 1267100 of the South Carolina code of laws as amended regarding the property located at 1701 Fig Street in Colombia. So move second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none hearing none. Madame clerk, read the role. Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, hi. Miss Herbert, hi. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman,

I. Item 19, resolution number R2026026, certifying a building site as abandoned buildings pursuant to the South Carolina abandoned buildings revitalization act, title 12, chapter 67, section 1267100 of the South Carolina code of laws as amended regarding the property located at 875 Kataba Street in the city of Colombia together consisting of approximately 2.2 mill. to move. Got a motion. There's a second. There's a second. Any further discussion? None. Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Mr. Johnson. Hi. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. Brown. Hi. Miss Herbert. Hi. Mr. Brennan. Yes. Mr. McDow.

Yes. Mayor Rickman. I. Moving into a public hearing. Mr. Mayor, item 20 is the proposed Vista business improvement district plan. Miss Carrie Duny, the associate director of JLP and D and Mr. Scott Garvin, the Vista property owners organization representative. I know they have additional um folks who have come to the meeting and will be able uh to speak after a presentation and after you open the public hearing. Mr. Mayor, um I think they will do their presentation first.

Okay. Good afternoon. Thank you, city manager. Thank you, council members. Um, we really appreciate this opportunity to talk about the Vista bid. Um, and appreciate your support that you've given us so far. By way of background, my name is Scott Garvin. Um, president of Garvin Design Group, a local architecture firm that's based in the Vista. I've been working and practicing architecture from the Vista for over 30 years. A lot has changed in 30 years. A lot of good things have happened over time, but we all know that we're on the cusp of a lot more activity, a lot more growth, and a lot more development, and we need to get ahead of it. Um, I'm also a developer. I own multiple buildings in the Vista and on Main Street. that's really opened my eyes to the difference in the level of services that a bid can provide because I see a vast difference in the services that are provided for my properties on Main Street compared to the Vista. Um, I've served on the Main Street District board for over four years and it's given me an inside look as to how they manage the Vista bid so effectively, the resources they have for clean and safe, for promotion, um, for marketing, and we've discussed doing a bid in the Vista for some time, um, and seeing the resources that Main Street has. Um, we've all decided that it's time for us to have the same level of services. Over a year ago, the Vista Property Owners Organization decided to push for a bid. I went to over 20 property owners and I asked them if this was something that they wanted, and they all said it was. We had an initial meeting with city

staff and the mayor and discussed the path for a successful bid outcome. Um, property owners like myself understand the challenge of our property tax basis in Colombia. We all get it. But we're still willing to contribute to the bid because we need those services and we need them now. We know the bid will improve the experience of people working, living, and visiting the Vista because what of what we have seen on Main Street? It's very obvious. I experienced it firsthand and I'm excited about the opportunity that that we can create in the Vista. The Vista property owners organization assembled a steering committee which you see on the screen. Um these are developers, bankers, architects that are also Vista property owners. Uh we included the Main Street District staff and Vista Guild staff to help guide this process. Um some of them are here to speak if needed. And with the city's approval, we hired JLPD to help us to develop and establish the bid. We had three overriding goals. First, provide the resources to strengthen and promote the unique identity of the Vista. Secondly, eliminate any silos that may or may not exist between the main street and the Vista so that we can work together collaboratively to improve the core of downtown Colombia. And the third goal was to utilize the model and structure that's already in place, that's already been proven to be successful, um, and has resulted in an excellent bid for Main Street. So, I want to introduce Carrie Duny with JLPD, who's going to go through some of the details of our bid.

Great.

Thank you, Scott. Uh, thank you, Miss Wilson. Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, council members, for listening to us today. Um so when we talk about um oh there we go. So a vis a bid is being proposed for the vista because it is a proven national model for successful place management. Over 1,000 bids are currently operating in the US in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Um, in under this model, property assessments directly fund supplemental services and are overseen by a private nonprofit organization that is accountable to both the city and to the property owners that pay into that assessment. The Vista's neighbor on Main Street, as Scott was mentioning, is a proven success story. For decades, they have provided a coordinated vision for the district, providing service excellence and a dedicated funding stream that is always 100% reinvested back into the district. All of the funding raised by the assessment never leaves the district where it is taken from. Um, and the Vista is a unique and connected center of activity that re really bridges downtown and the waterfront. It has this amazing historical arts legacy and existing wellprogrammed activity and the Vista can really build on the momentum that has um that has been established by both the Vista Guild that's been working tire tously in the district and the property owners to further build a unified leadership and vision. So what will the Vista bid actually do? Clean and safe is really the core priority and the foundation of nearly every bid that functions across the country. The Vista bid will provide the daily experience on the ground with

dedicated teams that maintain the public spaces making it great for everyone who lives, works, owns property, and plays in the district. But this but bids provide much more than that. They also really reinforce the Vista's identity through events and marketing. enhance the streets with beautifification activities and public art and provide a platform for advocacy and business support and recruitment. The core priorities are really to generate a sustainable funding stream to build a vibrant public realm that is focused on the arts and cultural legacy of the vista to create economic opportunities for economic growth and really have that unified leadership and vis vision over time. So when we look at the boundaries um the district boundaries include the commercial core and the emerging waterfront district from Taylor to Blossom and from the waterfront to assembly uh carving out the university. So here in this map the non-exempt properties that would be assessed are in blue and those exempt properties are in green which include nonprof private uh nonprofit and publicly owned spaces. All of these properties would get the standard assessment. But in addition, um recognizing that the commercial core of the Vista really needs a higher level of service, an additional frontage would be assessed on the properties from Eugi to assembly and lady to Senate. A standard assessment of 0001844 per $1 value would be assessed across all of the properties in the district. And then an additional assess assessment about $4 per foot of frontage would be assessed on those frontage properties I just uh discussed. This really follows the current Main Street formula and this

would generate a total estimated revenue about $1.6 million that would be reinvested every year into the into the Vista. If we were to add the additional hospitality tax contribution that is right now goes to the Vista Guild of about 400,000 a year that generates $2 million a year that will be used only for the area in the Vista. Um this is a huge investment in the area that will go to public space development and management. Again, that clean and safe team working on special projects, beautifification of the district, a focus on arts, cultural and and marketing, ensuring that we are supporting the creatives that are already living and working in the district, making this a great place to to work. And of course, administration, making sure that we have a a staff capacity on the ground year-over-year. Um and then again the exempt properties are government uh owned properties, residential owner occupied owned properties and nonprofit properties. Those properties would not pay into the assessment and stakeholders on the ground have been talking about the type of governance that they would like to see used in the Vista. So this would potentially be a partnership with the city center partnership which is what manages the main street district. So it' have that um partnership managing both the main street and the vista build bit uh bid but with two separate boards ensuring that the funding raised by each district only gets invested in those specific districts. By combining these two um bids, there's really an efficiency in services being able to cover overhead um and other portions to really make sure

that the majority of the funding gets invested into the VISTA. Um so we've submitted the improvement plan for your review that includes um these items and we thank you for considering the bid in the VISTA um and look forward to hearing comments. Thank you. Thank you. That madame clerk, do you have anybody signed up to speak for or against this item? Sir, we have several individuals signed up to speak with the first one being Mr. Dale Marshall. As he comes forward, we will remind speakers that there is a threeminut time limit.

Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Dale Marshall. I'm an architect in the Vista. I've been down here for 39 years at this point and have watched miraculous growth, miraculous investment, things get so much better, but there's still the opportunity for more. And we're at an inflection point. And this establishment of a B gives us the opportunity to take into account all that's going to happen in the next decade or decade and a half. You look at the stuff that's going on in the along the riverfront. We were meeting last week about the new park down there. If you look at the number of projects that have happened, the well north of a billion dollars of work that's happened in the last 15 years. This bid goes to support that work. This is the next step to allow us to manage all the growth we've had and to create a place where people who come in see a beautiful, clean, well-maintained, thoughtfully designed, thoughtfully executed place to live, work, play, enjoy the arts. So we we ask for your support. Thank you.

Thank you,

clerk. Beth Frost. Thank you, Mayor Rickman, City Council, um, Miss Wilson for allowing me to speak this afternoon on behalf of the Vista Bill bid. My name is Beth Frost. I currently sit as the president of the Vista board of directors. I wanted to highlight that the Vista Guild has been active in the Vista district for over 40 years. The Vista Guild has been instrumental in bringing more attention and publicity to the district since its inception through efforts of destination marketing events like Artisa Vista which is this weekend um Vista Lights and more. In 2015, the in partnership with the city, the Vista Guild has led the charge in becoming an official South Carolina cultural district. For the last 11 years, the Vista Guild has managed a clean and safe program with limited funding. We take pride in what we have been able to accomplish with our clean and safe program, but we know that with the support of a new business improvement district, we would be able to expand that opportunity and really try to grow that opportunity because of the thriving growing district that we have in the Vista. So, thank you for your support.

Thank you. Christy Fawsome. Hello again. uh Christie Fawsome from Shanden and I spoke with you all in early January about the lack of long-distance bus travel from Colombia these days and I'm here to follow up on that. Um at that time, Mayor Rickenman, you mentioned that there perhaps was some conversation with Amtrak about sharing that space. I haven't been able to find anything uh going on there. Subsequently, I called back and Amy Ramirez was very helpful um communicating with you about my concern and you recommended that I check with code enforcement about uh contact information for a bus company or somebody that I could get a clear picture of what's going on. So I called them and they uh referred me to zoning and they referred me to business licensing who said that very nice people um but they were not free to give that information. So I'm here again with three questions about this issue. I'm wondering hoping that maybe there's some new information about any initiatives going on to get a bus terminal back in our capital city. This is really a hardship on many people with limited resources. Um, and I'm I'm still seeking contact

information so that I can be informed and do what I can to um make progress here. And my second question is that it's my impression as a bus passenger that Southeastern Stages and Greyhound Partners whoever um have the ridership here. they just can't get a place property to have a pickup and drop off. So I would like to know if that is the right picture. And my third question is um I've volunteered to be on a citizens advisory committee if such a thing exists or is helpful and I would like to know if if that is a thing and um if there might be an opportunity. I I'm talking to more and more people who have this concern and could we be of service uh to try and get this problem solved.

One, uh there is some conversations with Amtrak. There's some federal funding um and you know, obviously it's in the beginning of the stages. Number two, I would tell you that Southeastern Freight uh not Southeastern Freight Lines, but Southeastern, the stage coach uh company had opportunity to go to multiple locations around the city. Our economic development folks worked with them to look at different sites. Um they chose a site that wasn't on the list and that site also created massive problems for all the neighboring communities and they they weren't really there helpful. So, however we move down the road here to look at which I think our transit authority is also looking into long-term inter modal and how that will play play into the future. I think we have to make sure that wherever and if one comes back that the proper security, the proper operations take place because just having a service that creates more problems, service calls by police and etc. having neighbors being disturbed and others does is not a desirable,

but there is a need like you said. So, we'll we'll follow up with the Amtrak and the others and Amy has your contact so we can get in contact with you. This is probably a good conversation that we'll have more with our transit authority about getting them involved and and also going back and looking at the sites that were selected before. Are they still available um for that? and those were places that would be zoned correctly but also create a proper drop off and pickup area for those passengers. So, we'll get back to you on that.

Good. Um, I have a vision of a beautiful transit building that serves all the citizens well with federal funding or whatever it will take. And of course, the sooner the better. It's been, I think, 18 20 months since we've had this kind of transportation. It hadn't been that long. They just moved not too long ago wine. Yes, ma'am. Yeah. But All right. And again, thank all of you for your hard work and the challenges that you face for Thank you for being engaged.

All right, Mayor. We have two additional individuals signed up for the Vista bid. Okay. Uh Miss Lee Decker, looks like Carolyn Lee Decker and then she she'll be followed by Matt Kennel.

Good afternoon, city council members. Good evening.

Um I'm Carolyn Lee Decker. I'm the president of the Vista Neighborhood Association. We are very supportive of the Vista Bid project. Uh we see the project as a way to foster growth and continue to strengthen our neighborhood values. Uh we are we live here and we feel very protective of the Vista because it is our home 247. We don't get to go home somewhere else and come back the next day. We're here. Uh it's our home. uh we hope a major priority will be to support the history, culture and arts that is the foundation of the VISTA and ensure that it remains a unique destination for the arts. Um, I would also like to ask for your consideration to place a VISTA resident on the bid board because our residents matter just as much as the property owners and others in the VISTA matter and we would like to have a say as well as your other partners. Thank you,

Matt Kennel. Hello. Greetings. I'm Mayor, city council, city manager, and city attorney. Um, I just wanted to speak on behalf of the city center partnership known as the main street district. Uh, to let you know that we totally support this. Uh we have been uh we have benefited from a bid for now 25 years. Uh we've seen what it can do for the community. Our leadership, our board members, the property owners uh continue to be supportive of that and we have no doubt that it will be very successful uh for the Vista. Um we also see us um as partners. Uh we work with the Vista now regularly. Uh we see this as a step forward for the city to unite, tear down silos, uh connect the two areas and uh we just simply think it'd be a very solid thing for the city and and would encourage you uh to approve it. Thank you.

Thank you, Matt. Thank you. No one else has signed up. All right. Thank you. We will close the public hearing. There'll be um an ordinance for first reading next week at the next meeting on April 21st. Yeah. Madam clerk, I'd like the record to reflect that I think that was our seventh thank you of the year. Yes, sir. Duly noted. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I have a referral on thank you notes that I'll make at the end of the meeting. Thank you. Thank you.

Teamwork. Moving into ordinances first reading item 21, ordinance number 2026024, approval for acceptance of a quick claim D to 44 square ft for assemblage with the city's Bluff Road pressure reducing valve site. So move second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Mr. Johnson, Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. Brown, Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan. Yes. Mr. McDow. Yes. Mayor Rickman. I thank you.

Item 22, ordinance number 202627, granting an encroachment to Fifth Third Bank for the use of the ride ofway area of the 100 block of Earth Road for the installation and maintenance of sidewalks adjacent to 181 Earth Road. Second. Have a motion in a second. Any further discussion? Madame Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, hi. Miss Herbert, I Mr. Brennan, Mr. McDow, Mayor Rickman, I.

Event resolutions, item 23, resolution number R2026032, ratifying and authorizing the consumption of beer and wine only at Friday after class festival for Steven Tanny Hill at Green Street between Harden Street and Pavilion Avenue on Friday, April 3rd, 2026. So move Second motion and a second. Um, and I apologize to the community that this is an late thought. The organizers came through at the last minute and had not done what they needed to do proper time and took a little bit of privilege to try to help them out for such a um important event for uh, Mr. Tanny Hill. Um, not normally how we we operate, but sometimes we got to help folks out at the last minute, and that's one of those. So, with that, Madame Clerk, read the role.

Mr. Johnson, hi. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, I. Mr. Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. Item 24, resolution number R2026034, authorizing consumption of beer, wine, and liquor for Let her finish the area, the area known as Cobalt Plaza, located at 211 Durve Street, adjacent to Adventure Children's Museum for the Jim Klyurn's World famous Fish Fry on Friday, May 29th, 2026. So move

a motion and a second. Madame clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, a delayed I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you.

And that is Cobalt Plaza at adventure. E D V N T U R E. Sorry for that. We misspelling. Um, appointment of city council members to external boards. Item 25, council has asked to approve the appointment of one city council member to the Columbia Museum of Art Commission. In addition, council has asked to approve the appointment of one city council member to the Historic Columbia Foundation board. I nominate Mr. Sam Johnson for the art commission and Mr. Tyler Bailey for the Historic Foundation. Is there a second? Second. Got a motion in a second. Madam clerk, you can just read the role.

Well, thank you. Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, I. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. Moving into city council committee reports, referrals, and new business. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a referral to the uh best committee ever, uh, health, environment, and social committee. And what would that referral be, Mr. Johnson?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, I would like to refer uh to our agenda, Prisma. uh they have uh a local uh several localized care options uh that I'd love for our committee to be able to take on and learn more about and figure out how we can leverage those to uh make an impact in some of the disparit uh uh uh parts of our community where we can address some of the challenges that we have in the specifically the 29203 zip code. Enough challenge be taken up at the next health and environmental that would be my wish. So, is there a second?

A second, Mr. Mayor. But one thing I would ask is that um during that discussion, Mr. Johnson, earlier towards the end of this year, I made a referral regarding um how economic development could play a role in incentivizing some localized care facilities in North Columbia. So, while y'all get that discussion started, it would probably be good for uh Mr. Mr. Brown to get an update on that, see how we could make something happen in those areas.

And I think it'd be very important that when we had this meeting to reach out to uh the North Colombia area, especially to Miss Singleary and others because if you remember, we had a community meeting not too long ago. Um, and one of the challenges came is that Prisma Health and others had been putting mobile units out and people weren't coming even after flyers and other things were put out. So I think the more engagement so that we make sure people know what's going on so that these efforts are actually fruitful uh would be very helpful that madam clerk could you read the role yes Mr. Johnson I Mr. Bailey yes Mr. Brown I Miss Herbert I Mr. Brennan yes Mr. McDow yes

Mayor Rickman I thank you yes ma'am a point of clarification thank you Mr. Mayor, Councilman Johnson, have there already been a a points of contact or particular point of contact with Prisma that uh Councilman McDow and myself have already chatted with Anthony Jackson with Anthony. Okay, perfect. Thank you. All right. Any other referrals or new business? Well, um Mr. Brown and myself would like to ask the clerk if she would take on the uh role of tracking our thank yous. Mr. Mayor. Okay. That's a joint referral. We got real work to do. We can do that. Going to get a counter. I'm sorry. Um, mayor, want a digital counter to go with that?

We'll add that to our for point of clarification. The thank yous can never go backwards. Okay. So, it cannot be withdrawn. Gotcha. 11. He's got it. Mr. um and I'm sorry, Mayor. I believe Mr. Brennan has a referral from earlier discussions today. Mr. Brennan, you have a referral, sir. Mr. Mayor, nothing's coming to mind. I apologize. I think there was a public safety on your mind. Do you know what she said? I didn't know about

No. Mr. Brennan and I will confer about the conversation we had this morning in a meeting and we said we would refer it to committee but we will revisit that conversation and get back you don't have the support we look forward to that uh referral in the future the health environment and social committee is always open all right madame clerk I believe we have some folks signed up. Yes, sir. We have one individual, Mrs. Katherine Fleming Bruce. She also um emailed us earlier today with a proposal and we'll send those copies around.

Yep.

All right. Hello everyone. Thank you so much for giving me a moment. Mayor, Mayor Pro Tim, members of council, and city manager. I was at a meeting um kind of an SOS with our uh neighborhood association couple weeks ago. Uh we had that meeting last night. There was a lot of concern about our preservation uh guidelines and being able to meet them and having the resources to meet them and actually um consideration of trying to change some of the guidelines because there was that much concern. So, one of the things that I propose because Historic Waverly um really needs the resources is to um for your consideration a grant proposal for property owners, resident property owners of historic cultural tourism properties. So, just put this together for you guys to um discuss um request possibly from hospitality tax funds or some other source. Um mainly in addition to historic Waverly, there are a number of other historic districts that are National Register District, City of Columbia historic district and also the subject of tours that historic Colombia promotes and puts on. So because of that, I think they're um tourism facilities and um people should be able to apply for some funding. So those neighborhoods in addition to Waverly Protection Area, uh, University Architectural, uh, University Hill, Old Shandon, Lower Waverly, Hollywood, Rosewood Hill, and Elwood Park. So, I'd like to see all of them be able to apply to a pool of money uh to help them restore properties, do conditions,

assessments to see, you know, what might need to have priority. Um and also to um if there's some emergency need that would put them on the code enforcement violation or uh create some other issue. So I've kind of laid this out as a partnership between um the city Columbia planning division and uh community development that they would kind of operate that together. So just putting this forward for your consideration. I hope that um y'all will talk about it your next budget meeting. I've sent it out to members and leadership of all of those neighborhood associations and we'll continue to provide the feedback to you all for that.

Do some research because um the definition you shared at the state level. I'm not sure that that statute sets. We'll have to do some research on that. But also the Bailey bill was created to create those opportunities for folks by not having to pay the same amount of property tax. Correct. So, and then we'll have to look at weatherization programs and others, but um we'll take a look at it and we'll see what we can find out. But that would be wonderful. We we talked about I think we mentioned the Bailey bill and most of the concern was people don't have the money to move to that first step.

Yeah. And there's several other neighborhoods that fit under that same protection. And I think it's quite a bit. So, we'll have to really look at this program because we're not going to be able to create something if we if we have the ability to do that only can fund one or two out of 13. Right. So, um we'll have to take a hard look at it, but thank you for sharing. Well, thank you. Something real quick. Uh of of to your knowledge, what percentage of the residents in that would fit into this category would be considered seniors? to say 60 years and older in in historic Waverly. Kind of in your mindset as you put this proposal together, right? Yeah. Historic Waverly probably 70%

70% 70 80 and I don't know in the other neighborhoods because Yeah. Because assumptions primarily we talking roofs, HVAC, windows of the weatherization to the mayor's, right? Abs. Absolutely. and and if they have enough money for that then they would um be eligible for the Bailey bill. Perfect. Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much. Another one more question, please. All right. So, couple questions. So, I like the concept a lot. I really do and have talked about it multiple times. Um define historical cultural tourism property. So, what does that mean? Oh, that's a that's a term from the statute from the hospitality tax.

So, it doesn't All right. So, it could be anybody, right? Well, no. It it means it's a tourism definition. It means those that contribute to to tourism. So these neighborhoods are actually in a bus tour, um online tour, you know, something that historic waiver I mean historic Columbia is promoting and generating um funds from. Okay. Uh the other question is why does why would there be is there an active mor mortgage? So, what would the point of that be versus somebody who's owns their house outright that's lived there for

that's just um kind of a prototype from another grant and you know I'm not going to try to defend it if if if it's there. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? I appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you. All right, mayor. No one else has signed up to speak. Well, I'll take that as um an opportunity for a German. So move motion. Is there a second? Second. Second. Thank you. Non-debatable motion to adjourn. Thank you. Here we're