City Council highlights | July 16, 2024

Before the evening’s City Council meeting, City Council was presented a Parking Rate Study at the City Council Work Session from WGI out of Charlotte, NC. The study detailed past parking rate recommendations from 2015, current parking rates, peer city comparisons and parking rate recommendations. City Council will continue to discuss the parking rate recommendations that were provided and make any necessary adjustments.

At the start of the City Council meeting, City Council presented a special proclamation to our Parks & Recreation department in celebration of Parks and Recreation Month.

After the proclamation presentation, City Manager Teresa Wilson presented a check in total of $12,000 to the American Heart Association for the City’s efforts during American Heart Month (Feb. 2024) and the Heart Health Awareness Initiative. The Heart Health Awareness initiative featured sponsors that decorated a parking meter to bring awareness to heart health. All coins collected at these special meters in the month of April went directly to the American Heart Association

During the consent agenda portion of the meeting, City Council approved several items to enhance our City of Columbia Parks. The upgrades included $220,284.22 for playground equipment and splash pad for Hampton Park (Item #5), as well as $850,000.00 for the revitalization of Mays Park (Item #6).

Additionally, several items were approved to provide investment in Columbia Water infrastructure to serve the needs of our citizens and communities. These improvements included:

• Professional service contract amendments for design and oversight of improvements to wastewater pumping stations and rehabilitation of wastewater collection piping. (Item #13)
• Construction change order for additional filter rehabilitation work required at the Canal Water Treatment Plant and Lake Murray Treatment Plant. (Item #20)
• Upgrades to the existing Broad River Wastewater Pumping Station to include increased pumping capacity, with mechanical, electrical, stand-by generator, instrumentation and controls improvements. (Item #21)

City Council also was excited to approve the honorary naming of facilities and sites across the City of Columbia. These honorary names included:

• “Sarah Nance Community Resource Center,” to the community resource center located at 2611 Grant St. (      Item #27)
• “Virginia Belford Community Center,” to the community center located at 1113 Recreation Dr. (Item #28)
• “Joseph S. Azar Community Garden,” to the community garden at T.S. Martin Neighborhood Park, 2700 Edison St.

Here is a link to watch the full City Council meeting: https://youtube.com/live/4egXt8iqr4Y.

To view all City Council agendas, please visit https://columbiacitysc.iqm2.com/Citizens/calendar.aspx.

For more information about upcoming City Council meetings or general information about the City of Columbia, please visit www.ColumbiaSC.gov.