Health, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee recap | January 28, 2025
January 30, 2025
The City of Columbia’s Health, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee convened with City of Columbia leadership and staff to discuss key priorities and strategies for 2025. These focus areas directly correlate to the City’s commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, expanding access to greenways and trails, as well as community well-being.
Clint Shealy, Assistant City Manager of Columbia Water, emphasized Columbia Water’s dedication to water quality for its customers, regulatory compliance, proactive pursuit of grant opportunities and key infrastructure projects underway including the Columbia Canal Recovery Project.
Mary Pat Baldauf, City of Columbia Sustainability Facilitator, provided additional information regarding the City’s efforts to pursue grant opportunities, and celebrated the success of the City of Columbia’s Youth Climate Action Fund in 2024.
As part of this program, the City of Columbia received $50,000 to distribute as micro grants to fund a groundswell of youth-led climate initiatives. From mobilizing tree-planting, public education campaigns to launching recycling, waste reduction initiatives to participating in mitigation planning and preparedness programs, efforts stemming from the new Youth Climate Action Fund advanced critical community goals such as meeting de-carbonization commitments and reducing consumption-based emissions.
Additionally in the committee meeting, Dana Higgins, Director of Engineering for Columbia Water, gave an update on a list greenways and trails throughout the City of Columbia. The enhancement of these greenways and trails aim to improve walkability/connectivity to neighborhoods and hospitality districts, encourage recreational and healthy initiatives, enrichment of ecological sustainability and foster the potential for economic development opportunities.
About the Health, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee
This committee reviews matters related to quality of life issues to include homelessness, community partnerships, beautification, environmental and sustainability initiatives and other matters related thereto.
This committee is chaired by Councilwoman Dr. Aditi Bussells (At-Large); other committee members include Tyler D. Bailey (At-Large) and Edward H. McDowell (District II).
