Columbia City Council highlights | December 2, 2025

December 4, 2025

The City Council Meeting, December 2, 2025, began with a proclamation presented by Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and City Manager Teresa Wilson, which declared “Columbia (SC) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Day” in the City of Columbia. The proclamation honors the chapter’s longstanding service, leadership, and commitment to uplifting communities across the Midlands through advocacy, education, and public service initiatives.

During the consent agenda portion of the agenda, City Council approved multiple capital projects to continue the investment in water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Specifically, the East Rocky Branch Phase 1 project will provide replacement of aging infrastructure and additional capacity to serve the downtown area, including Five Points and University of South Carolina. This project will improve water quality in Rocky Branch through the reduction of sanitary sewer overflows during high flows following heavy rain events and expands ability to serve future growth in the area.

Earlier in the day during City Council Work Session, City Council received an updated presentation in regards to the Clean Water Program.

The Clean Water Program is the City of Columbia’s long-term program to modernize and strengthen its wastewater system through major infrastructure upgrades and system wide improvements. The initiative includes rehabilitating aging sewer lines, enhancing pump stations, and implementing new technologies to reduce sewer overflows and improve reliability. These updates help protect local waterways, safeguard public health, and support future growth across our community. By investing in cleaner, more resilient infrastructure, the program delivers lasting benefits for residents and the environment.

To view the full presentation, visit https://youtube.com/live/oaLISJfUjcI.

Also during the consent agenda, City Council approved two items that highlights continued investment in our parks & recreation system across the City of Columbia.

At Riverfront Park, improvements include replacing and enhancing aging staircases and steps to improve safety, accessibility and durability for park visitors, supported through the Riverfront Park Trail Enhancements Project funded by a grant from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (Item #6). These upgrades will provide longer-lasting, more resilient structures that will enhance the overall experience of the park.

At Woodland Park, a new outdoor restroom facility will be installed featuring two single-user, ADA-accessible restrooms with modern fixtures and lighting, matching the successful models already in place at AllStar’s Baseball Field and Greenview Park (Item #7). These upgrades reflect the City’s ongoing commitment to strengthening recreation amenities and ensuring residents can enjoy safe, welcoming and well-maintained parks.

During the Consideration of Bids, Contracts and Change Orders portion of the agenda, City Council approved a significant investment in the Columbia-Richland Fire Department through the construction of a new Olympia Fire Station at 126 Bluff Road (Item #27). The project includes building a modern, state-of-the-art fire station, installing new water, sewer and stormwater utilities and completing all required site work to support long-term operations. Supported by federal mitigation funding and additional City resources, the new station is expected to be complete by Fall 2027 and will strengthen emergency response capabilities and public safety services for the surrounding community.