City Council highlights | Tuesday, March 4, 2025

To begin the City Council meeting this evening (Tuesday, March 4, 2025), City Council presented a special proclamation declaring March 4, 2025, as Mr. John Victor Furgess, Sr. Remembrance Day.

Mr. John Victor Furgess, Sr., a lifelong resident of Columbia, was a dedicated advocate for library access and had a distinguished career in public transportation. Mr. Furgess served as an active member in the Waverly and Edgewood communities and worked diligently with his community to get a public library in Edgewood.

He also worked diligently to improve Columbia’s public transportation by serving as Chair and Vice Chair of the COMET Board of Advisors. Mr. Furgess was elected as the Board’s Vice Chairman in 2022, was re-elected in 2024 and concurrently served as Chair of the Service Committee.

Mr. Furgess was a long-standing senior board member of The COMET and community advocate. He served on several COMET committees, including Service, Intermodal, COVID-19 and others. Mr. Furgess also held other executive committee roles for The COMET organization, was an ardent supporter of his alma mater, Allen University, and helped raise funds during his community’s annual Easter Brunch.

During the consent agenda portion of the City Council meeting, Council approved various items reflecting the City’s on-going commitment to invest in our Columbia Water system for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.

(Item #6) City Council approved a contract for the installation of permanent natural gas generators at the Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant. In partnership and funding from FEMA, this investment will provide stand-by power to critical plant assets such as the plant headworks and influent pumping, as well as the Administration Building. This electrical generation capacity will increase the facility’s resilience and may eliminate or minimize sanitary sewer overflows associated with power interruptions and storm events. The project is anticipated to cost approximately $9.8M and should begin Spring 2025.

In the regular portion of the City Council agenda, City Council was proud to adopt a resolution that continues to recognize One Columbia for Arts and Culture, as the City’s official Local Arts Agency (LAA). (Item #19)

We take pride in the past projects and investments that One Columbia for Arts and Culture has successfully brought to life. Looking ahead, we are excited about the vision and future implementation of art projects across our diverse neighborhoods and hospitality districts throughout the City of Columbia.

Here is a link to watch the full City Council meeting: https://youtube.com/live/mwyQmrA7JMc.

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.