Columbia City Council meets November 7, 2007
By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com
Roll call

Master Patrol Officer Martin J. Folding and his family greet City Manager Charles Austin and fellow police officers.

Columbia City Council met Wednesday, November 7, at 9 am. All council members were present: Daniel Rickenmann, Sam Davis, E.W. Cromartie, Anne Sinclair, Tameika Isaac Devine, Kirkman Finlay III.

City's finest

The city's Employee of the Month, Master Patrol Officer Martin J. Folding, was recognized and awarded. As recommended by Sergeant E. J. Morgan: "With this tremendous work load MPO Folding has demonstrated himself to be an excellent communicator, logistics specialist, tactician, and multitasking master." S.E.E.D.Technology Center

PR Executive April Heyward introduced Dr. B. Alexander Ingram, president of S.E.E.D. Faith Ministries Inc. Ingram reviewed his intentions to teach computer technology at the corner of Main and Elmwood to young people ages 16- 24 and out- of- work adults over 25. Ingram's former ties were with Rockwell, Boeing, and Blue-Cross/Blue- Shield.

Historic Columbia

Board members Cal Watson and Gloria James joined Executive Director Robin Waites in bringing council up to date on the Historic Columbia Foundation. The Modjeska Simkins House is still closed for improvements.

Green

Melissa Smith Gentry, the city's Public Works director, reviewed the recent Green is Good for Business Conference. By all accounts, the conference was a huge success.

Billboards

Council voted to retain the 300- foot setback requirement between LED billboards and residences, as encouraged by Ryan Nevius, chair of the county's Appearance Commission. Her recommendations included lessons learned from Brisbane, Australia, where the covered bus stops are the only allowed locations for LED signs. (Maybe this way Columbia can approach adequacy in its number of covered bus stops.) Scott Shockley, VP of Lamar Advertising, urged council to consider the effective speed in the display of advertising on the city's five LED billboards. He also declared the canopy light at the Gervais/Harden Exxon was brighter than the light from the LED billboard immediately above.

City Manager's report

City Manager Charles Austin gave his first City Manager's Report during a regular session. The Police Department review is under way, and its task force head is former Chief Justice Finney. The search for Columbia's next Chief of Police has gone national. The city's energy audit has begun, and a report is expected by the end of January. A CAD 911 system should be installed by the end of December. The city's IT and HR departments are being reassessed for critical needs. Fines and collections are being aggressively collected, and some of the more delinquent accounts are being handled by external resources for higher successes in collections. The financial audit for fiscal year '06- '07 should be completed by the end of December. A reorganization of the finance department is in the planning stages, but the result should include two new deputy finance directors.

Hand Middle

Lynn Stokes Murray, president of the Hand Educational Foundation, asked council for support for an amphitheater in Emily Douglas Park, Diagonally across Wheat Street from Hand Middle School. Council concurred.

City council meets Wednesday, November 28, at 9 am, and a zoning public hearing follows at 10 am.