Columbia Ward 2 candidates discuss public safety, transit, infrastructure at Muleskinners forum
Olivia Hayes
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Candidates in the race for Columbia’s Ward 2 on Friday introduced themselves and their platforms to the Columbia Muleskinners Democratic Lunch Group.
The city called for a special election on Aug. 5 after former Councilwoman Lisa Meyer announced that she would step down on May 16. Two candidates running for the position include Vera Elwood and Ken Rice.
This is Elwood’s first attempt at public office, while Rice ran an unsuccessful campaign in the spring for the Columbia Board of Education.
Elwood is endorsed by former Ward 2 Councilwoman Andrea Waner, former Ward 2 Councilman Mike Trapp and the Boone County Democrats gave her its endorsement following Friday’s luncheon. Rice said Meyer had reached out to him to run for her seat.
Rice stated in his campaign announcement that addressing infrastructure, affordable housing and public safety would be focuses of his campaign. Elwood wrote in her campaign announcement that her focuses include ““improving infrastructure, creating a safer and more welcoming city, and ensuring every voice in the community is heard and uplifted.”
At Friday’s luncheon, Elwood highlighted the need for full staffing across all city departments.
“We have incredible people here in Columbia who are trying to do great work and are working with incredibly short staffed crews, and are not able to meet the capacities and goals of their departments,” Elwood said.
Elwood also noted issues with public transit in Ward 2; specifically for residents in the northern part of the ward, she said its almost completely inaccessible.
“When you look at public transit, it barely reaches out into Ward 2. It kind of barely scrapes the bottom of Ward 2. We have one bus line that runs through us, and the vast majority of our ward is not able to easily access public transit,” Elwood said.
Elwood said safe and accessible streets for people of all abilities are crucial and expressed confidence that the city could reach zero traffic deaths with the right policies.
“Policies about what street development looks like, what sidewalk development looks like. Once the policies are written, once we know what a safe sidewalk, what safe transit looks like, we need to actually have those in place,” Elwood said.
Elwood also expressed support for better support for local businesses and workers to “keep Columbia’s money in Columbia.”
“Preventing outsourcing, looking at expanding the reach of prevailing wage, and offering that on more projects to make sure that we are not, having city projects staffed by people who do not work in Columbia,” Elwood said. “The city can buy all of the asphalt that it wants, but if we do not have people who know how to lay that asphalt are paid well enough to take the job in the first place and are treated well enough to stay in that job, share their knowledge, and grow in their knowledge, the potholes are never going to get filled.”
Rice made headlines earlier this year by asking for community help in paying off school lunch debt. Rice on Friday addressed infrastructure and public safety needs. He also recognized the Second Ward’s need for another bus stop and suggested the benefit of more buses.
“Staffing across the board has been an issue for people. Well, if we can help, get them transportation to work, well, then, you know, there’s more people that that they can staff their, their businesses with,” Rice said.
He also explained the need for maintenance on power lines in the area.
“We have power lines that back in 2013, we realized we had a problem. 2015, we got funding for it to fix those power lines and get them going. 2016, we paused it and we’re still on a pause nine years later. That’s unacceptable,” Rice said.
To address improvements to public safety, Rice said funding changes may have to happen to redirect more money public safety agencies.
“Reasonable thing we may have to look at is, a public safety tax over time, because the people of this town understand that we need to fund these, essential services,” Rice said.
Overall, Rice said he wants to continue to be accessible to the constituents of Ward 2 as Election Day nears.
“I am committed to being accessible. I’ve already started I had a town hall the other day, and invited people from Ward two to come in and speak whatever they, about their issues. I want to be able to meet the people where they’re at, wherever that may be,” Rice said.