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April Update from Your City Councilwoman
April 22, 2009
Dear Friends and Neighbors, In the spring of 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression, Columbians paused from their routine activities for a joyous celebration of the city's 150th birthday, its Sesquicentennial. During a spectacular week of events local residents enjoyed various parades, parties, pageants, concerts, and a dramatic theatrical production,
with a cast of almost a thousand, that showcased the city's unique history and development. Despite the closings of numerous local banks and businesses, escalating layoffs and unemployment, and a municipal government depleted of funds and forced to offer scrip to pay its employees, Columbians remained confident about their future. They understood their mettle and knew that their city's best days lay before them. As I pen this email some seventy years after Columbia's 1936 Sesquicentennial celebration, our city's resiliency is on my mind.
Spring is in full bloom, and the city has become a stunning bouquet of azaleas, dogwoods, and wisteria. The sights of seasonal renewal are dazzling, and, while our economic climate continues to be chilly, the lessons of 1936 remain clear: Columbia will weather this current economic downturn and with careful planning and oversight continue to realize her great potential. Let me share with you some of my thoughts about our municipal vitality and update you on various city matters.
City Finances
Since assuming office last July, the city's glaring deficiencies in financial management and reporting since 2004 have been at center stage. I am pleased to report that progress has been made to correct this situation, and I am optimistic that we have turned the corner. Our 2006 and 2007 completed audits now are posted on the city's website. The 2008 audit should be finished soon. Monthly financial reports began in January and are also posted on the city's website. This financial transparency is essential to restoring public confidence in our city administration. Under the new leadership of Interim City Manager Steve Gantt, a careful review of spending has been undertaken and reductions have been made in this year's budget. City Council is addressing escalating health care costs with changes in its programs for current employees and retirees that will mirror those in the other public sectors.Addressing City Priorities
While much of the first quarter of this year has focused on issues of financial management, there are other matters that require our attention and commitment to address. Our need to update and modernize the police department, provide resources for new police officers, and purchase state-of-the-art safety equipment is at the top of the list. We expect to receive funding from President Obama's Stimulus initiatives to hire new police officers and to purchase equipment in the near future. Keeping our buses running is another key priority, and City and County leaders have taken the important first steps to sustain bus transit with an interim bus funding agreement to operate the buses for a two year window while a comprehensive funding plan for transit emerges. Without a doubt, one of our most critical priorities is the increasing number of homeless in our midst. With the closing of the city's winter shelter last month, we once again see the homeless all around us. Our city must work with other committed individuals and organizations to formulate a plan that ensures a continuum of services to assist the homeless in the process of rebuilding their lives. We must also ensure that Columbia has a full-time operating shelter. We are the only city of our size in the Southeast without a shelter, and I hear daily from passionate and committed residents who want our city to lead in this effort. Our city must work collaboratively with our community homeless organizations to provide comprehensive services that address this serious problem that touches essentially every neighborhood and business district.
Our Vibrant City
As we address our local challenges and confront the uncertainty of our national economic downturn, it is important to remember that Columbia has so much to celebrate in 2009. In many ways we are becoming an important center for arts and cultural life in our state and region. Over the last six weeks I have participated in numerous programs that underscore our vibrancy and distinctiveness. From the opening of the blockbuster "Turner to Cézanne" exhibit at the Columbia Museum of Art to the Historic Columbia Foundation's "Southern Garden Landscapes" symposium, from the Columbia City Ballet's "Hootie and the Blowfish" to the St. Patrick's Day celebration in Five Points, and from the Indie Grits film festival at Nickelodeon to the premier of the national American Red Cross exhibit at the State Museum, our city is providing an exciting array of events. This positions us well in retaining our homegrown "creative class" and luring others to our city. Of course the spectacular National Hydrogen Conference held earlier this month provided a firsthand opportunity for thousands in our community to explore this promising new energy source. These events not only enrich the experiences of our residents, but also fuel economic development through cultural tourism. At the "Hootie" ballet, I sat beside a couple from Missouri who came to Columbia for the performance, at the Garden Symposium I talked with visitors from Atlanta and Charlotte, and at the Hydrogen Conference I talked with participants from around the country. What an important and much needed economic boost these programs and events provide for local businesses. Obviously, it is in our best interest to ensure that our arts and cultural organizations remain strong and continue their dynamic program offerings. As we look at next year's budget, we must find the necessary resources to continue to support a strong cultural infrastructure for our city.
Five Points Parking
The Five Points Parking Advisory Committee continues its work to assess and address parking needs in Five Points. Last week parking consultants from Wilbur Smith Associates (WSA) met with the committee and interested stakeholders to share preliminary findings of their comprehensive parking study and to seek additional public input. The WSA study will provide essential documentation to ensure sound policy decisions about the present and future parking needs in this historic urban village. The consultants described their activities to date, which included a critical needs assessment of existing parking on a block-by-block basis. It is clear that likely recommendations next month will touch on a variety of issues including new arrangements for employee parking, scattered parking, lighting, improved safety measures, and parking signage. Parking committee chairman Susan Lake welcomes input and you may contact her at slake3@sc.rr.com to share your thoughts and ideas.Neighborhood Activities
Since March I have attended neighborhood meetings in Rosewood, Melrose Heights, Bradley, Shandon, and the University Hills areas, and I hosted a special city orientation session for new neighborhood leaders from Wheeler Hill. At each meeting the commitment and dedication of residents who contribute countless hours to the improvement of daily life in our city was inspiring. Several neighborhood residents participated in the recent workshop on "Neighborhood Watch" sponsored by the Columbia Police Department and are considering launching crime watch programs in their areas. The workshop emphasized the importance of good communication to public safety - knowing your neighbors and notifying the Police about any suspicious activities or incidents. Officers also highlighted their ongoing home safety assessment service to city residents that involves an on-site safety check and recommendations for improved security. For more information or to schedule a home security assessment, call 545-3510.In sum, without minimizing the City's past deficiencies in financial management or our challenges in the face of the worldwide economic slowdown, I am optimistic and excited about our future. Like our resilient Columbians of the Depression era, we have the ability, despite facing short-term adversity, to dream great dreams and to build a future that produces a rising tide that raises the boats of all of our citizens. I will continue my efforts to bring that vision into reality and invite your thoughts, advice and participation as we build a great 21st century Columbia.
Sincerely,
Belinda Gergel
Columbia City Council, District 3 Representative