The Columbia City Council unanimously passed the city's $608 million budget for fiscal year 2026 at its regular Monday night meeting, marking a $46 million increase since last year.
Finance Director Matthew Lue broke the upcoming budget down into the following categories:
- Total revenue: $559,244,194
- Total operating expenditures: $544,068,943
- Total capital improvement projects: $64,024,368
- Total expenditures (operating and capital): $608,093,311
In a previous interview with the Missourian, Lue said total expenditures outweigh total revenue because capital improvement projects are budgeted all at once, but may be spent over multiple years.
"Let's say we have a $10 million project that is paid for by capital improvement sales tax," Lue said in an email. "The City will not receive the $10 million total all in one year, it could take 3-5 years to collect that total. Once we have the funding, the total for the project is expensed in one fiscal year."
A $2.7 million deficit in the general fund will require the city to dip into its reserves. The general reserve fund currently stands at $50 million, Lue said.
A few members of the public spoke in opposition to the council passing the budget.
Michelle Casey, associate director for the Central Missouri Humane Society, asked the council for more financial support going forward. She said Animal Control has contracted with the organization since the 1970s, and they require increased support for their deteriorating facility.
"It has heavily degraded over the years, as thousands and thousands of animals have come through our doors," Casey said. "We struggle with a ton of structural issues. We really don't have any areas of the building that are really structurally sound."
The council also approved pay range increases for Columbia police and raises for city staff.
Changes coming to downtown parking
Columbia motorists will have to pay more for downtown parking likely starting early next year.
The council voted unanimously to raise parking meter rates on certain downtown blocks from 60 cents to $1 per hour.
The rate change — the city's first significant increase to downtown rates since 2013 — will adjust non-garage spots to match the city's current price of parking in locations closer to Mizzou's campus, John Ogan, a public information at Public Works, said in an email to the Missourian.
The city currently charges $1 per hour for on-street parking near the campus, so the upcoming rate change unifies meter pricing across the city, Ogan said.
He said the change will likely not take effect until January.
Awards and improvements
At the beginning of the meeting, Columbia Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer awarded four firefighters and three linemen for saving a lineman's life after he made contact with a downed power line and went into cardiac arrest. Jesse Fudge received the Citizen Heroism Award, while the remaining linemen and firefighters received the Citizen Lifesaving Award.
Also at the start of the meeting, Columbia Youth Basketball Association presented $100,000 to the city to improve safety and communication in the Columbia Sports Fieldhouse.
"There is (currently) no way to communicate between teams, coaches and parents," said Jim Chapdelaine, board member and coach of the Columbia Youth Basketball Association.
City boards and commissions
The council also voted on appointments to fill vacancies on several of the city's boards and commissions. The individuals appointed include:
- Airport Advisory Board: Eric Morrison
- Building Construction Codes Commission: Jamie Kroll
- City of Columbia's New Century Fund, Inc. Board: Tim Howald
- Convention and Visitors Advisory Board: Kristopher Kunz, Donald Laird, Melody Marcks, Rusty Strodtman and Richard Walls
- Disabilities Commission: Ken Rice and Koda Inman-Ahlstrom
- Financial Advisory and Audit Commission: Jeff Shockley
- Marijuana Facility License Review Board: Samantha Nassar
- Personnel Advisory Board: Jacqueline Kelly and Walter Lantzy
Copyright 2025 KBIA