Public opinion at the August 8 City Council meeting focused on a dangerous left turn at the intersection of Highways 412 and 31. Two weeks ago, an SUV attempted to turn left from the McDonald’s onto westbound 412 at this intersection and crossed a double yellow line. The car was struck, causing a serious accident.
Concerned citizen Bob Graham told the council that funds had been made available in 2017 to make the intersection safer and asked why that hadn’t happened. City Engineer Glenn Harper said the city had been working on improvements to that intersection for years, but new laws passed since the project began held it up — particularly an easement that took 24 months to process.
Mayor Chaz Molder suggested that in the meantime, McDonald’s should reinstall its “No Left Turn” sign (one of which had been removed) and perhaps another one alerting drivers that crossing a double yellow line is generally prohibited in the state of Tennessee.
Item 8.1, a resolution to waive fees for the Southern Regional Technology Center project at Columbia State University, drew positive comments from council members. The fee waiver is intended to offset recent cost increases on the project. Councilwoman Debbie Wiles said the center will serve students from multiple counties and greatly increase educational opportunities at the community college.
“This is something we will be so proud of,” she said.
Molder agreed that this would put the Columbia campus on par with the Williamson County campus, which opened a technology center earlier this year. The center’s groundbreaking ceremony will take place on August 28.
The other agenda items were quickly adopted, with more clarifications than discussions. The main points included:
6.2-6 the approval of appointments to several municipal committees and councils;
7.6 Increasing the animal control budget to $50,000, a step Mayor Molder and Animal Services Director Kim Raffauf considered very necessary;
7.9.–7.14., contracts with advertisers on behalf of the City of Columbia totaling $47,149;
7.17, the purchase of a new dump truck for $82,555.25;
7.18, an increase in solid waste disposal prices from $50.79 to $52.36 per tonne;
7.20, an exclusive contract with Wavetronix to provide speed radar services to the police at a cost of $124,180;
7.25, the purchase of nine new Dodge patrol cars for the police department valued at $400,000 to replace vehicles rapidly approaching the end of their useful life;
7.26, an update to the City’s fire station modernization contract, increasing costs by $99,762.86;
9.4, a resolution to apply for a state grant in the amount of $400,000 to improve Columbia City Square;
9.6, a resolution to request funds from the TDOT Statewide Partnership to widen the Bear Creek Pike between Highway 31 and Interstate 65; and
10.1-12, Amendments to several utility fee and zoning ordinances.
