Columbia-area environmental groups wanted to know Columbia City Council candidates’ thoughts about related issues facing the city.
These groups, which included Citizens’ Climate Lobby of Columbia, Climate Leaders at Mizzou, Local Motion, Mid-Missouri Group Sierra Club, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks and Renew Missouri, held a candidate forum Wednesday from the commission chambers of the Boone County Government Center.
Much of the focus was on the city’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, the push for the city to use 100% renewable energy sources by 2030 and the city’s recycling and trash systems.
The pandemic took wind out of the sails in regards to the city’s climate plans, said Gregg Bush, Fifth Ward council candidate, adding that with population increases, the city is going to have to increase power capacity and should move toward more renewable energy.
He is in favor of pushing the city forward toward the 100% by 2030 goal encouraged by the environmental groups.
“I’m an ambitious person and this is an ambitious goal, but I also believe Columbia is an ambitious town,” Bush said, while noting he awaits the report from The Energy Authority on what the city could do to achieve the 100% by 2030 goal.
Don Waterman, also running for the Fifth Ward council seat, wants to take a more measured approach with regard to the 100% renewable by 2030 push.
“I do support we do everything we can to curb emissions and do what we can for renewables, but to mandate, if you will, by 2030 is ambitious, but I am concerned at what cost that will have (for implementation),” he said. “… I want to be more moderate and careful as we move forward. I think there are some unintended consequences if we rush into this.”
Knoth wants the city’s climate goals to be a part of an everyday conversation and double-down on its goals, while recognizing some goals might not be met. It shouldn’t stop the city from trying, he said.
“It needs to become how we operate in every initiative. (CAAP) is too significant to not be incorporated into how we operate,” he said.
Candidates also discussed proposals for electric base rate change by the city council in work sessions.
Bush is concerned that a base rate change will impact low-income individuals hardest and highlighted a tiered system based on electric consumption that would incentivize usage reductions by customers. He also has a hope that renters, like homebuyers, would receive an energy efficiency report so they can make informed decisions on where they live and energy cost impacts.
Waterman approves of the rate changes as proposed by Columbia Water and Light and said there still could be more public information on energy conservation, agreeing with Bush about providing rental energy efficiency information.
The city’s system should remain progressive through the purpose of if you use more, you pay more, Knoth said.
When it comes to transit in the city, Waterman wants to review routes, with the possibility of smaller buses or more on-demand transport in the vein of ride-sharing. Bush wants to see investments into the city’s transit system as a matter of public safety, needing robust improvements, including in employee pay. Knoth also sees the city’s transit system as a way to lead to other city improvements.
Candidates also are in favor of zoning changes and other changes to city development codes to bring in more housing density, whether that is infill of empty lots or more cottage-style housing. Cottage housing generally has fewer bedrooms, such as two bedrooms instead of a standard minimum of of three for houses.
When it comes to trash, recycling and composting, Waterman would like to see more education on the options residents have.
For the city to reduce household waste and increase recycling, it has to be incentivized and those who fail, there could be penalties, Bush said.
“The city needs to partner with the private sector and other stakeholders to find the best way to reclaim waste,” he said, agreeing more public education is needed.
Knoth also focused on community engagement and education in his remarks and incentivizing recycling. City programs can be good, but if the public doesn’t know about them or how they work, then they can become seemingly nonexistent, he said.