Murphy and Heat Challenge Buffaloe for Mayor’s Seat
Incumbent Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe faces three challengers in the April 8, 2025, municipal election. Challengers are longtime Columbia business owner Blair “Murph” Murphy, Tanya Heath, and write-in candidate Lucio Bitoy.
Buffaloe won the mayor’s seat in 2022, garnering 43 percent of the vote. She is the city’s second female mayor and previously served the city for eleven years as the city’s sustainability manager. She moved to Columbia in 1998 to study at the University of Missouri. Buffaloe holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design and a master’s degree in Environment and Behavior, both from MU.
Heath staged an unsuccessful mayoral campaign in 2022. She works in public relations and advertising and owns her own health and wellness business. She graduated from Hickman High School in 1987 and from the University of Missouri in 1991 with a Bachelor of Journalism. Heath also volunteers in various local organizations and has been a member of Community United Methodist Church for 30 years.
Murphy is the owner of Johnston Paint and Decorating and a board member of CrimeStoppers. He is a lifelong resident of Columbia, graduating from Hickman High School. He has previously been involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Daniel Boone Little League, among other volunteer organizations.
Bitoy works as a substitute teacher for Columbia Public Schools. He has lived in Columbia since 2017 and previously worked as a community relations specialist and public information officer for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. Bitoy holds a political science degree from Lincoln University in Jefferson City. He is running as a write-in candidate.
COMO Magazine invited the three candidates on the ballot to respond to a series of questions via email. All candidates were asked the same questions. Here are their responses.
Some of the issues at the immediate forefront facing the mayor and city council focus heavily on public safety, the frustration of business owners and motorists with homelessness and panhandling. How important should those topics be to the mayor and council. Before we get to those topics, let’s start the conversation with your thoughts on an issue that may not be front-and-center in the public mindset at this time. What hot-button or burning issue – other than the couple just mentioned – should the public be paying more attention to?
BUFFALOE
One critical issue I believe deserves more attention is how we continue to grow as a regional hub while maintaining the affordability and charm that make Columbia special. As we attract more businesses, students, and families, the strain on housing, public infrastructure, and transportation networks will only increase. Now is the time to ensure our development strategies focus on livability, access to services, and sustainability, so we grow in ways that benefit all residents.
HEATH
I believe that aging and pressing infrastructure needs should be addressed. So, I want to complete promises made to voters in 2015 and 2018 Bond Elections.
MURPHY
In the most recent community survey by the city of Columbia, our neighbors listed crime prevention as the top issue, and I am listening to our residents. Our fellow Columbia residents are obviously paying attention to crime, because of the intense concern expressed in the community survey about crime prevention and public safety. I want to make sure City Hall and the City Council are paying attention, as well.
This is not to downplay or minimize other issues in a full-service city, which was the essence of your question. But the City of Columbia’s Strategic Plan starts with this statement of vision: “Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.” That is a wonderful vision. However, Columbia cannot be the best place to live, work, learn or play if our residents and many thousands of visitors don’t feel safe.
The latest community survey shows quite clearly that our Columbia neighbors do not feel safe. So I am focusing my campaign on addressing what is most important to our residents, as reflected in the city’s own survey, and crime prevention and public safety top the list.
Looking at the issue(s) you identified in your first response, tell us what you can do or how you will handle addressing the issue and finding a solution.
HEATH
I’ve talked to experienced citizens to understand our options as well as listening to people who are affected by the rates and the decisions of the city. First, I will recommend to the Council and City Manager to commission a working group consisting of former retired executives of the Water and Light Department and the former Water and Light Advisory Board members, two representatives from the current Water and Light Advisory Board, representative from the Financial Advisory and Audit Committee and current management staff from the Water and Light Department to examine unintended consequences of prior Council decision making and create a specific action plan with a timeline of recommendations to complete these voter approved bond issues. That will not only provide the best discussions, outcomes and direction, but it will also be transparent and will build trust with our community. That is important to me and many others.
BUFFALOE
It’s about collaboration and proactive planning. We need to partner with housing developers, community organizations, and regional partners to address rising housing costs and infrastructure needs while avoiding unbalanced growth. Expanding affordable housing initiatives, upgrading public transit, and investing in critical infrastructure projects — like water and electric systems — will help us grow sustainably. I will continue to advocate for development policies that encourage mixed-use and diverse housing types while pursuing grants and partnerships that fund infrastructure improvements without overburdening taxpayers.
MURPHY
The first thing we must do to build a safer, stronger Columbia is acknowledge at the highest levels of Columbia city government that (1) we have issues with crime prevention and public safety, and (2) we have an apparent disconnect between the city’s own survey of our residents and City Hall.
In the city survey, just 4 out of 10 Columbia residents said they have an overall feeling of safety, and even fewer said they feel safe in our city parks. Fewer than one-third of residents said they are satisfied with the visibility of police officers, both downtown and in their neighborhoods.
Overall, fewer than 2 in 10 said they are satisfied with crime prevention in the City of Columbia. That is appalling to me as a resident who grew up in Columbia and has lived here for more than 50 years.
I have served for several years on the Columbia Crimestoppers Board of Directors. That experience has been eye-opening. My experience on the Crimestoppers’ board tracks with the city’s data showing our residents’ satisfaction with crime prevention and their feeling of safety have dropped sharply over the last three years. We have a problem.
The city’s own survey shows Columbia residents overwhelmingly believe crime prevention is our top need. In contrast, City Hall’s most recent Strategic Plan update DOES NOT mention the word “crime” in ANY of its 34 pages.
That is a serious disconnection between City Hall’s priorities and the concerns expressed to the city by residents of Columbia who foot the bill for municipal services and expect and deserve to feel safe.
Public safety and crime prevention are at the forefront with me, because public safety and crime prevention are core functions of city government and we must do them well, or we cannot fully enjoy Columbia’s other amazing amenities and blessings.
On a very personal note, as I write this on a frigid weekday evening, local news is reporting on shots fired just blocks from the Columbia home of my 75-year-old mother. The problem is real. Acknowledging the problem at the top levels of City Hall is vital, and I will go into more detail below about how I, as Mayor and as at-large Council member, will address the issue working with other City Council members.
Columbia has a unique form of city government. The mayor is the figurehead of the council, so to speak, but has no more voting power than any of the six city council members. However, it’s been suggested that the mayor has a bully pulpit and can set a tone and direction for local government. What is your response to that suggestion and how should the Columbia mayor best use their influence to bring about change or stability?
MURPHY
As Mayor, and as one of seven members of the Columbia City Council, I will persistently ask in regard to city spending, priorities, programs and initiatives, “How does this impact public safety and prevent crime?”
To the degree the mayor has a louder microphone and public platform, I will ask that question until there is positive action as we build a safer, stronger Columbia.
With our council-city manager form of charter government, there are specific roles with specific powers and limits on those roles. The city manager works for the council, and the council works for the voters, our ultimate bosses. The council members can have a big impact by making choices in the budget to maximize successful delivery of core services as well as nice extras when practical, affordable and sustainable.
Some say Columbia needs a leader, not a cheerleader. I believe the mayor can be BOTH leader AND cheerleader. These are not mutually exclusive.
A leader can help build support for doing the right things, especially when they are hard to achieve. A cheerleader can draw attention to the things Columbia can and should be proud of, and lead praise when a mission is accomplished or a job is exceptionally well done.
HEATH
As Mayor, I would like to lead discussions about the Top 4 issues facing Columbia, regularly give updates to the various media of where we are with each goal, what needs to be done, where we are struggling and what we are working on to overcome those struggles and how the public can also give suggestions. We are all in this together from the occasional customer to the frequent customer to the one who can barely afford it to the one who can help others through donations. We are a community and I want to interact with everyone, not just the special interest groups.
I believe that the Mayor should regularly go out to various neighborhoods, public events and areas of the City to really talk and understand people’s various interests, cultures and living conditions in Columbia. Then as Mayor, I can holistically understand the pain and the progress of what needs to happen to bring the best services to all in the City of Columbia.
BUFFALOE
I agree that the mayor sets the tone for collaboration and progress. My role is to be a convener — bringing stakeholders together, ensuring diverse voices are heard, and fostering mutual understanding among council members, staff, and residents. This approach is key to addressing challenges like public safety, infrastructure, and economic development.
My leadership is rooted in listening, building consensus, and communicating progress so that residents see results and feel connected to the process. By elevating Columbia’s story — how we’re solving problems and improving our quality of life — we inspire civic pride and collaborative progress.
Our public utilities are aging. For several years now, the city council has talked about the need to upgrade the local power grid. There’s been pushback from neighboring property owners on locations for a new water tower. Our water treatment and distribution plant is getting some long-delayed upgrades, however there are concerns that the upgrades don’t go far enough. These are some of the public narratives. How accurate are those narratives – and how important are they to you?
BUFFALOE
Our utilities are critical to maintaining public safety, promoting economic growth, and ensuring residents have the reliable services they deserve. The concerns raised are valid, but under my leadership we have been making progress. For example, the upgrades to the water treatment plant are a major step forward, and we’re actively engaging residents about infrastructure projects like the water tower to ensure we balance long-term improvements with neighborhood concerns. As mayor, I’ll continue advocating for forward-thinking investments that modernize our grid, enhance energy efficiency, and expand access to renewable energy options, while ensuring transparency about costs and benefits.
HEATH
This is hugely important to me and everyone else in our City.
Electric Power Grid: The 2015 Bond Election recommendations will be primarily focused on the 160 Kv Transmission Line to complete Phase 2 of the transmission line loop from the Grindstone Electrical Substation to the Perche Creek Substation.
Water: The 2018 Bond Election recommendation will be primarily focused on the development of the Southwest Water Storage Tank. One main focus will be to identify that the project is for all of southwest Columbia and not just the Thornbrook Subdivision. With the current consideration of a project site at Beulah Ralph Elementary School, I will work with the Water Department that all project measures for construction and operation will consider the safety and wellbeing of the students, teachers, school staff, principal, school building, playground with equipment and existing shelter building as well as surrounding residential property.
Secondly, I will work with the Water and Light Staff to find ways to restore the Southeast Water Pump Station as a priority Capital Improvement Project to provide adequate water service and fire protection for the current and future of the ever-developing Discovery Ridge area. I want to make sure that the city can keep their promises already made and for new developments that will occur for new water service.
Taxation: I will work with the City Manager and WL Staff to recommend to Council to make a legislative change for the collection of property taxes on new Water and Light assets based on the completion of the $37 million of new assets being built at the Water Treatment Plant that equates to an annual water revenue increase of approximately $850,000 per year that would be transferred to the General Fund. If permitted, the water rates would need to be increased approximately 3%. This practice must stop and let water revenue generated in the Water Department stay in the Water Department. Additionally, the collection of these property taxes is not being distributed to the entitled taxing entities as is the current practice for Boone County Collector of Revenue. This change will maintain compliance with the City’s charter. This is a complex issue but must be addressed before the FY26 Budget is approved by Council.
The upgrades being completed is a first phase of a two-phase process for treated water. These improvements will restore the Water Treatment Plant treating capacity from 24 million gallons per day (MGD) to 32 million gallons per day. This restoration of 8 MGD will be excess capacity for a long time. Then we proceed to Phase 2 that will evaluate the need to change our disinfection process. Should we stay with Chlorimation or go back to chlorination? I hear from people all the time that they need to buy a water filter or they can’t afford to buy a water filter. This is why this is important to me. Water should be of high quality throughout all of Columbia. I want to do what we can now to create the best health for generations to come.
MURPHY
Columbia’s infrastructure must be updated, expanded and reviewed constantly to meet the needs of one of Missouri’s fastest-growing cities.
Promises must be kept, especially when bonds have been sold and funding has been designated for specific projects and priorities.
It is past time for us to come together on definite plans to assure long-term reliability, safety and continuous service. To the degree we can accomplish these missions with an emphasis on improved efficiency and renewable energy, I am generally in favor of what is practical and affordable.
I am interested in having a state audit of the City of Columbia’s utility operations, its finances and related decisions at City Hall. I understand that a citizen request for such an audit is already pending with the State Auditor’s Office.
While the city would have to bear the cost of a state audit, there is value in having a third-party review by an independent agency. If the audit should find concerns or issues, and it recommends positive changes to benefit ratepayers and taxpayers, it would hopefully provide us with guidance to gain both financial and operational benefits.
I am concerned about rate increases for various city services. Of course, there is a cost of providing services, and costs can go up or down. Consideration of the needs of low-income residents and our seniors and disabled residents on fixed incomes is important. I grew up in a single-parent, low-income household, and my mother often worried about paying our utility bills. I will seek ample justification before supporting rate increases.
What does the city of Columbia — as a municipal government — do exceptionally well?
MURPHY
Our rank-and-file city workers do a fine job serving our citizens. As mayor, I will brag on and recognize exceptional work.
These folks make the city go. They deal with our trash roll carts, plow snow from our streets, handle sometimes irate or agitated citizens with professional skills. And I have made clear my admiration and support for our brave, selfless first responders who put themselves in harm’s way, from firefighters to cops to community service aides to utility crews when power or water service is interrupted at all hours and in all kinds of weather.
These are core responsibilities of city government, and these folks are our workhorses who get it done.
BUFFALOE
Columbia excels in fostering partnerships. We have strong collaborations with the University of Missouri, local businesses, and nonprofits, which enhance our regional reputation as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit. Our public services, from utilities to parks and recreation, consistently deliver high-quality results that benefit residents of all ages.
HEATH
The employees that you interact with every day. They are knowledgeable and professional in their jobs and in interacting with the public.
What does the city government struggle with doing well?
MURPHY
City Hall’s priorities for improvement should be aligned with what our residents are telling us, and in the city’s most recent survey, the greatest desire is attention to crime prevention and public safety. Those are my top priorities as a candidate for mayor and council member at large.
BUFFALOE
Like many growing cities, we need to improve how we communicate what we’re doing. Whether it’s infrastructure upgrades, public safety investments, or economic development growth, we’re often making strides behind the scenes, but not always telling the story effectively. I’m committed to increasing transparency and keeping residents informed through better use of digital platforms, public meetings, and direct community engagement.
HEATH
Transparency. There’s a lot of questions that are coming up and I’d like to answer those questions and regularly change how people understand the decisions of the City of Columbia so that there is understanding and trust.
What are Columbia’s overall strengths and assets as a community?
BUFFALOE
Columbia’s greatest asset is its people — a community that’s welcoming, creative, and engaged. We’re home to top-tier education, healthcare, and cultural institutions, and we’ve built a reputation as a place where small businesses thrive. Our parks, trails, and green spaces reflect our commitment to quality of life, and our central location makes us a hub for regional services and innovation.
HEATH
Interesting and innovative people who move to Columbia and choose to stay. Our parks. Our trails. Our great restaurants, budding entertainment and community.
MURPHY
Let’s start with Columbia’s shining role in education. The University of Missouri’s flagship campus is our top employer, and UM Health Care is No. 2. Columbia College plays a vital role in higher education, as do other area campuses of community and technical institutions. I am a proud graduate of Columbia Public Schools and a parent of two daughters who graduated from our public schools. We also have good private and church-affiliated schools. Columbia values education, and it makes our economy hum and our culture fun and enriching. Education is a principal key to opportunity.
We have a natural geographic advantage as the literal heart and crossroads of Missouri, with Interstate 70 and U.S. 63 improvements under way and the new I-70 Missouri River bridge just west of Columbia. This makes Columbia appealing for travelers, newcomers and potential business expansion and relocation, and boundless opportunities in a central place.
Our community has top-notch health care with major hospitals. We have terrific trails and parks, and I am an enthusiastic and frequent bicyclist on our trails. We have outstanding businesses, from large companies to niche small family operations. I am proud to be the co-owner of a small business, Johnston Paint and Decorating, and in 2025 we are celebrating 100 years of continuous service to Columbia. I started on the loading dock and eventually became an owner. I want our young people in Columbia to have the same opportunity to thrive in a safer, stronger community.
Columbia’s greatest asset is our people, from so many backgrounds, cultures and life experiences. Our community has an outstanding, generous volunteer spirit. We love to help and give back. We are helpers who happily seize the opportunity to do good.
Where does the community need the most improvement?
MURPHY
Keeping our residents safe, preventing crime, and providing an environment of opportunity for all, except for criminals.
BUFFALOE
We need to improve access and affordability — whether it’s housing, public transit, or economic opportunities. As Columbia grows, we must ensure that our success benefits everyone, not just a select few. Creating pathways for affordable housing, strengthening workforce development, and expanding reliable transportation are areas where we can do more.
HEATH
Caring for each other. We need to make sure that if we care enough about each other’s child to take them home from a practice, that we care enough about each other’s community that we work together to solve our issues. Let’s have a real heart to heart and become a caring community beyond the donations, but with the heart and actions. And the lack of cooperation between leaders in Columbia and the general public. There are people who are really giving of their time and expertise and leaders in Columbia who are not listening and responding in a way I’ve never seen before at this level. That’s why leadership is so important. Let me rephrase, they may be listening, but there’s no explanation on the lack of action and follow-through.
Now let’s get to public safety. It’s certainly a broad topic. What are your specific concerns and recommended solutions for making residents feel safer, to reduce or eliminate gun violence, and to be sure that our police officers are well-trained and well paid?
BUFFALOE
Public safety is a top priority, and while crime is down, perception matters. We’ve increased officer training, enhanced crisis intervention programs, and worked closely with community groups on violence prevention initiatives – like our Office of Violence Prevention. Moving forward, we’ll continue funding competitive officer salaries to attract and retain top talent. But public safety isn’t just about law enforcement — it’s also about addressing root causes like poverty and access to mental health resources. Our holistic approach involves partnerships with schools, social services, and neighborhood associations to build trust and foster safer communities.
MURPHY
I have laid out many of the issues earlier in this questionnaire. Columbia is a diverse, full-service city. But full service fails when we do not take care of basic core responsibilities, and crime prevention and public safety lead those responsibilities.
Recently, our police chief reported her department has 26 open positions, with 14 recruits in academy training, and another six in field training. Right now, even with full staffing, the Columbia Police Department, serving a City of more than 130,000 residents, only has 16 cops on the street per shift. And a shift is 12 hours. That’s 8 officers in the north, and 8 officers in the south. In a growing city, our cops are overworked and stretched.
I don’t just want to fill our police department vacancies with the best candidates – I want to hire more well-trained officers beyond current authorized levels. I don’t just want to have our officers’ backs, to boost morale as they bravely protect and serve our City – I want to give them more actual backup on the streets, with more officers.
One big problem is that we aren’t holding onto the officers we have. CoMoBuz recently reported: “Over the last three years, police officers have resigned from the department in record numbers.”
The report continues: “The department had 19 resignations in 2023, the most of any year over the last decade.
“In 2024, 16 more officers voluntarily left the department.
“The 15 resignations in 2022 add up to a total of 50 police officers leaving the department over the last three years – more resignations than any other three-year period in the last decade.”
CoMoBuz added: “There’s no formal city policy, narrative or directive in place from the city council or the city manager’s office that attempts to address, or even acknowledge, the exodus …”
That is shocking. It’s just not right. As mayor, and as the at-large vote on the council, I will not only acknowledge the problem, I will work persistently to do something about it. This includes finding money in the City budget for increased salaries, and good retention bonuses for Columbia officers who commit to staying with our department.
There are also long-term issues with our police pension system. This can has been kicked down the road and the problem is only getting more costly to address. Experienced officers who were previously invested in our police retirement system may have an incentive to return if we begin fixing this pension problem. Veteran officers will help us build a safer, stronger Columbia, in addition to eager new recruits.
As a community volunteer and business owner, I have looked at and balanced budgets. I have made tough choices. Admittedly, I am not a politician or a government staffer. I’m a concerned citizen. I had not, until recently, paid much detailed attention to the City of Columbia’s budget, which has annual spending and revenues exceeding half a billion dollars, with a “B.”
But the budget is where Columbia City Council members get a vote and can make a difference in setting priorities. I will do just that to address residents’ concerns about crime prevention and public safety. The city budget is my new bedside reading.
I want additional officers so they may do pro-active policing in the community. Let me assure you: I am not criticizing the brave men and women of the Columbia Police Department. I am very proud to have their support, and I was honored with the sole endorsement for mayor of the Columbia Police Officers Association. We must hire more cops and make them more visible as they protect and serve a safer, stronger Columbia.
HEATH
I would support having the police have their retirement fully funded and getting our police to being fully staffed. Then we also need to look at the growing population and plan an increase in staff to reflect the necessary ratio. I’d make sure they have the equipment they need to do their job. I’d have in-person training with the police as well as role reversal from the lens of the neighborhood to the police and the police to the neighborhood. I’d also work with neighborhoods to do the Neighborhood Watch program. We will be sensitive to each neighborhood’s thoughts on the training that would work in that neighborhood. Another thing I’d do is have an advertising campaign called, “It’s your neighborhood too.” In this campaign I’d talk about the vision that neighbors would like in their neighborhood or area of Columbia. I’d put signs up around town reminding everyone that we decide what type of town we live in and that we all have a say.
Then I’d look at the reasons for crime: Poverty, Lack of Resources, Mental Health, Lack of a Good Role Model, Education and Economic Opportunity. I’d work with non-profits, faith organizations, schools and volunteers to do the necessary relationship building that will build trust and connect people to the tools to create that better future. The main thing is also look at the social group that people are in as that is a huge factor in their choices. I’d also talk to people on their first offenses to really engage them in making better choices. It’s going to take all of us and we need to realize that when we go out of our way to buy something on the other side of town, we are not just buying a product, we are enhancing the financial resources of a community and building that future together.
Finally, I’m looking at different ways we can redirect people towards better choices for their lives. One example that I’m looking into is Convict Solutions X. This is a company that offers a unique approach to employing felons, focusing on both their professional and personal development. The companies holistic strategy aligns with current trends in correctional rehabilitation. By providing employment opportunities coupled with mental and physical well-being support, Convict Solutions X addresses key challenges faced by ex-offenders, giving them hope to help them with job stability and holistic guidance .
One of the most visible aspects of Columbia is the panhandling at intersections and outside downtown businesses. The data shows that the bulk of police calls deal with some aspects of panhandling or unsheltered individuals. We understand that not all panhandlers are homeless, and not all homeless folks are panhandlers. But what can be done to better alleviate what appears to be a surge in the unsheltered population and the perception that street-side panhandlers are a risk to themselves and motorists?
BUFFALOE
We know that not all panhandlers are homeless, and addressing this issue requires nuance. We’re expanding shelter and housing-first options through partnerships with local agencies and focusing on long-term solutions like job training and mental health services. At the same time, we need targeted outreach to connect panhandlers with the resources they need, reducing reliance on street-side interactions. Our ongoing investments in community outreach programs and housing initiatives reflect this commitment.
MURPHY
I hear every day from Columbia residents and visitors who share their bad experiences with panhandlers, many panhandling aggressively. I know people have a constitutional right to gather in public spaces, so the City is limited in its options unless a law is broken and a complaint is filed and taken to prosecution.
Not every panhandler is homeless, and not every homeless person panhandles. But there is apparent overlap, and the latest community survey shows our residents are concerned. This is the sight that welcomes visitors coming into Columbia. Even some members of our City Council say they do not choose to give money to the numerous panhandlers, though they may generously offer an extra pair of gloves or a bottle of water.
My concern is with professional panhandlers who not only make our residents uncomfortable, but make them feel threatened, and pose a traffic safety hazard. Somebody is going to get hurt in busy traffic with panhandling on medians.
It’s not my place to tell our citizens how to spend their money. It’s their choice, and we are a community of generous and empathetic folks. I understand the moral impulse to try to help, even if we suspect the money may go for a next buzz and not a next meal or a next night’s shelter.
But we can robustly encourage our citizens to put their money to more helpful use by donating to the many volunteer organizations working every day in coordinated ways to address community needs, including poverty, addiction and homelessness. That is a better, safer way to give and do some real good.
I support – in coordination with volunteer organizations – a campaign to put new signs at Columbia intersections asking motorists to say “no” to panhandlers. I would like to have a QR code on the sign that motorists, passengers and pedestrians can simply photograph with their phone while safely stopped, linking them to local organizations with proven records to entrust direct donations.
This is not a silver bullet. No one has a silver bullet. But in other cities, similar programs ask motorists to “Be The Solution,” by requesting they not give money at traffic intersections, and instead direct their donations voluntarily to organizations that help. Some have signs that say: “It’s OK to say NO.”
HEATH
I don’t think panhandling is good for anyone and I would enforce all laws about it and educate the public on better options to help people. I would have a campaign that has QR Code to direct people towards organizations that will truly help people. I would look into new ideas for affordable housing. These include: Geoship housing, A-Frame and container homes.
Some are felons who can’t get jobs and so therefore, I would again brainstorm with Convict Solutions X to redirect people to better options for their lives. We want people to succeed and not be on the streets!
Finally, what other topics or issues have come to mind that you want to comment on or address?
BUFFALOE
Columbia is a place of opportunity, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made. But we can’t be complacent. From ensuring safer neighborhoods to building sustainable infrastructure, our future depends on thoughtful leadership and community collaboration. As mayor, I remain committed to championing solutions that reflect our shared values and keep Columbia a place where people want to live, raise families, and build their futures.
HEATH
We need to focus on recruiting talented people to work for the City of Columbia. This so important especially as Baby Boomer retire. And we need to make sure that we are retaining that knowledge transfer to that new employee who has also new skills to add to take the job to the next level.
I would also focus on working with non-profits to decrease and eliminate Domestic Violence.
And I would do a City-wide campaign on Healthy Living. We know that people need to be out in nature, eat healthy, get enough sleep and I would make this a priority of the Healthy Living Campaign to take care of yourself and encourage each other to make those healthy choices. So much will be solved if we are mentally, physically and spiritually healthy in a way that works for you.
MURPHY
I want to lead and I want to listen. I want a Columbia that is a safer, stronger environment for all of our people to have the opportunity to thrive.