COLUMBIA, MO. -- Columbia voters approved Proposition 1. The proposal allows the Columbia mayor and council members to get paid for their work. The mayor gets $9,000 a year. Council members get $6,000 a year. The stipends will begin in 2014. The delay ensures that no current member of the city gets paid unless they are re-elected.
Proposition 1 supporter Bob Roper said, “The voters agreed that this stipend would help. It might help attract additional people of quality to run for the council and the mayor in the years to come. I’m very pleased, obviously. It’s a good thing for Columbia. I’m just overjoyed that we got such a strong response.”
Columbia voters also passed Proposition 2. That proposal allows city leaders to use voter approved bonds to purchase the Columbia Energy Center from Ameren Energy Marketing for about $50 million. Last year, city leaders bought 25% of the center. Full ownership saves city taxpayers about $1 million a year.
Proposition 2 supporter Connie Kacprowicz said, “We think it’s a smart decision for the City of Columbia to purchase this facility. We’ll save more than $1 million per year over the lease payments in buying the facility. We’ll also have local generation right here in Columbia.”
City Leaders said they are moving forward with Proposition 2 as soon as possible.
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