Tax rates, acceptance of bids, and a resolution for the city fire department were the key items at Tuesday night’s Columbia City Council meeting.
The second and final reading was held to set the ad valorem tax rate at the compensating rate of 16.2 cents per $100 assessed property value.
The compensating rate allows the taxing entity to receive close to the same revenue as the prior year on the same property. The rate dropped from 18.6 cents in 2025.
Bids were received for a concrete pad and building for storage for the gas department. There were two bids received for each.
On the concrete pad, Bryant Excavating had the lowest bid of $8800. The council accepted that bid unanimously. Brockman Contracting placed a bid of $10,725.
Wendry Construction was unanimously awarded the contract for the storage building construction with a bid of $44,925, which was also the lowest bid. Dixie Restoration placed a bid of $50,588. The building will be located on Tutt Street.
A resolution was passed to authorize the Columbia City Fire Department to obtain reimbursement of cost for their services. City Fire Chief Tyler Solum said this would be extra revenue generated from insurance companies on call responses by the department. The billing is done by a separate company, which receives 20 percent of the fees collected.
When the city department responds to incidents, the insurance company will be billed based on number of personnel, number of trucks required and materials that are used. If not covered by an insurance company, these fees will not be passed on to private citizens.
Mayor Pam Hoots said she had been working with Columbia-Adair Utilities District and they will be adding two additional fire hydrants on Barbee Street. The total cost will be $6,000.
She also said that engineers were working on the North 61 gas project and they anticipate opening bids for it next month.
Council member Rhonda Loy asked about repairs to sidewalks. She said there are repairs needed on Wall Street and from the city parking lot to the annex building.
Council member Hannah Peck said Lindsey Wilson University welcomed 530 new students to campus for the semester. The total of residential students is at an all-time high at just over 1,000.
The council also went into executive session for a discussion between a public agency and a representative of a business entity if open discussion would jeopardize the siting, retention or upgrading of the business.
When regular session resumed, Hoots stated that no action was taken in the executive session.
All council members attended the meeting.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
