The Columbia City Council hopes to receive grant funding to cover the majority of the cost of a $2.6 million gas line expansion project.
Mayor Pam Hoots received approval from council members during a brief meeting Monday night to continue with an application for a Government Resources Accelerating Needed Transformation Grant for $302,000. If all the grants requested for the project are approved, the city would only pay 3 percent of the total project, which Hoots calls an economic development project. She said she cannot discuss the project further, other than to confirm the project is on Hwy. 61 north of Columbia. Hoots said she is optimistic the grants will be approved.
Also during Monday night’s meeting, the council appointed Dr. Van Giles to the Columbia Adair Economic Development Authority board of directors. A second reading to amend the city’s zoning map to change property for Betty’s Country Cooking to highway oriented commercial was approved.
Mayor Hoots said FEMA representatives were in Columbia and inspected Burkesville Loop, Rice Drive, Oak Street and Allison Drive. The city is applying for disaster funding to repair those streets following storm damage in February.
Hoots announced that Vicky Pike has requested to annex her property into the city limits. Pike owns a 43.9-acre farm on the corner of Burkesville and Edmonton roads located across the street from the Holladay Shopping Place and is considered prime commercial property. Pike, who attended the council meeting, did not provide information on future plans for the farm. The council gave approval to move forward with the process.
Police Chief Evan Burton told the council that an anonymous donor paid for a $1200 drone for the department to use for safety measures. Burton and an officer will be certified to fly the drone.
All council members attended the meeting. They are Dr. Ronald Rogers, Hannah Peck, Mark Harris, Sharon Payne, Craig Dean and Rhonda Loy.
By Sharon Burton
snburton@adairvoice.com
