Columbia’s City Council has unanimously voted to approve a $474 million operating budget, a budget that projects that the COVID pandemic will continue.
The budget approved by the council Monday night gives Public Health and Human Services authority for 17 temporary positions in their proposed budget, along with three new positions aimed at strengthening the public health infrastructure. Those three positions are grant-funded.
The budget also increases employees in the police and fire departments. It includes an increase of six full-time employees in the Columbia Police Department and four new full-time firefighters. It also includes money for some vehicle replacements at CPD.
The budget also includes an additional $2 million for Columbia street maintenance and a $362,000 increase for the airport budget.