93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Columbia’s city council is set to vote tonight on a plan to hire a new communications supervisor for City Utilities.
Columbia’s City Utilities department provides electric, water, sewer and other services to more than 50,000 residential and business customers. City manager De’Carlon Seewood says City Utilities wants to increase communication with residents and ratepayers regarding the services they receive. He also says they want to be more proactive in communicating both planned service interruptions and emergency service interruptions.
The council packet says the new job would pay between $57,000 and $84,000 annually. City Utilities say this position will also facilitate the hiring of a new communications team, with one housed in each of Columbia’s utility departments: electric, water, sewer and storm water and solid waste. The other hires would be made in the 2025 budget, according to the council packet.
Columbia’s city council will also hear a report tonight regarding resident Susan Clark, who wants to donate a grand piano to the city. Ms. Clark has had the piano in a climate-controlled environment for 15 years. The council’s three-page packet says while the piano is in fairly good condition, it needs some restoration work. The council packet says the pedals are tarnished and need polishing. A dozen piano keys need to be eased. The city says it would cost about $5,000 to accept the instrument and get it moved to city hall. Repairs would cost $600, while moving the piano itself would cost $1,500.
If the council proceeds with the idea at a later date, the piano would be moved to city hall and then to a permanent location, possibly the McKinney building.
