Public Communications serves as a communications link between the city of Columbia’s municipal government and the citizens. The Public Communications Office coordinates several programs that are designed to link citizens with their city government.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bill Watkins, City Manager - (573) 874-6338 or Toni Messina, Director, Public Communications - (573) 874-7660

Mayor names committee for water ballot issue

COLUMBIA, MO (September 25, 2008) - Mayor Darwin Hindman today announced the appointment of a citizens committee to inform voters about a $38.9 million water bond issue election that will be held on Nov. 4. The committee will hold its initial meeting on Monday, Sept. 29, starting at 4 p.m. in the Landrum Room, First National Bank, 801 E. Broadway.

Kee Groshong and Mary Anne McCollum will serve as committee co-chairs, and Jeff MacLellan will serve as treasurer. Other committee members include: Tom Baumgardner, John Conway, Bill Costello, Ernie Gaeth, Shatenita Horton, Phebe LaMar, Ben Londeree, Jim Loveless, Teresa Maledy, Larry Moore, Tony Richards, Bob Roper, Cynthia Schreen, Valerie Shaw and Lili Vianello.

The committee’s goal is to inform voters about work needed to make the city’s water system more reliable, including improving the distribution system and boosting water flow to fight fires.

“I support this bond issue because I believe it will benefit citizens throughout Columbia,” Hindman said. “It really is in the community’s best interest to continually improve the system. The last water bond issue that voters approved was in 2003.”

If voters approve the bond issue, city Water and Light customers can expect two successive 1.5 percent rate increases followed by four successive 5 percent rate increases to repay the bonds and carrying costs. For the average customer, each 1 percent increase is about 23 cents per month.

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