The prospect of business growth was the main point of discussion during last Tuesday’s Columbia City Council meeting.

Columbia City Administrator Doug Brimm said city representatives met with members of a St. Louis economic development group and Monroe County Economic Development Corporation Director Edie Koch last month to discuss potential business sites in the city.

In light of those conversations and other interest expressed in business development in Columbia, Brimm said the city has been in conversations with St. Louis-based PGAV Planners to potentially develop a business district plan for the northern part of the city along Route 3.

In July 2022, the city re-zoned an area along the Route 3 corridor on the north end of Columbia from Sand Bank Road south from I-1 (light industrial) to C-3 (commercial zoning) to attract businesses to the city.

Brimm added he is planning on a PGAV representative to be on hand during the Sept. 18 council meeting to discuss a feasibility study for the area in order to create incentives and sway prospective businesses to build in Columbia.

Brimm also noted that due to “changes at the staff level,”  he and Mayor Bob Hill have recently been the main “default contacts” concerning opening or expanding a business in Columbia. 

Brimm later confirmed  to the Republic-Times that former Columbia Community Development Director Scott Dunakey and the city “parted ways” in May.

Dunakey had been the main point of contact for business interests in the city. He was also the leader of the city’s unfinished comprehensive plan project, which began in 2021 and was projected to be finalized earlier this year.

There was no response to request for comment about the current status of the comprehensive plan or plans to replace Dunakey.

In other business, aldermen approved a bid for the 2023 Hot-Mix Asphalt Program to Rooters American Maintenance in the amount of $112,731.75.

The bid will cover paving of the final section of the GM&O Heritage Trail from Centerville Road to near Route 3 as well as four intersections of city streets with Route 3.

Columbia City Engineer Chris Smith explained the  project will not include the  Route 3 intersection at Carl Street due to a pending bridge project on that road. 

Smith also said the intersection at Sand Bank Road will not be resurfaced due to potential development in the area possibly changing the “geometrics” at that intersection.

He added that Christ Bros. Construction, the company currently paving the GM&O Trail from Cherry Street to Centerville Road, bid on the project but was not the low bidder.

After a closed session, the topic of cell phone service in the city was brought up by Ward IV Alderman Mary Ellen Niemietz.

Niemietz said she had recently received several calls about “spotty” AT&T cellular reception service, particularly in an area near Route 3 between Admiral Weinel Boulevard and Veterans Parkway.

Ward II Alderman Jill Nobbe noted there was disruption of service for Charter/Spectrum customers for several days after severe storms June 30.

While there may have been an issue in the aftermath of the storms, Hill noted the lack of service with AT&T in certain areas of the city has been an issue for some time.

Niemietz reported being told employees of the AT&T store in Waterloo said “Columbia is to blame” for the lack of service.

“That is not accurate,” Hill said, adding the city has never been approached by AT&T to build a tower in the city. 

Two recent attempts to construct a tower just outside Columbia city limits have been denied by various Monroe County boards, with denial of a potential AT&T tower near Valmeyer Road still in litigation.

“We’ve expressed interest in allowing (AT&T) to put onto our tower at 1020 North Main (Street) to see if that would help, but we haven’t heard anything back,” Hill said, adding AT&T does not have the capability to install a “mini” reception unit similar to one installed by Verizon Wireless near Columbia Centre.

“AT&T, if you’re out there and want to come talk, we’ll work with you to put a tower in Columbia,” Hill concluded.

At the beginning of the meeting, Hill commented that he had received communication regarding the city’s electric aggregation program, which is in cooperation with other municipalities to set rate prices for a certain term in order to avoid volatile rates in the electricity service market.

The city announced in November the rate for this program would increase by nearly three times the prior rate due to a new contract, but were at the time still lower than Ameren Illinois’ rates.

The aggregate program rates recently became higher than Ameren’s, leading to questions.

Hill urged residents to go to the city’s website, columbiaillinois.com, for more information about the program, including how to opt out.

The current aggregate contract goes through 2024.