Columbia Missouri 2013 - REDI

GOVERNMENT
The city of Columbia has a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of
the mayor and six ward representatives. Each ward elects one representative to the council every
three years on a rotating basis with elections held each April. The mayor, elected every three years as a
council member at large, presides over meetings and has the sole responsibility for some appointments
to boards or commissions. http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/index.php
The City Council is an unpaid elected body empowered by the charter to pass ordinances, establish
policies, determine zoning, approve subdivisions, amend the city land-use plan, make appointments
to boards and commissions and pass final judgment on most issues of city government interest. The
Council directly supervises the city manager, the city clerk and three municipal judges. The city manager
is the chief administrator of Columbia and all municipal department heads report to the manager
directly. For more information contact the City Information Desk located in the Daniel Boone Building,
701 East Broadway, 65201 (573-874-7111)
www.GoColumbiaMo.com.
Columbia serves as the county seat for Boone County, which was organized in 1820. The major
decision-making body for the county is the County Commission. The Commission is comprised of three
commissioners. The presiding commissioner serves a four-year term and is elected from the entire
county. Two district commissioners, who serve four-year terms, are elected from designated districts. The
commission operates within the limits of statutes enacted by the state legislature. For more information
contact the Boone County Government Center, 801 East Walnut Street, Room 245, 65201 (573-886-4305),
www.showmeboone.com.
TRASH COLLECTION
Curbside trash pick-up is provided for residents once a week by the City of Columbia Public Works
Department. Call 573-874-6291 to find out which day trash is picked up in your neighborhood.
Yard waste must be collected separately on the same day as your other refuse. Trash collection billing is
done through your water and electric account with the City. Your fee includes plastic refuse bags that
are delivered to you every three months.
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/PublicWorks/Solidwaste/res-coll.php#appliancepu
RECYCLING
Columbia’s recycling program, called the “Blue Bag Program,” enables residents to have recycled
items picked up with their regular trash collection once a week. The program is currently active
within city limits. For more information about the Blue Bag Program, call the City of Columbia Public
Works Solid Waste Division at 573-874-6291. If you reside outside the city limits, contact private
companies for trash collection and recycling or use drop-off recycling at the parking lots of many
local grocery stores.
http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/ojhs/newton/recycling.htm
The Center for Digital Government
in 2011 ranked Boone County in the
top 10 counties in the country with a
population from 150,000 to 249,999
for their for their use of technology
to improve the delivery of services to
residents. “Especially important
during tough economic times, the
survey identifies the very best
examples of how counties are
aligning technology to support
strategic priorities and create crucial
operational and administrative
efficiencies,” said Executive Director
Larry Naake.
Boone County received the 2010
Digital Counties Survey Award from
e.Republic's Center for Digital
Government. The survey is an
annual study by the Center and the
National Association of Counties
(NACo) which identifies best
practices and recognizes those
counties that provide exemplary
electronic service to their public.
Boone County tied for fourth place
out of ten spots with Gaston County,
N.C. in the 150,000 to 249,999
population category.
For household hazardous waste, there is a city collection site at 1313 Lakeview that is open from 9 a.m.-1
p.m. on the first and third Saturday of each month from April through November.
41 www.columbiaredi.com