Columbia advisory committee reviews use of HUD CDBG mitigation grant for generator, fire station and head gates

City staff updated the Columbia Prepares Advisory Committee on projects funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant–Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) award and described budget adjustments and timelines for three projects: a replacement generator at the fleet services facility, a new fire station in the Bluff Road/Olympia area and repairs to canal head gates.

The update matters because the CDBG-MIT funds are intended to reduce long-term flood risk and must be spent by June 20, 2032, according to the staff presentation. "The deadline is June 20th, which is 2032. And so we have 7 years, 7 more years, to to utilize those funds, disperse those funds, and draw down those funds, and complete those projects that we have outlined with those dollars," the city staff member said.

City staff said the city was awarded roughly $18.585 million through the CDBG-MIT allocation and reviewed how that total has been apportioned. The most recent allocation shown to the committee listed $929,000 for administrative expenses, $405,000 for planning, $1,100,000 for the fleet services generator (an upward adjustment from an original $950,000 budget), about $8,000,000 allocated for head gates (later adjusted down after bids and additional city funding), and approximately $8,300,000 for the new fire station. The presenter said the fire station’s total cost is now about $12,000,000, with an additional $1.4 million of local city funds supplementing the CDBG-MIT share.

On the generator project, staff said the replacement at the fleet services facility off Colonial Drive is nearly complete. "It is still under construction, but it is almost complete," the city staff member said, and staff expect the contractor to return to replace several parts discovered during initial commissioning so the unit can reach full operational status in the next couple of weeks. Staff described the generator as ahead of schedule compared with an earlier timeline provided in August of the previous year.

On the fire station, staff said the project is in design development and that schematic design and design development milestones are complete; procurement and bidding were expected in the coming months. The presenter said the city hopes to complete the station by the end of next year, but noted schedules may shift as procurement and contractor availability play out. The presenter identified the planned site as the Bluff Road/Olympia area and said multiple parcels have been purchased to accommodate the station.

On the head gates project, staff said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a permit for construction on the navigable waterways and that a pre-bid construction meeting was scheduled in the near term. Staff did not have new construction photos to share at this meeting and said they expect to provide photos at the next committee meeting.

Committee participation at this meeting was light: the presenter noted several appointed citizen members were absent and said staff will circulate minutes and monthly updates. Committee member Claudia McMillan logged in and identified herself during roll call. The presenter reminded members that the committee is required to meet at least twice a year and that a next meeting would likely be scheduled in July or August (date not yet set).

No formal motions or votes were recorded during the update; the session functioned as an informational briefing and a chance for citizen committee members to ask questions. The presenter said budget adjustments have been made since the program began and that staff will continue to move funds among approved activities as costs for labor and materials change.

The presenter referenced the 2015 flood as the event that prompted the mitigation grant and said the purpose of CDBG-MIT is "to carry out strategic and high impact activities that mitigate disaster risk and reduce future losses." The committee did not take formal action on projects at this meeting; staff encouraged members to contact them by email or phone with follow-up questions and said they will send minutes and updates to all committee members.