Columbia City Council approves ARPA stormwater amendment, First Thursdays beer-and-wine, directs CDBG NOFA; enters executive session

The Columbia City Council on Jan. 7 approved a second amendment to an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) subrecipient agreement to fund a stormwater infrastructure improvement project, authorized consumption of beer and wine at First Thursdays on Main Street, directed staff to issue a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) notice of funding availability, approved its consent agenda including professional services for parking-deck maintenance, and voted to enter an executive session to discuss contracts, economic development and personnel matters.

The actions were carried by roll call votes with all council members voting in favor. The council adopted the agenda amendment that added receipt of legal advice to the executive session (item listed as Phillips Street) before proceeding to votes.

Why it matters: the ARPA amendment allocates federal recovery funds to a stormwater project intended to mitigate future disaster impacts; the CDBG NOFA will open federal-community development funds to public and nonprofit applicants; and the executive session covers confidential negotiations and personnel matters that could affect the city's contracts and economic-development plans.

What the council approved

- ARPA stormwater amendment: The council approved Resolution R-2025-002, described in the meeting as a "second amendment to a resolution authorizing the mayor and city council to execute an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stormwater infrastructure grama subrecipient agreement between the city of Columbia and the South Carolina Office of Resilience to fund a storm water infrastructure improvement project that will mitigate the impact of future disasters." The motion was moved and seconded and passed by roll call (all members voted yes). The meeting transcript did not specify dollar amounts or project sites.

- Event alcohol authorization: The council approved Resolution R-20205003 to permit consumption of beer and wine only at First Thursdays on Main Street. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as voting yes.

- CDBG notice of funding availability: Council directed staff to issue a CDBG notice of funding availability for projects and programs that meet CDBG requirements and priorities. The motion was introduced at the request of Councilwoman Tina N. Herbert and passed unanimously. Councilmembers emphasized that the NOFA process must remain consistent with the five-year consolidated plan and HUD timelines.

- Consent agenda and parking contract: The council approved its consent agenda (items 3–11). During the consent discussion, members asked staff about a Kimley-Horn professional services contract tied to deferred maintenance and operations of downtown parking decks; staff said the contract funds design and analysis work to address long-standing deck repairs and operational concerns. The consent vote passed on a roll call with all members recorded as voting in favor.

- Approval of minutes: The council approved the Dec. 17, 2024 regular meeting minutes by unanimous roll-call vote.

- Executive session: The council voted to enter a closed session to discuss negotiations and proposed contractual arrangements related to fire services at 400 Laurel Street; matters related to the proposed location, expansion, or provision of services to encourage industrial or business expansion (referred to as Project Catalyst); employment of municipal court judges; and the receipt of legal advice related to Phillips Street. The motion to enter executive session was seconded and approved by roll call; the public meeting recessed thereafter.

Meeting process and votes

Motions on the record were moved and seconded; the clerk conducted roll-call votes for each action. For items where the transcript did not identify a specific mover or seconder, the record shows a motion and a second were present and the roll-call votes recorded unanimous approval. Absent any recorded dissent, the council’s tally for the recorded votes was seven yes, zero no, and no abstentions.

What the council did not specify

The meeting record did not include line-item dollar amounts for the ARPA amendment or the specific project sites for the stormwater work; it did not provide contract values for the Kimley-Horn engagement; and the executive-session discussions are confidential and were not disclosed in public remarks.

Votes at a glance (formal items recorded in the meeting)

- Agenda amendment (add legal advice to executive session—Phillips Street): Passed (roll-call unanimous). - Approval of Dec. 17, 2024 minutes: Passed (roll-call unanimous). - Consent agenda items 3–11 (including parking consultant professional services): Passed (roll-call unanimous). - Resolution R-2025-002 (ARPA stormwater amendment): Passed (roll-call unanimous). - Resolution R-20205003 (beer and wine at First Thursdays): Passed (roll-call unanimous). - Direction to issue CDBG NOFA: Passed (roll-call unanimous). - Motion to enter executive session (fire services contract at 400 Laurel St.; Project Catalyst; municipal court judges; Phillips Street legal advice): Passed (roll-call unanimous).

The council recessed into executive session after the public meeting to address the confidential items listed in the motion. The council did not complete or disclose the contents of executive-session deliberations on the public record.

Ending: The public portion of the Jan. 7 meeting concluded after formal votes and the council’s motion to enter executive session; the council reconvened briefly afterward to adjourn the meeting.