Columbia Mayor Daniel J. Rickman and the City Council on Wednesday approved a package of financing, construction contracts and permits that the city says will support water-system projects, public-safety facilities and special events while also hearing public comment that included praise for nursing and an allegation of repeated police harassment.

The most consequential action was passage of Ordinance No. 2025-093, authorizing up to $215,000,000 in City of Columbia Waterworks and Sewer System revenue bonds. Finance staff said about $50 million of that sum would fund new capital projects included in the city's capital improvement program, roughly $150 million would be used to refund existing indebtedness and up to $14 million could cover issuance and related costs. "So tonight's bond request is for a total of $215,000,000," a finance official told the council while describing how the proceeds would be allocated.

Council members also approved several large construction contracts and amendments tied to ongoing capital work. The council approved a contract amendment for CDM Smith Inc. not to exceed $3,850,000 for professional services on consent-decree and capital improvements program management, continuing a multi-year relationship the city said dates back more than a decade. The council approved a construction contract for the Olympia Fire Station (project CP108001) with Reeves Young LLC in an amount not to exceed $10,675,489, including contingency, and a Park Construction of North Carolina, Inc. contract for East Rocky Branch improvements in the amount of $16,145,273.76 (including contingency).

On land-use and rights-of-way matters, the council approved first- and second-reading ordinances granting encroachment permits for property owners Francis Goldstein (Ordinance No. 2025-092) and Steven Gillespie (Ordinance No. 2025-097) to install landscaping and associated improvements adjacent to private addresses. The council also approved Ordinance No. 2025-100 to convey a portion of the Lower Richland fire station site (Track 4) to Richland County to support a county boulevard widening project.

Council members acted on a range of resolutions, including acceptance and dedication of streets in new developments (R2025-74 and R2025-76), an extension of the 9-1-1 communications consolidation agreement with Richland County (R2025-77), and ratification of mutual-aid agreements between the city and other law-enforcement agencies (R2025-080). The council also approved event permits for the 2026 Mardi Gras Festival at City Roots Farm (R2025-075) and a New Year's Eve celebration on Main Street (R2025-079). A traffic-calming request to install three speed humps on Preston Green Drive was approved after city fire and police review.

Public comment included several brief remarks. Deidre Edwards, first vice president of the Columbia alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, joined mayoral remarks accepting a proclamation to honor the chapter's anniversary and community work. A resident who identified herself as "Mama G" praised city programming and described a nursing student's community service. Gregory Williams, introduced by Mama G, said nursing is a profession that offers safety and pride, "especially on the battlefield," and urged respect for nursing careers.

At the podium Carmel Washington told the council she has experienced ongoing harassment by Columbia police officers for more than two decades and said her attempts to secure a reply from Police Chief Holbrook and city staff had not yielded a response. "The City of Columbia police officers, they won't stop harassing me," Washington said, adding she has lost jobs and experienced health impacts she attributed to the problem. The council did not record a formal response from the chief during the meeting.

Most items were approved by unanimous roll call or clear majority when called; clerks recorded votes after motions were seconded. The meeting concluded with a short reminder from a councilmember to visit the newly opened Findlay Park and a motion to adjourn.

The council referred an honorary street-naming application for Rosewood Elementary School (proposed name: Eagle Way for the 200 block of South Ravenel Street) to the Administrative Policy Committee for further consideration.