Resident presses council for accountability on $2.2M PFAS pilot and $344K in lobbying contracts; mayor cites pending litigation

During public input, Kay Moore identified herself as a Columbia resident and taxpayer and asked the council for more transparency on two separate matters on the agenda: proposed lobby contracts (items 6–9) totaling up to $344,000 for FY 2026–27, and agenda item 29, a proposed $2,200,000 pilot program to test PFAS removal technology with Black & Veatch.

Moore asked how long each lobbying firm has represented Columbia, what measurable accomplishments they have secured, how much state and federal funding each firm has helped obtain, what policy initiatives they advanced, and how the city measures success on those contracts. "Before approving these contracts, please provide the public with clear accounting of what taxpayers are receiving in return," she said.

On the PFAS pilot, Moore asked what testing has shown about PFAS levels in source and finished drinking water, what Phase 1 achieved, and how much PFAS the pilot will remove. The mayor responded that the city is engaged in litigation against manufacturers and cannot disclose certain information; he added that an EPA mandate could impose roughly $147,000,000 in compliance cost on the system and that municipalities nationwide are facing the burden. "There is some information that we can share and some we can't because we're in that legal action," the mayor said, and he pledged to provide the public what information is permissible.

The exchange underlines resident demand for accountability on contracts that secure state/federal funding and on pilot programs tied to potential large capital and compliance costs for the water system. Council did not delay the contracts solely on Moore’s request; the mayor said he would provide documentation where legally allowable.