Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin Photo by Jim Covington Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin’s transition report is in, all 101 pages of it produced by 209 volunteers divided among eight divisions of interest. The mayor’s eight committees: (1) Arts and Historic Preservation, (2) Economic Development, (3) Education and Community Development, (4) Environment and Sustainability, (5) Government Operations and Efficiency, (6) Public Health, (7) Public Safety, and (8) Regionalism and Intergovernmental Relations.

The committees were recommended to take a common approach:

• Identification of the current status of the city related to its category.

• Strengths and weaknesses with their associated benefits or drawbacks.

• Opportunities available to the community both early on (next six months) as well as top priorities for later (6–24 months) consideration.

As the mayor charged his 209 volunteers to structure the goals for the transition:

Based on your background, expertise, and passion for the City of Columbia, frankly identify her strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. After reviewing your assessment, offer recommendations from your combined perspectives that will enable Columbia to become an even greater city.

It is important that you approach your task by first seeking out early opportunities for improvement, then recommending top priority initiatives that require greater than six months and up to several years to define and implement. In all studies keep in mind our mutual commitment to improving the quality of life for our diverse population through cost–effective, common sense, long–term solutions.

Overseeing the entire process were four transition leaders tapped by Mayor Benjamin: Luther Battiste, Robert Dozier, Barbara Rackes, and Bessie Watson. The four put one of themselves on each of the eight committees.

Arts & Historic Preservation

The report’s first submittal is from the Arts & Historic Preservation Committee, co–chaired by Shani Gilcrist and Steve Morrison, and bolstered by transition leader Barbara Rackes. The committee wants the city to establish priorities in three main areas: (1) finishing current cultural projects; (2) the creation of a strong central conduit that will have dollar allocation responsibility, strategic plan execution, and a “menu” of city services for organizations seeking help or action; (3) a strong neighborhood initiative that will serve to connect, incubate and efficiently use current infrastructure in manners of adaptive re–use of neighborhood buildings.

Under (1), the projects the team earmarked for completion are the Nickelodeon Theater conversion of the old Fox Theater on Main Street, the Renaissance Foundation building, and the dead space in the Columbia Museum of Art.

As part of (2), the city should hire a cultural coordinator or an arts director, someone who could assist in directing and following a strategic cultural vision.

The 701 Whaley gallery building is a good example of following up on (3), where a neighborhood gets an anchor for cultural development.

Economic Development

Co–chaired by Richard Cohn and former Governor Jim Hodges and bolstered by transition leader Robert Dozier, the Economic Development Committee first recognized one of the city’s real strengths, “the presence of a good network of colleges and universities that serve the community, state and region, including a large research university.”

One of the city’s glaring weaknesses, the committee noted, was “the need to maintain a better balance between the interests of neighborhoods and businesses.”

A priority recommendation highlighted was to “develop a plan to build a positive image for the city.”

City government structure surfaced as an issue addressed by the Economic Development Committee: “Institute a strong mayor form of government for the city, leading to simplified decision making by the city administration and greater accountability from city government.”

Following a tip from the state’s Department of Commerce, the city should emphasize key clusters for development opportunities, such as clean energy, health sciences, information technology and insurance, military expansion and defense industries, and tourism/ recreation.

Education & Community Development

Co–chaired by Dr. Traci Young Cooper and Malik Whitaker and aided by transition leader Robert Dozier, the Education & Community Development Committee identified eight core areas worth pursuing primarily: (1) Educational Advocacy, (2) Convening K–20 and Adult Education, (3) Youth and Gang Violence, (4) Website for the City of Columbia, (5) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, (6) Housing Trust Fund, (7) Establishing Positive Media and Public Relations, and (8) Re–investing in Columbia’s Neighborhoods.

Two of the committee’s high–level issues were “a lack of school–readiness among children in Columbia” and “a lack of affordable housing.”

One interesting idea is to have a “Mayor’s Annual Summit,” a joint meeting with superintendents from Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, and Fairfield counties, college presidents, CEO’s from local businesses, all coming together once a year to develop a plan for action for education and businesses to follow what would serve economic development.

Another bold stroke is the idea to “headline a campaign to make Columbia the most literate mid–size city the nation.”

Environment & Sustainability

The co–chairs were Mullen Taylor and Robbie McClam, who were helped by Barbara Rackes, transition leader. They put forth the following six goals:

(1) The city must lead regional efforts to improve water quality of the Broad, Lower Saluda, and Congaree Rivers and their tributaries.

(2) The city must reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfills through enhanced recycling and composting efforts.

(3) The city must elevate and expand sustainable practices within the city.

(4) The city must review and revise its land use and development regulations to promote more environmentally sensitive and economically viable land use.

(5) The city must proactively enhance and protect public green space.

(6) The city must do its part to improve air quality.

Without identifying specifically Rocky Branch Creek between Five Points and the Congaree, the committee appeared sympathetic to continuous flooding problems: “Commit to adoption of progressive, innovative stormwater management practices and design requirements such as use of permeable asphalt, vegetated swales, rain gardens, planted green roofs, and rain harvesting as part of the city’s implementation of its NPDES stormwater permit.”

Government Operations & Efficiency

The committee, cochaired by Frank Fusco and Ben Duncan with assistance from transition leader Bessie Watson, established four subcommittees to closer evaluate their respective areas: Budget and Finance, Payroll and Human Resources, Information Technology and Business Process Assessment, and Public Works, Fleet and Parking.

The team identified critical assumptions in preparation for planning:

• The City of Columbia has very little money to invest in new activities.

• Many will be resistant to necessary changes in procedure.

• Many recommendations made are focused on cost savings rather than public opinion.

Looming over the committee were 13 major threats: (1) Water pollution in the rivers, (2) Crime and homelessness, (3) Division of neighborhoods versus businesses, (4) Loss of economic possibilities, (5) Loss of vision due to poor economy, (6) Not being a “smart” community, (7) Negative image, (8) Community perception that needs to be corrected, (9) Lack of intergovernmental cooperation, (10) Base closures, (11) Lack of positive brand for city and carrying brand throughout the city services and government, (12) Community apathy, and (13) System of government/lack of strong mayoral system. Public Health

Mission: “To provide a comprehensive administrative plan that identifies and promotes the best physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health and wellness environment for the residents of Columbia, South Carolina.”

Co–chaired by Dr. Gerald Wilson and Ken Trogdon, the committee’s transition leader was Bessie Watson. The committee listed four major high-level issues:

(1)Education about health issues and health literacy; promotion of wellness.

(2) Access to healthcare, high cost of preventive care, access to prescription drugs, state cuts to healthcare funding, poverty.

(3) Preventable diseases: Obesity, unwanted pregnancy, teen pregnancy, tobacco smoking, alcohol/drug abuse, HIV infection, violence, dental carries, health disparities.

(4) Disease management: Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health, dental/oral health, geriatric care.

Public Safety

As stated in their report, the committee, chaired by Stephen Birnie and assisted by transition leader Luther Battiste, “reviewed the public safety department cluster associated with City of Columbia including: Columbia Police Department, Columbia Fire Department, Emergency Response Services Center, and Homeland Security (recently reorganized under CPD). Weakness topics listed: leadership management, collaboration between city and county, accountability, allocation of resources, transparency and efficiency, communication, and improved information sharing with public and media.

In the next 6–24 months, the two priority recommendations are: (1) “Develop a comprehensive public safety strategic plan to include an annual accountability report for each agency and function within the public safety sector.” (2) “Revisit previous compensation studies and update as necessary to make recommendations to address public safety sector recruiting, retention, and promotion opportunities.”

Regionalism & Intergovernmental Relations

Here is where public transportation finally gets highlighted. In fact, among the high–level issues listed, the first is public transportation: “Public Transportation– Need mass transit from the boundary areas of Columbia.”

Co–chaired by Damon Jeter and Donald Gist, the committee had help from transition leader Luther Battiste. First cited as a high– level issue to be addressed, then identified as a weakness, public transportation surfaces again as an opportunity: “Good public transportation will positively benefit many different people; environmentally friendly; reduce traffic; reduce stress levels; trains, buses, shuttles, etc.”

Listed as a threat, Columbia’s lack of a strong mayor suggests the pickle Benjamin finds himself in. “The mayor is not the true chief executive but is held accountable for the operations of Columbia.”

Consolidation of city and county services gets a lot of attention, but the four needs listed to pull it off are daunting: (1) Agreement between administrators. (2) Change to city or county codes. (3) Change of city or county laws. (4) Change to S.C. laws or the S.C. Constitution.

Getting to the airport as an issue for the transition team, the committee lays it out straight: “Columbia needs a viable airport. Need low–cost carriers, lower fares.”