Columbia’s mayor has announced that she’ll be seeking a second term in office in April.
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe was elected mayor in 2022 and is finishing her first three-year term. She tells 939 the Eagle that you can’t accomplish all of your priorities in three years:
“You know when I set out to do this one of my priorities was listening to the city staff and seeing what resources they needed to actually implement the goals that the community and the council had set,” Mayor Buffaloe says.
One of Mayor Buffaloe’s goals has been competitive wages for Columbia’s approximately 1,400 city employees. She voted for city manager De’Carlon Seewood’s $10-million pay increase for city employees last year. That plan was approved by the council.
Mayor Buffaloe tells 939 the Eagle that she’s worked to repair relationships between city staff, the council and the community:
“We’ve already broken ground on assorted projects for the (McCaine) water treatment plant improvements. We’ve reopened up land negotiations for the south water tower placement. And then also we’re looking at how do we increase our staffing and recruitment for public safety,” says Mayor Buffaloe.
City manager Seewood announced this month that Columbia Police are currently 25 officers short, an improvement from the 40 number earlier this year.
While Mayor Buffaloe says being an elected official can be trying at times, she says it’s important to continue to show up and do the work and listen to everyone to find common ground. She’ll face at least two opponents in April, including Johnston Paint and Decorating co-owner Blair “Murph” Murphy. He’s focusing on crime and public safety. Former mayoral candidate Tanya Heath is also running again.
