ARPA update
Columbia Police Department Demolition of vacant, abandoned & hazardous properties – elimination of blight
- Currently 77 properties identified in Round 1 and Round 2
- Round 1 includes 52 properties at this time that are ready or will soon be ready for solicitation of a demolition contractor
- Solicitation release target of May 1st with City Council approval in June
- Timeline is approximately 90 days from solicitation to demolition of the properties
- Round 2 includes 25 properties that are ready for Legal to issue demolition order and complete title search
- Round 2, is targeted to begin solicitation by September 2022
Please note that the demolition list is a working list and can change almost daily as we add additional properties to the list and remove some that have title issues or code issues are abated by owners. The City does not own the properties.
Justification for ARPA Funds
Removal of the structures make the properties more attractive for future infill development. Ideally for affordable housing developments. The residential demolitions are already zoned for single family housing.
Recruitment and Retention Update
In an effort to increase recruitment and retention for some of our hard to fill positions, the City is implementing a phased in approach to increasing salaries. This will also fall in line with the Columbia Water Customer Response Plan. The phases are as below:
- Phase I – increase salaries of all employees to at least $14.50 per hour (does not include Fire)
- Phase II- Implement limited pay increases in departments mostly Water, Public Works and Utilities to raise salaries to $14.50 and address some compression
- Phase II – engage Evergreen Solutions, LLC to complete a market analysis of all employees whose salaries range between $31,120 and $50,000
Safety and Risk Management
The City Manager recognized H. Demetrius Rumph, Director of Safety & Risk Management, for being named “2022 Risk Professional of the Year” by the SC Public Risk Management Association. Since Demetrius joined the City in 2016, Workers’ Compensation claims have dropped 48%. We continue to experience a consistent downward trend in total incurred costs as well as reduced claims over the last five years. In 2021, the City had the lowest dollar amount spent on injured employees.
**This information was shared as apart of the City Manager’s Report