Columbia Mayor Bob Coble will give his final State of the City address tonight, a tradition he started in 2004.
Coble is not seeking re-election in April after 20 years in office, making him the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.
Coble's speech, at 6 p.m. at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, is open to the public. Wednesday, he sat down with The State newspaper to give us a preview:
With longtime Mayor Bob Coble preparing to step down and elections coming up in April, city leaders face a year of decisions. Here are five things to watch:
STRONG MAYOR ISSUE
City Council could ask voters in a referendum if they want a full-time - or "strong" - mayor. The city's part-time mayor now has the same responsibilities as council's six other members, and the city manager runs the city. Some say that's worked out just fine for Columbia. But others say a full-time mayor could bring tougher leadership that would be directly responsible to voters for successes - and mistakes. Will the strong mayor issue go before voters? When?
FISCAL LEADERSHIP
After several years of unchecked city spending, Steve Gantt stepped in as city manager and is running a tight ship. He froze a great deal of spending and brought the budget in $5 million in the black at mid-year. Such austerity, however, can't continue, Gantt says. But does City Council have the political will to raise taxes if it needs to? Make serious cuts in spending or services if it needs to? Lay off more employees if it needs to? Can residents, reeling from a down economy, stomach a tax increase? The budget must be set by June.
WHERE TO SPEND?
Ask folks what they want from their city, and most will say: "Safe neighborhoods, clean streets, nice parks, things to do." But can Columbia afford to send police officers into neighborhoods at the city's farthest reaches? Can it fully staff all of its fire stations? Will providing the current level of services mean the city has to cut back on the money it gives to festivals, arts groups and community organizations? Or will it have to cut employees instead? What and who will get cut?
DOWNTOWN / JOBS, JOBS, JOBS
City Council members need to determine whether USC's Innovista research campus is, indeed, the engine that will run Columbia's economy of the future. High-tech jobs driven by university research have transformed other cities' fortunes. Innovista boosters say that can - and should - happen here, too. Can Columbia put its money where its mouth is and help support Innovista? Do we have enough energy and money now to focus on the future? Are we sunk if we don't?
WATER AND SEWER
Water and sewer service is expensive. Water mains break nearly every week as the city, like just about every other city in America, struggles with aging pipes. The repair bills are hefty. Preventative maintenance helps. But massive rehabilitation projects also are necessary. Meanwhile, Northeast Richland County has grown so fast the city has struggled to keep up with the area's water needs. Can the city ever get ahead? Is there enough money to ward off a serious break - and a serious break in service?
Today's news video
Q. Why do you give a 'State of the City' address?
In this form of government (in which the mayor serves part time) ... really the city manager would do a state of the year. So it's more the mayor's sort of personal view of the issues and the agenda. But I think it's an important one for outlining priorities and reminding us where we are.
Q. Will you be proposing anything new?
I think I would look at the accomplishments this year, obviously getting the finances back in order and hiring a city manager and a number of other things.
Q. Will you use this as an opportunity to say goodbye?
Well, since I'm really not going anywhere, it's a way of summing up what I think over the last 20 years we've been able to accomplish.
Q. Have you made a list of what you are most proud of?
Here are the six things I'm most proud of over the last 20 years:
1. The revitalization of Columbia's neighborhoods. You know, literally in 1990 we had had three declining census populations, declining home values, and I think by all accounts that's been reversed. Hopefully, that will continue in the 2010 census.
2. I think Innovista and (EngenuitySC) and our new relationship with USC are critical.
3. Downtown has been revitalized. You certainly would include Main Street, Vista, riverfront, things like the Gervais (Street) streetscaping, the Lady (Street) streetscaping, Publix (in the Vista), Main (Street) streetscaping.
4. Twenty years ago, there was no riverfront development, and now we have EdVenture and the Three Rivers Greenway.
5. The Convention Center and Hilton Hotel and the Colonial Life (Arena). The city played a leadership role in all of those. The Colonial Life (Arena) of course was a little more USC, but nevertheless we paid for the land and worked together on that.
6. The Base Relocation and Defense Realignment Commission decision in 2005 (which spared Fort Jackson).
Q. What will be different about this year's speech?
It will be a little shorter. If there is one thing I would say to folks about 20 years from now (about) what would make a difference in our city, the one issue I think would transform our community economically, (it's) Innovista.
I give the example of this: As a parent, you've got to make sure that you've got food on the table and you pay the light bill. And if you don't do it, you're going to have a disaster. But 20 years from now, you won't be talking about what you had for lunch or dinner today. But you might be talking about if you paid for tuition and your kid went to college. And I think Innovista is like that. It's the major change in our community. I would include Innovista and the Innovista master plan. That's the game changer for Columbia's economy.
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