City voters should choose Runyan for at-large seat

COLUMBIA CITY Council shoulders much of the blame for the city’s lack of accountability, transparency and leadership on an alarming variety of fronts.

The council has failed to confront tough problems head-on, from accounting failures and police scandals to failing to pick a site for a homeless service center.

In next Tuesday’s election, city voters should consider the need for an engaged, proactive approach when choosing an at-large council member. The candidates are incumbent Councilman Daniel Rickenmann, Cameron Runyan, Lea Walker and Larry Holman (who is on the ballot as Nammu Muhammad).

Mr. Runyan offers the most. He would bring much-needed energy to the council. He would be proactive and candidly demand results, helping lead the council past its default mode of inadequate reaction.

The city needs a strategic plan, Mr. Runyan said. He wants to set specific goals and standards to measure progress. He favors establishing spending priorities, getting past the “us versus them” relationship with Richland County, and more regional planning.

Mr. Runyan shares our view that there needs to be a comprehensive, regional approach to homelessness — a concept the city once agreed to, then abandoned. He supports a central homeless service center. The council must stand and make a decision, he said.

He links a number of the city’s failings — from poor planning to ensure adequate water for Northeast Richland to crumbling water and sewer lines to troubled finance and police departments to the council’s failing for years to set goals for the city manager — in arguing that Columbia is failing strategically. “We have a city that is flying by the seat of its pants,” he said.

Mr. Runyan, Mr. Rickenmann and Ms. Walker agree on the need to stabilize the police department, better protect citizens and address the city’s finances and spending priorities.

Mr. Holman did not attend a scheduled interview. Ms. Walker, spurred to run because of a zoning squabble with the city, is likable and follows city issues. But she doesn’t offer the breadth of vision we seek in an at-large council member.

Mr. Rickenmann has been a decent council member. He has raised important issues in an attempt to rein the council in, on spending in particular. He and Councilman Kirkman Finlay have shone a light on various fiscal problems, including the failure to close the city’s books on time. But while they’ve pointed to problems, they have done less well at recommending fixes.

The incumbent cites progress in making city government more open — since he joined the council it has begun airing recorded meetings on cable, holding more meetings in the community and allowing more citizen input. He and Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine hold regular meetings to hear from the public.

But he doesn’t display the sense of urgency in solving the city’s problems that we believe is necessary. We endorse Mr. Runyan, because we do see that in him.