As you may have already seen in the pages of this edition, Inside Columbia magazine hosted its biannual CEO Roundtable Luncheon last month. These gatherings bring together local leaders to discuss significant issues facing our community, with the hope of finding a solution or simply bringing attention to the issue.
This time around, our conversation focused on what Columbia might look like 20 years from now and whether sufficient planning was underway to help our community remain one of the best places to live, work and have fun in the United States.
Interestingly, there was a strong consensus among our guests that Columbia was in a good place. The ongoing expansion of Interstate 70, the rejuvenation of the Columbia Regional Airport and a string of recent successes in both Mizzou athletics and academic research have created fertile ground for strong economic development. The most important development is the anticipated progress of the NextGen MURR project. This could be a complete gamechanger if Columbia takes full advantage.
Tapping into the growing $10 billion radiopharmaceutical industry, MU President and Chancellor Mun Choi expressed great optimism for how this project might change Columbia and the entire state. Choi predicted that economic activity at the university’s existing reactor would likely double in revenue in the next few years. Without a doubt, there is also a wave of enthusiasm about Choi’s work at Mizzou. As the largest cog in Columbia’s economic engine, most people understand that what’s good for the university is also good for our community.
The desire for a more diversified economy led the discussion to how we can bolster entrepreneurial activity in our city. The success stories of homegrown enterprises like Veterans United, EquipmentShare and Paytient prompted a deeper discussion on how Columbia might continue to support such endeavors and foster a broader expansion of similar start-ups here. Chief among the requirements is a comprehensive workforce development effort that creates qualified candidates to fill positions in these growing companies and others that will start here.
While the overall tone of the luncheon dialogue was mostly positive, it was also time for a candid conversation about the existing barriers to our future successes. At the top of the list is what most describe as Columbia’s housing crisis. A lack of workforce housing, stringent building regulations and a failure to develop “creative” solutions would stunt economic development for companies hoping to expand or relocate to Columbia.
Also of concern was the lack of a comprehensive vision for Columbia’s future. Nearly 20 years ago, the citizens of our city spent several years creating the type of plan we need today. A modern-day version would include a thorough description of how we might address “quality of place” with public amenities and attractions that make Columbia a more attractive community. There is a need to focus on what it might take to recruit top researchers, physicians and executives to Columbia to meet the needs of the already thriving health care and education sectors. Beyond the aforementioned housing issue, some expressed the need for a safer, more robust downtown district with upscale hotels and shopping options.
The proverbial elephant in the room was the perceived lack of leadership in our community. To achieve the kind of leadership worthy of a world-class city, Columbia will have to rethink its form of governance. A part-time city council and mayor — distracted by their own special interests while governing — and a nearly invisible city manager no longer works. Columbia deserves better. We live in a divided community right now where there is an almost palpable sense of friction between opposing sides. We need leadership capable of fostering collaboration and finding middle ground among diverging interests. We also need leaders who can create a common vision for Columbia’s future. Once that vision is cast, there is still much work to be done. Spending priorities must be identified and a transparent planning process must be put in place immediately.
Columbia can’t be all things to all people. We can, however, do better at creating a community that understands social issues, crime and civic pride. We all benefit when our city is the best version of itself. To move in that direction, we will need to hold community leaders and elected officials to a higher standard. The future of our city depends upon it.
