939 the Eagle’s Fred Parry, who hosts the “CEO Roundtable” program, describes Comobuz.com as the best journalism coverage of the city of Columbia. Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy joined Fred in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on the popular program. They tackled a number of topics, including the April recall election involving first ward city councilman Nick Knoth, the April second ward race between Lisa Meyer and Robert Schreiber III and the contentious issue involving short-term rentals. You’ll soon have to pay the same five percent lodging tax that hotels pay, when you stay at a Columbia Airbnb or other short-term rental property. Columbia’s city council voted 5-1 last week to approve the new regulations, which will take effect in June. The council has been working to develop land use regulations to govern short-term rentals since 2018. Fifth ward councilman Don Waterman cast the lone “no” vote. Sixth ward councilwoman Betsy Peters, who owns an Airbnd, abstained from voting. They will require short-term rentals to be licensed, inspected, restricted to a maximum number of days of operation and pay the same five percent lodging tax that hotels pay:
(LISTEN): Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy discusses transparency on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”
Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy says there’s a lot of dysfunction in local, state and national government. Mr. Murphy joined 939 the Eagle’s Fred Parry in-studio for an hour on Saturday morning’s “CEO Roundtable.” Mr. Murphy tells listeners that he rates the Columbia city council, Boone County Commission, Columbia school board and Boone Hospital trustees “all pretty bad” when it comes to transparency. Mr. Murphy praises UM System President Dr. Mun Choi, who’s in his seventh year. Murphy describes President Choi as incredible. The issue of homelessness also was discussed in-detail on the program. Mr. Murphy says Columbia needs a comprehensive homeless policy and is concerned about the proposed location of a new Columbia homeless shelter near the Business Loop. Murphy notes there’s a lack of crosswalks and sidewalks in that area, which is near the city’s power plant. Mr. Parry, a former Boone County commissioner, says Columbia is not far from Seattle or San Francisco when it comes to the homeless. Mr. Parry tells listeners that homeless residents “moved into” attorney Greg Copeland’s law office in downtown Columbia while he was out of town, destroying the office’s interior with defecation, drugs and needles:
(LISTEN): Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy discusses Columbia’s short-term rentals and Columbia/Boone County ARPA funding on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”
Columbia has received $25-million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, while Boone County has received $35-million. President Joe Biden signed ARPA into law in 2021. Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy appeared in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable,” telling listeners that the city and county are providing massive giveaways to non-profits, with the ARPA money. “Roundtable” host Fred Parry, a former Boone County commissioner, says social service agencies in our community, with a few exceptions, are largely ineffective. They discuss the ARPA money in-detail on the program, and they also discuss the issue of short-term rentals in Columbia. Murphy says Columbia has about 500 short-term rentals, with about 400 of them under the Airbnb moniker. The city has received some complaints about these facilities from neighbors. Parry recalls a house in Columbia’s Grasslands near Faurot Field holding parties a few years ago, prompting complaints from neighbors:
(AUDIO): Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy discusses ARC safety on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
A Columbia woman charged with pistol-whipping a male juvenile and knocking his teeth out during last Sunday’s chaotic incident at the ARC remains jailed without bond today. She is 37-year-old Lakeisha Thomas, who’s scheduled to be back in court tomorrow afternoon. Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, noting that grandmother Demetria Ayers warned Columbia’s city council about “gang-like activity” at Columbia’s ARC during a March 20 council meeting. Murphy quotes Ayers as telling the council that evening ARC staff do not feel safe and that her grandchildren were being bullied and harassed there. Ms. Ayers told the council that night that a juvenile threatened to shoot her in the face:
(AUDIO): Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy discusses Columbia homeless issues and homeless camp news media coverage on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”
939 the Eagle host Fred Parry, a former Boone County commissioner, blasted Columbia city officials during Saturday morning’s “CEO Roundtable” program, describing them as terrible communicators. Communication was a key theme of Saturday morning’s show, as Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy joined Fred in-studio for the hour. Mr. Parry describes Comobuz as the best journalism being done in Columbia. Comobuz.com is a local online news magazine. Fred and Mike discussed Columbia’s homeless issue and the recent news media coverage of the clearing of the homeless camp near Home Depot and the I-70 and Highway 63 interchange. Mr. Parry tells listeners that Columbia’s homelessness problem is bad now, but is about to get a lot worse. They also discussed Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe’s first year in office at city hall, and the city council in general:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 5
- Next Page »