Moberly Area Community College

GoCOMO is 11 full-time drivers short, Columbia officials say

May 15, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Columbia’s city council will hear a detailed GoCOMO transit report tonight, which says the physical and mental wellbeing of its drivers is being taxed due to mandatory overtime.

Columbia Public Works says there continues to be a shortage of 11 full-time drivers, which means current drivers are working a mandatory 12-hour overtime schedule. GoCOMO plans to combine the current six fixed bus routes to three, due to the staffing shortage. That will begin in 2023.

The three-page report says city spokeswoman Sydney Olsen has developed a communications plan about the combined routes, which will start in August. The communications plan includes signage inside the buses, fliers and releases to the news media.

City human resources staff is also in discussions with Moberly Area Community College (MACC) regarding a class offering for potential drivers to earn a CDL and necessary license endorsements for driving a bus.

Mizzou and MACC funding continue to be top priorities for Columbia business leaders

January 20, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

A drone view of Mizzou’s Jesse Hall in Columbia (2022 file photo courtesy of Mizzou spokesman Uriah Orland)

Missouri’s governor is proposing a $71-million increase in core funding to Missouri’s public higher education institutions, like the University of Missouri. It’s the largest increase in 25 years, according to Governor Mike Parson (R).

Funding for Mizzou and Moberly Area Community College (MACC) is a top priority for Columbia Chamber of Commerce president Matt McCormick.

“You know we’re an education town and the University of Missouri is our land-grant and is our flagship university here. And they do so much in education but also so much through the (MU) Extension. We saw the work that Marshall Stewart did and his team at Extension has done for our local community,” McCormick says.

McCormick notes MACC is also state-funded.

“Their largest campus is right here, (their) largest student-populated campus is right here in Columbia. And how can we make sure to support MACC so they can continue to develop that workforce of the future. They’ve got great programs like early college with Columbia Public Schools (CPS) and how those work together,” says McCormick.

The governor is also proposing $275-million in “transformational” capital improvement projects at Missouri’s public higher education institutions.

Kendrick praises partnerships that led to Columbia Regional Airport’s new terminal

October 24, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

UM System President Dr. Mun Choi, Truman the Tiger, Missouri Governor Mike Parson and several hundred people attended the October 19, 2022 ribbon-cutting for Columbia Regional Airport’s $23-million new terminal (photo courtesy of city of Columbia’s Facebook page)

The Democratic nominee for Boone County presiding commissioner describes Columbia Regional Airport’s (COU) $23-million new terminal as a game-changer for the region.

Former State Rep. Kip Kendrick (D-Columbia) tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia, Boone County, Jefferson City and mid-Missouri will all benefit.

“It is also the visitors that we’re going to get in, businesses we’re going to be able to recruit. The colleges will be able to compete better,” Kendrick says.

Kendrick says Mizzou, Columbia College, Stephens College and Moberly Area Community College will all benefit.

Mr. Kendrick also praises the partnerships that led to the new terminal’s completion.

“You know it wasn’t any one entity, it wasn’t any one municipality, it wasn’t any one county. It was the state, it was the federal government, it was local governments,” says Kendrick.

The first flight at COU’s new terminal is Wednesday.

Mr. Kendrick faces GOP nominee Connie Leipard in the November general election for Boone County presiding commissioner. The winner will replace outgoing presiding commissioner Dan Atwill, who decided against a re-election bid.

Columbia business leaders interested in College Station’s branding

July 18, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

About 70 representatives from Columbia’s business community, higher education institutions and city and county elected officials will travel to Texas in October, to get detailed presentations on College Station’s community branding and workforce initiatives. Columbia Chamber of Commerce president Matt McCormick says this will be the chamber’s ninth trip to a college town. “That’s what …

Columbia’s mayor pleased with progress on Business Loop

March 17, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Columbia’s mayor is a huge fan of the Business Loop, which continues to see more investment like MACC’s state-of-the-art lab at Parkade Center. The road itself will receive a complete overhaul in 2023. “I think it has the potential to be a second downtown, certainly a commercial strip of innovators and makers and manufacturers,” Mayor …