Gordon Dickson

Columbia

Assistant professor @Mizzou and city editor @CoMissourian. Former @startelegram. 💗 Mountain bike trails, model railroading, long drives, family, ☀️NM

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Articles

City Council to consider protections for employees sued over federal grants

2 weeks ago | columbiamissourian.com | Gordon Dickson |Zoe Naylor

By Gordon Dickson,Zoe Naylor The city's use of "diversity, equity and inclusion" language in its policies is once again on the Columbia City Council's agenda. Legal protections would be provided for city employees involved in signing paperwork for federal grants, if the city were ever to be accused of violating federal law, under a proposal the City Council will consider on Monday.
How Buffaloe secured a second mayoral term

3 weeks ago | columbiamissourian.com | Amber Roldan |Gordon Dickson

By Amber Roldan,Gordon Dickson Mayor Barbara Buffaloe's reelection to a second term was so decisive that she handily beat her challengers in five of Columbia's six wards, a review of April 8 voting records shows. The only place where Buffaloe didn't win a majority of votes was in the Fifth Ward, which includes much of the city's southwest side.
Rocheport election moved to May 6 after paperwork error

1 month ago | columbiamissourian.com | Nicole Voss |Gordon Dickson

Rocheport residents are getting another crack at voting for mayor and alderpersons. The small city of roughly 210 residents about 10 miles west of Columbia has moved its municipal election to May 6.
Boone County voters agree to $6 million fire district bond measure

1 month ago | columbiamissourian.com | Adeen Rao |Gordon Dickson

By Adeen Rao,Gordon Dickson Voters on Tuesday approved $6 million in bond funding for the Boone County Fire Protection District, which plans to use the money for new fire vehicles, equipment and other improvements. With 100% of votes counted, 83.3% of voters were in favor of the bond measure while 16.7% opposed it. The results are unofficial.
Mystery surrounds $25,000 donation to Columbia mayoral campaign

2 months ago | columbiamissourian.com | Annie Goldman |Lucy Valeski |Gordon Dickson

By Annie Goldman,Lucy Valeski,Gordon Dickson The largest donor to mayoral candidate Blair Murphy's campaign is mysterious, to say the least. A political action committee known as Citizens for a Better Columbia, which donated $25,000 to Murphy's election bid, lists its treasurer on Missouri Ethics Commission documents as a Hallsville man who died in 2022.
Candidates push for more Columbia police officers, pension funding

2 months ago | columbiamissourian.com | Stephanie Meininger |Nicole Voss |Gordon Dickson

Many candidates for mayor and City Council are talking about the need to pour more resources into the Columbia Police Department in order to make the city safer. But what do they mean by that?
Boone County voters to decide on fire protection bond issue Apr. 8

2 months ago | columbiamissourian.com | Max Quinn |Gordon Dickson

By Max Quinn,Gordon Dickson Boone County Fire Protection District is asking voters for a $6 million bond upgrade for infrastructure and equipment. If approved in the April 8 election, voters would see no increase on their taxes, according to a fire district board of directors news release. This ballot measure would simply continue a 25 cent tax per $100 of assessed valuation on real and personal property taxes.
More funding sought for Boone County children, family services

Jan 30, 2025 | columbiamissourian.com | Nicole Voss |Lucy Valeski |Gordon Dickson

Nearly $70 million has been raised during the past decade by a portion of the Boone County sales tax that aims to improve services for children and families, according to a recently-published report.
Local labor unions ask city for pay raises and independent oversight

Jan 21, 2025 | columbiamissourian.com | Nicole Voss |Annie Goldman |Lucy Valeski |Gordon Dickson

Pay raises, recruitment incentives and third party oversight dominated local labor unions' priority lists to the Columbia City Council and city staff. "As we look into the future, we're going to have to look at substantial increases to these resources, for infrastructure, for the fire department, for every department of the city," Zack Privette, president of Columbia Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1055, said. "Because we're growing, and we got to keep pace with it."
Columbia remains one of few cities in America with a short-line railroad

Nov 30, 2024 | columbiamissourian.com | Alex Buchanan |Nicole Voss |Gordon Dickson

By Alex Buchanan/Missourian,Nicole Voss,Gordon Dickson It's not an everyday occurrence, but every now and then, a 1950s-era diesel locomotive - a navy blue beast with the name "COLT" emblazoned on its side - will emerge from a small warehouse area in north Columbia and make the roughly 20-mile trek to Centralia. The train's top speed is only 25 mph, and often it carries just a handful of cars filled with steel, rubber, lumber and other products.