City of Columbia coronavirus (COVID-19) update - changes to public access to City buildings, operations - Friday, March 20 at 4:30 p.m.

(COLUMBIA, MO) - To help protect the health of residents and City employees, the following changes are being made to public access to City buildings beginning Monday, March 23, at 8 a.m. Below is a section related to access at City facilities, followed by information about how to continue conducting business with City departments.

The City will continuously monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed to ensure services are still being delivered to the community.

Building Access

City Hall - 701 E. Broadway

• Building access for the public will be limited to the main doors near the corner of Eighth and Broadway by the keyhole. The entrance is ADA compliant. If you need to conduct business in person, please follow the instructions to use the speakerphone at the information desk in the main lobby and it will automatically connect you to our Contact Center and a customer service representative will assist you. 
• Please see information below in the "conducting business" section to see information about utility payments. 

Gentry Building - 1 S. Seventh St.

• No public access to the building. 

Municipal Building - 600 E. Broadway

• No public access to the building. 

Wabash Station - 126 N. 10th St.

• No public access to the building.
• Riders will have access to outside portable restrooms during the time fixed routes are running. One of the portable restrooms is ADA compliant.

Columbia Police Department - 600 E. Walnut

• No public access at the Seventh Street entrance.
• Main lobby doors at Sixth and Walnut are locked. Please use the intercom to contact a Police Department representative.

REDI/Economic Development - 500 E. Walnut: Suites 102, 103 and 105

• No public access to the building.

Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau - Walton Building - 300 S. Providence Road

• No public access to the building.

Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services  - 1005 W. Worley St.

• Walk-in services will be eliminated. Appointments will be required so that social distancing is maintained and to increase staff capacity for COVID-19 response.
• On a short-term basis, the following services will not be offered: adult immunizations, food handler classes, lab testing, WIC classes, smoking cessation, blood pressure/blood sugar screening, lead testing, home visiting and HIV testing.
• All visitors will be screened upon entering for illness and travel history.
• Enhanced building cleaning and disinfection occurs on a continuous basis.
• Waiting areas have been rearranged to allow for social distancing.

Columbia Fire Department Administration - 201 Orr St.

• The front doors are locked. Please use the intercom to contact a Fire Department representative.

Columbia Regional Airport - 11300 S. Airport Road

• The main terminal is open.
• Enhanced disinfecting occurs on a continuous basis.
• Social distancing is being encouraged at checkpoints, boarding areas and baggage claim.
• Hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout the terminal.

Columbia Parks and Recreation facilities

• Administrative office, 1 S. Seventh St., no public access to the building.
• Parks Management Center, 1507 Business Loop 70 W., no public access to the building.
• Recreation facilities closed to the public on March 18, including the ARC (Activity & Recreation Center), Armory Sports and Community Center, Hillcrest Community Center, Moss Building and the Columbia Sports Fieldhouse. 
• Limited park restrooms will be open to the public. 

Conducting Business with City Departments

Utility Customer Service (Utility billing, start - stop - transfer service)

• No walk-in customer service will be available until further notice.
• Call 573.874.7380 or 573.874.2489 (CITY) to speak with a customer service representative concerning billing, starting, stopping or transferring services.
• Register for account access at MyUtilityBill.CoMo.gov.
  • Pay your bill online with no convenience fees.
  • Pay your bill via phone at 844.234.0641 with no convenience fees.
  • Pay your bill using the drive up windows accessible via Eighth Street.
  • Pay your bill using the drop box accessible via Eighth Street.
  • Pay your bill by mail:
    • Utility Customer Service
    • P.O. Box 1676
    • Columbia, MO 65205
• Both Gerbes locations, all three Hy-Vee locations and Schnucks will continue to take cash or check payments.
• Late fees have been suspended. 

Community Development (Building and Site Development, Neighborhood Services and Planning and Zoning)

• Call 573.874.7474 for assistance or email [email protected].
• Use the Citizen Self Service portal to apply for a permit, plan or license, search public records and to pay invoices for permits, plan review or licenses.
• Applications may be submitted online at CoMo.gov or via email to [email protected].
• Use the drop box in the main lobby of City Hall for paper applications and plans.
• Inspections must be scheduled a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
• A minimum of 24 hours is required for "one-stop" permits.
• Planning and Zoning related items may be submitted to [email protected]
• Neighborhood Services related materials may be submitted to [email protected]

Housing Programs

• The Housing Programs Office at 500 E. Walnut, Suite 108 is closed to the public. Call 573.874.CITY (2489) or 573.874.7244 for assistance.

Business License Office

• Business license applications may be submitted at the drive-thru window accessible from North Eighth Street, by mail or through the drop box behind City Hall. If placed in the dropbox, please write "Licensing" on the outside of the envelope.
• Business license and liquor license renewal payments and forms may be submitted online, by mail or through the drop box. 
• Persons seeking a taxi cab, limousine, armed guard, or security guard license and need a City ID will need to enter the building at the main entrance on 701 E. Broadway and use the phone to reach an employee who will make the transfer to the appropriate person.

Columbia Parks and Recreation

• Call 573.874.7460 to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry.
• Call 573.874.7201 to report a hazard in the park system. 

Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)

• Call 573.874.CITY to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry.

REDI/Economic Development 

• For REDI staff, call 928.606.9925 to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry.  
• For Missouri Women's Business Center staff, call 573.818.2982 to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry.
• For MU Extension/PTAC staff, call 573.882.9398 to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry.

City Manager's Office

• Call 573.874.CITY (2489)  to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry.
• Contact the office via email at [email protected].

City Council and Mayor's Office

• Call 573.874.CITY (2489) to schedule an appointment or make an inquiry
• Contact the mayor or council members via email:
  • [email protected] Mayor Brian Treece
  • [email protected] Council Member Clyde Ruffin
  • [email protected] Council Member Michael Trapp
  • [email protected] Council Member Karl Skala
  • [email protected] Council Member Ian Thomas
  • [email protected] Council Member Matt Pitzer
  • [email protected] Council Member Betsy Peters

City Clerk's Office

• Call 573.874.CITY (2489) or email [email protected] schedule an appointment or make an inquiry. 

Law Department

• Call 573.874.CITY (2489) for any inquiries.

Municipal Court

• The judge will hold video arraignments for inmates, five days a week.
• Payments can be processed online at trafficpayment.com, by phone 1.800.444.1187 or via mail at 600 E. Broadway, Columbia MO, 65201. 
• Written guilty pleas accepted via email at [email protected] or by fax at 573.874.7531.
• The judge and clerk will be available to recall warrants and process appropriate paperwork.
• Email [email protected] or call 573.874.5022 to make inquiries.

Utilities

• Call 573.874.CITY (2489) to make inquiries regarding utility services or to schedule an in-person visit to any utility facilities. 
• Solid Waste services and the landfill will continue operating.

Public Works (including parking and transit)

• Call 573.874.CITY (2489) to make inquiries regarding engineering.
• Parking enforcement was suspended on March 19. Because of that, money will not be added to COMO Park Cards until further notice. 
• No public access to the Wabash Station building.
• Riders will have access to outside portable restrooms during the time fixed routes run.
• Fares for Go COMO, Columbia's transit system, have been suspended from March 20 to May 1. This includes all fixed routes and para-transit. 

Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services

• Walk-in services will be eliminated. Appointments will be required so that social distancing is maintained and to increase staff capacity for COVID-19 response.
• On a short-term basis, the following services will not be offered: adult immunizations, food handler classes, lab testing, WIC classes, smoking cessation, blood pressure/blood sugar screening, lead testing, home visiting and HIV testing.
• All visitors will be screened upon entering for illness and travel history.
• Enhanced building cleaning and disinfection occurs on a continuous basis.
• Waiting areas have been rearranged to allow for social distancing.

Human Resources

• For assistance or to make an appointment, call 573.817.6445.
• Visit GoCoMoJobs.com for current job listings.