Support Us Button Widget

Mayor Daniel Rickenmann Mayor’s Minute introduction

Mayor Ricken

On January 4th, our community came together for the inauguration. Our community leaders and small businesses worked to put together a beautiful event that truly highlighted how open Columbia can be.

We haven’t been in office long, but we are already making tremendous progress at finding innovative solutions to our city’s problems.

To get started on infrastructure improvements immediately, we met with Good Roads and discussed outfitting our city fleet with their technology that can track potholes and steel plates in real-time. Our city vehicles will turn to the eyes and ears that report water main leaks and cracks in the roads.

We also met with our city HR department to discuss creative solutions to the city’s staffing issues. We want to offer part-time options and remove arbitrary hiring requirements that prohibit good people from doing good work. We want to incentivize great customer service, efficiency, and timeliness.

We’re working with our city partners, like Transitions to address homelessness and make sure that we are addressing the root causes of these issues. We’re focused on accountability for the dollars we allocate to these efforts. Investments made by Columbia will be in services that include job training and pathways to get people off the streets for good.

These are just a few quick examples of what we’ve been up to, and much more is to come. For the meantime, Columbia is open. If you’re looking to make our city better, come join the conversation.

More from COLAtoday
Want to get involved locally but don’t know how? Browse through the City of Columbia’s city boards and commissions that have vacancies and apply.
Columbia’s craft beer scene continues to evolve, with longtime favorites expanding, new taprooms opening, and several breweries closing their doors as the industry reshapes after a decade of growth.
It’s the season of the pumpkins, so we’re rounding up a list of places to go picking. Check out these patches, farms, and nurseries.
The number eight symbolizes South Carolina’s history — from the eight Lords Proprietors and colonial rulers to becoming the nation’s eighth state.
Columbia, SC has 230+ years of history. In this guide, we’re diving into the city’s oldest streets and how they got their names.
Discover Columbia’s late-night dining spots, from Tex-Mex and pizza to pub fare and desserts, perfect for post-11 p.m. cravings.
With a history dating back thousands of years, museums in the Midlands showcase the history of the area, from the earliest settlers to the the trains that transformed cities and towns.
Explore these dog-friendly businesses in Columbia that span from places to eat, drink, shop, exercise, and stay the night.
Check out these 11 hiking trails catering to all skill levels in and around Columbia, SC, for outdoor adventures.
Pack your reusable shopping bags, because we’ve rounded up 10 farmers markets around Columbia, SC.