Race Matters, Friends hosts Columbia City Council forum

Candidates discuss infrastructure, affordable housing, and the pace of change in Columbia

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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On Thursday night, the non-profit group Race Matters, Friends held a Columbia City Council candidate forum at the Molly Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center. Incumbents Valerie Carroll and Donald Waterman, along with Fifth Ward candidate Christina Hartman, participated in the two-hour event moderated by Traci Wilson-Kleekamp. The forum focused on issues like the delayed electric transmission line project and incentives for affordable housing development.

Why it matters

The forum provided an opportunity for Columbia residents to hear directly from City Council candidates on key policy issues facing the community, such as infrastructure needs and affordable housing. As a non-profit focused on racial equity, Race Matters, Friends aimed to facilitate an open discussion to help voters make informed decisions.

The details

The forum covered a range of topics, including the long-delayed electric transmission line project that voters approved funding for in 2015. All three candidates expressed support for moving forward with construction to respect the will of voters. Candidate Christina Hartman said the delay has "compounded" the problem. On affordable housing, Valerie Carroll explained that the city currently lacks the legal framework to offer fee waivers to developers, but said studying other cities' programs could help. Waterman acknowledged areas for improvement in Columbia, but said changes "cannot all happen immediately" and that effective government should "work slowly".

  • The forum was held on Thursday, March 1, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Race Matters, Friends

A Columbia non-profit group that encourages action conversations surrounding racial equity.

Traci Wilson-Kleekamp

Vice president of Race Matters, Friends and the moderator of the City Council candidate forum.

Valerie Carroll

Incumbent City Council member representing the First Ward.

Donald Waterman

Incumbent City Council member representing the Fifth Ward.

Christina Hartman

Candidate for the Fifth Ward City Council seat.

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What they’re saying

“Now we've compounded our problem because we've waited and we didn't tackle that issue head on.”

— Christina Hartman, Fifth Ward City Council candidate (themaneater.com)

“One of the potential incentives that you can do is a fee waiver for projects that meet a certain percentage of housing units that are reserved for people below area median income. ... We don't have the codes and the programs built to do that.”

— Valerie Carroll, First Ward City Council member (themaneater.com)

“That's the challenge that we all face. City government, any government, if it's being effective, I think should work slowly.”

— Donald Waterman, Fifth Ward City Council member (themaneater.com)

What’s next

The Columbia City Council election is scheduled for April 2, 2026, and the candidates discussed at the forum will be on the ballot.

The takeaway

The Race Matters, Friends forum provided a platform for Columbia City Council candidates to directly address issues of infrastructure, affordable housing, and the pace of change in the community. The discussion highlighted the complexities facing local government and the need for open dialogue to help inform voters ahead of the upcoming election.