Lori Galaske, Jodie Jackson Jr, Matt McCormick, Steve Spellman, Janine Stichter, Michelle Terhune, Brian Toohey, Emmi Wiener, Kelsey Winkeljohn SUBSCRIPTIONS
Welcome to the 2024 “Education” issue of COMO Business Times and COMO Magazine. If you could go back and do it all over, what would you change? Would you change anything?
You’d think I would have learned something in my thirteen-year journey through public education. But, lo these many years later, the “official record” tells the uncolorful tale. (And who, at least back in the day, didn’t fear having something show up in his or her “official record?”)
Let’s set the scene here. I do have those records, just as I have a complete, unabridged, incredibly self-incriminating journal of everyday of all four years of my high school career at Maries County R-II High School in Belle, Missouri. As a bound set of volumes, the work is called, “My Senior Drear,” recounting everything from the first hour of my freshman year to seventh hour of my senior year.
At that time and for quite a while after, I was sure the collection would someday bear the same historical weight as Lewis and Clark’s journals. But now that I’m much older, maybe a bit wiser, and definitely unwilling to be held responsible for being such a self-absorbed punk, the hour-by-hour chronicle of those high school years are better off collecting dust.
But I also kept most of my report cards, hall passes, and excused absence forms — collection required to avoid duplicating an insanely creative reason for leaving class or school — and other administrative records that may or may not have been obtained by legitimate means.
Now let’s go back to where it all began: Kindergarten. The report card gave me a handful of “U” marks (for “unsatisfactory”) for civic or citizenship ratings. One of those “U” marks was for “practices self-control” and another was for “considerate of others,” with the added note, “Jodie has trouble keeping his hands to himself.” That was 1969, and the modern-day connotation of that comment wasn’t then what it is now. But it pretty much meant I demanded attention and got into
everyone’s business. (It may also illustrate that this early propensity for not keeping my hands to myself is the reason why, in my now six decades of life, I have been bitten, stung, pierced, or gummed by more than ninety different kinds of animals.)
So, what did my citizenship marks look like by the time I was a mature twelfth-grader at the aforementioned Belle High School? (One of fifty graduates of a class of 50.) I present my grade report for Band, for which I earned an A-minus for the second quarter — but also a trifecta of “U” marks for citizenship ratings. Want to guess what those were for?
“Uses time to advantage”: U. “Accepts responsibility”: U. And, as proof that my citizenship was consistent from start to finish of my public-school career ... “Practices self-control”: U.
Now to top it off, this yearbook graduation message from my high school guidance counselor, the late great John Hamby: “With all I know about you, I could probably have you expelled or prohibited you from entering any college. But with all you know about me, I’ll probably never make good on that threat.”
Somehow, I’ve made it to age 61 and fashioned a reasonably successful career in journalism. But if I had it to do all over again? Well, maybe I’d take things much more seriously. Or, even more likely, I’d have an absolute blast all over again. What choice would you make?
JODIE JACKSON JR EDITOR jodie@comocompanies.com
ON THE COVER
Suzette Waters, CPS School Board President.
Photo by Keith Borgmeyer.
The editor, circa 1981.
Meet the Advisory Board for COMO Business Times
SHAWN BARNES Director of Business Development and Recruiting Williams-Keepers LLC
MIKE GRELLNER Vice President Plaza Commercial Realty
MATT
CBT ’s advisory board is made up of industry leaders and small business owners who help ensure CBT ’s content is relevant to our local business community.
BROOKE BERKEY VP Relationship Manager Central Bank
JEN
NICKIE DAVIS Executive Director The District, Downtown CID
BRIAN
MERS Goodwill Excel Center
Closer Look
BJ’S COFFEE BAR
As a college town with a thriving business landscape, Columbia is home to many co ee shops and cafes, which fuel students, professors, and other professionals alike. BJ’s Co ee Bar joined the scene on June 1 positioning itself as “not your typical co ee shop.”
is mobile co ee joint is a twist on traditional brick-and-mortar cafes; it remains stationary in the Parkade Center parking lot from 7am-5pm through the work week, and travels to di erent areas on Saturdays. By doing so, BJ’s serves various parts of the community and participates in events around the city, such as the Farmers Market and the Boone County Fair. Customers can check for location updates on its social media pages.
Another unique element it o ers Columbia is its drink selection. In addition to handcrafted lattes, they serve plant-based and naturally ca einated Lotus Energy drinks, which are not widely available in Columbia.
BJ’s Co ee Bar is also a family-owned and operated business venture. Jacob and Kayla Scott own it, while current Mizzou students William Goings (the owner’s nephew) and Abigail Flanagan manage it.
“We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the support we’ve received from the community,” Flanagan said. “We want to express our heartfelt appreciation to our customers and supporters. Your support means everything to our business, and we are truly grateful for every one of you.”
601 W Business Loop 70 | bjscoffeebar@gmail.com | @bjscoffeebar
EMMALEAF CANNABIS LAB + KITCHEN
EmmaLeaf Cannabis Lab + Kitchen is a budding business that plans to roll out of Ashland, Missouri this month. De ning itself as “the precision of a lab and the art of a gourmet kitchen,” EmmaLeaf is a cannabis-manufacturing partnership that o ers high-quality marijuana-infused products, such as edibles and pre-rolls.
While EmmaLeaf is the agship brand, it has several subsidiary brands, such as Moonrise Kitchen (artisan-crafted baked goods), Just Right (microdosed hard candies), and Cousin Dave’s (a ordable products for budget-conscious consumers). ough unique, each brand is equally committed to “creating an exceptional customer experience from purchase to consumption.” e team hopes that customers will enjoy long-term relationships with them and their brands.
Guided by CFO Jackie Wells, CEO Josh Oxenhandler, and COO Paul Schenck, EmmaLeaf’s team is extensive and composed of a number of Boone County natives, and from chefs to lab managers to operations, they share a common vision.
“We opened our business because we’ve all experienced how medical cannabis can improve lives,” said Director of Sales and Marketing Tammy Puyear. “We wanted to be part of something critical for those who struggle with conditions that cannabis can treat or alleviate.”
e team rallies behind the idea of destigmatizing cannabis use and bringing awareness to the reality that many communities, especially veterans, are unable to receive medical cannabis due to federal regulation.
emmaleaf.com | @emmaleafbrands CBT
Movers & Shakers
CHRISTIAN BASI
Boone Health has announced that Christian Basi joined its team as director of marketing and communications on August 5. Basi had been with the University of Missouri for the past thirty-two years — first as a student intern and then for more than twentynine years in the university’s News Bureau, beginning as a writer and eventually being named director in 2017. At MU, he routinely offered advice and counsel to administrators and served as the main spokesperson for the university, becoming known by many as the face of Mizzou. Basi holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree and a master’s degree of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis with an emphasis in administration, both from MU. Basi is an advocate for people with disabilities, serving on the State of Missouri’s Special Education Advisory Panel and the Columbia Public School District’s Special Education Committee.
JOHN SCALISE
Job Point’s Board of Directors has announced the appointment of John Scalise as the organization’s new president and chief executive officer. Scalise has served in the Rehabilitation Services unit at Job Point for nine years, most
recently as director before his appointment as CEO. Working at Job Point since 2015, he was an advisor and then Rehabilitation Services manager six months later. He was Employee of the Year in 2016 and Administrator of the Year in 2023 from the Missouri Rehabilitation Association. He succeeds Steve Smith, who is retiring but working alongside Scalise to ensure a smooth transition.
TALKING HORSE PRODUCTIONS
Talking Horse Productions has selected Mary Paulsell and Randall Kenneth Jones as the company’s next executive director and artistic director, respectively. They will succeed Nathan O’Neil and Rochara Knight, who are stepping down later this summer. Paulsell, a Columbia native, is perhaps best known as president of Central Missouri Honor Flight. She also serves on the Friends of Mid-Missouri Fisher House board and is on the steering committee for Columbia’s Military Morning. Born and raised in Columbia, Jones recently returned after thirty-nine years in Washington, D.C., and Naples, Florida. An accomplished director, actor, author, podcaster and speaker, Jones places a premium on the marriage of art and income — creativity and inclusion.
BONNI HEITHOLD
Dr. Bonni Heithold has joined the team at Big Tree Medical as a certified lactation consultant. She recently earned her International BoardCertified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certificate. In addition to Dr. Heithold, Big Tree Medical boasts a comprehensive team of experienced lactation consultants that includes Dr. Sarah Calhoun, Calla Wood, FNP-BC, and Kortney McFall, RN.
LORI POPEJOY
Lori Popejoy, the dean of the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing, was named among sixty exemplary professionals as the newest fellows of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the field of aging. Popejoy was selected for her outstanding contributions to the field. The distinction is given for diverse activities that include research, teaching, administration, public service, practice and notable participation in the Society. Popejoy is a health systems researcher. She has more than 100 publications in refereed journals and has received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. CBT
SCALISE BASI
PAULSELL & JONES
HEITHOLD
POPEJOY
Briefly in the News
ENTERTAINMENT
Local Musician Partners with National Nonprofit, Music to Life
Kristen Camp, owner of Secret Pasture Sound — the only woman-owned recording studio in mid-Missouri — is one of ten mission-driven artists participating in the newest class of the Musician Changemaker Accelerator (MCA) Academy. rough generating grant proposals, business plans, and artist changemaker statements, artists will build a theoretical and practical roadmap for making their concept a fundable reality. Camp will use her time in the MCA to create “Flip e Script: Change-Makers in Production,” an immersive educational program to teach women and underrepresented members in the music industry how to write, record, and produce their own music. e fall cohort hails from across the country, working in genres such as hip-hop, punk, soul, experimental percussion, and Kristen’s indie-folkpop sound, heard most often in her band “ e January Lanterns” which she performs in with her husband.
BOONE COUNTY
Thompson, Lennon Appointed to NACo
Positions
Boone County Government has announced the appointment of two Boone County government elected o cials to national positions by the National Association of Counties (NACo). Northern District
Commissioner Janet ompson will serve as chair of the Healthy Counties Advisory Board. e Healthy Counties Advisory Board assists NACo in identifying the priorities and activities of the Healthy Counties Initiative and provides input and expertise on program implementation. County Clerk Brianna Lennon will serve as vice chair of the Elections Subcommittee of the Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental A airs Steering Committee. e subcommittee assists NACo in identifying and prioritizing
federal legislation related to election administration.
HEALTHCARE
Boone Hospital Earns Five-star Rating From CMS
e Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designated Boone Hospital Center as a ve-star hospital, a distinction awarded to just 8 percent of hospitals nationwide. Boone Hospital Center is the only hospital in the mid-Missouri area to receive
Kristen Camp by
Schafer Photography
ve stars. “Organizations like CMS don’t rate hospitals by their size or reputation, but by what matters most to patients – their health,” said Brady Dubois, Boone Health CEO. e 2024 Overall Star Rating encompasses fortysix hospital quality measures publicly reported on Medicare.gov. Only 381 hospitals out of more than 4,650 hospitals were designated with the highest ve-star rating.
CELEBRATION
Emery Sapp & Sons Expands Internship Program
Recruitment and retention remain top-of-mind within the construction workforce. In an industry that is constantly evolving, companies must nd ways to bring new talent in to grow and mentor a future workforce. Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), a local heavy civil construction company, teaches interns through real-world experience with its summer internship program. e Midwest-based infrastructure contractor welcomed thirtysix interns to its workforce this summer. “Our internship program is not your average desk job,” said Sara Snodderley, director of human resource operations. Each intern is paired with an ESS mentor who guides them through various projects, ensuring they gain valuable insights and practical skills.
EDUCATION
CPS Foundation Awards Gift Cards to New Teachers
e Columbia Public Schools Foundation (CPSF) announced New Educator Grants for educators new to the Columbia Public Schools (CPS), surprising each with a $100 gift card.
e Foundation presented the gift cards at the CPS New Educator Breakfast held at Gentry Middle School. Each new educator received a gift card to use as they need to help establish their classrooms. In total, the Foundation is expected to give out about 300 gift cards to new educators, or about $30,000. “We appreciate our new teachers and want
to help them as they’re setting up their classrooms and starting their teaching careers with the best school district in the state,” said Katie Harris, executive director of CPSF. e Foundation was founded in 1996 and has funded projects in every school, allocating more than $1.6 million to enhance education in the Columbia Public Schools. CBT
Columbia Real Estate Market Was Up for the First Half of 2024
BY BRIAN TOOHEY
THE CONDITION OF the real estate market has been in the news for the past month, as some areas of the country are starting to see something of a slowdown in sales and price appreciation. Some experts are even calling area markets “buyer’s markets” for the rst time in years. So, how has the real estate market performed in Boone County and Columbia for the rst half of 2024?
e local real estate market for home sales is rather cyclical, meaning speci c months of a year typically see the highest number of sales and price appreciation. To get a more accurate indication of how the market is performing, it helps to view a three or six-month market segment compared to the same period the year before.
For the rst half of 2024, single-family home sales in Boone County have increased over 5 percent since last year. It’s great to see a rebound in sales after last year’s decline; however, sales are still down 16 percent compared to the same period of 2022. In the city limits of Columbia, sales have only increased 3 percent for the rst half of the year and are down almost 22 percent from 2022.
For the year 2023, single-family home sales were down 13 percent, but prices increased from 2022. For the rst half of this year, prices continued increasing at a considerable rate. e median price for a single-family home in Boone County increased over 8 percent from last year to $325,000. e median price in Columbia was also up 8 percent to $336,500.
Homes have stayed on the market longer postCOVID with the average number of days on the market up to thirty-eight days, up 15 percent from last year and up 124 percent from just two years ago.
One of the main in uences in determining a seller’s vs. buyer’s market is the number of months of inventory on the market — month’s supply of housing is the number of houses currently for sale divided by the number of homes sold in a month.
e average month’s supply of inventory for the rst six months of 2024 is 2.02 months, even with 2023. Compared to 2022, the supply of housing is up over 106 percent, which seems like a huge jump in inventory.
A perfectly functioning market has exactly six months of inventory for sale, where the number of homes coming o the market equals the number coming on the market. With that in mind, a seller’s market is indicated when monthly home inventories are below six months, and a buyer’s market is above, so 2.02 still signals a seller’s market. ere are exceptions in certain market segments having higher inventory than others, such as homes priced above $600,000.
e overall home market in Boone County and Columbia is healthy and market indicators are not ashing warning signals. Prices are still increasing higher than preferred, a result of low inventory on the market. Mortgage rates are near fty-twoweek lows and look to be trending down further, which could push sales higher, along with prices for the second half of the year. CBT
Brian Toohey is the Chief Executive Officer for the Columbia Board of REALTORS®.
What Happened to ‘Local Control’?
BY STEVE SPELLMAN
WE ALL LIKE TO DETERMINE OUR OWN PATH IN LIFE, call our own shots. At the same time, some degree of collective action is helpful, thereby yielding up at least a little autonomy.
e balance between a large, centralized authority and local control is tricky. What should be determined from Washington vs. in our state capitol? Or us locals freely interacting with each other vs. hashing it out down at City Hall?
In our “federal” form of government, state government is where it’s at. e states are supposed to consent to what the feds can do, and each state grants powers and responsibilities to municipalities within its domain. All for the bene t of “We e People.”
NEW RULES FOR SCHOOLS
Free education services for all kids is clearly a top priority in our state constitution. It is less clear the mechanics on how best to accomplish that.
Local public school districts have some leeway on how to deliver learning services in their respective areas. If all goes well, great; but what about when it doesn’t?
ere’s been a handful of public school districts in big cities that lost accreditation over time and the state intervened. Local kids in failing schools were allowed to either transfer to a di erent nearby district or attend charter schools. But those are only for communities with bigger economic and social challenges, right?
Well, Columbia Public Schools’ (CPS) recent state report card barely passed, just a hair above being deemed “provisionally accredited.”
CPS’s key performance indicators feature a (roughly) 90 percent graduation
rate, and 80 percent have good attendance, which sounds pretty good. But only about 40 percent of kids test “pro cient” in reading and math, and for at-risk demographic subgroups only about 10 percent are in the “pro cient” column.
WHAT STORY ARE THESE NUMBERS TELLING US?
We’re handing out a lot of diplomas and kids are at least usually showing up to school. But most kids aren’t soaking a lot of it in, and for poor and minority students, su cient learning is not even occurring!
As detailed elsewhere in these pages, a new state education bill directs that charter schools shall now be allowed in Boone County (Columbia). Depending on which grownups you ask, it could be either really great, or the end of the world. Hopefully this could be a natural extension of magnet schools, a wonderful learning option which CPS has long o ered, such as Ridgeway and Benton, which are open to any kids districtwide. In fact, our former superintendent, Peter Stiepleman, used to talk up the innovative concept of “small autonomous schools” which allow a hyper-localized governance model to best serve kids in each building.
LOCAL (TYRANNICAL) CONTROL
Sometimes local control isn’t quite cutting the mustard, while elsewhere there are more egregious cases of it getting out of hand. After volatile events in Ferguson got national attention a decade ago, other ongoing issues were also uncovered in their municipal government. e city there had been hassling everyday average citizens with aggressive tra c tickets and
other nes, which often snowballed into unpayable amounts for poor folks.
e local government had been using its residents as a piggy bank, and bipartisan outrage erupted. While our state legislature was at it, they put the kibosh on that infamous Mack’s Creek speed trap at the bottom of a hill near Lake Ozark.
HAND US BACK THE REINS
en sometimes it no longer makes sense for the state to be responsible for some tasks, so locals have to take back control. MoDOT still maintains Business Loop 70 in north COMO; just not very well. As detailed in July’s CBT, Michele Bayte laments it’s “a state roadway which has been minimally maintained” and local businesses like hers are su ering from this “neglect.” Carrie Gardner concludes, “We need the city to take over the street if we want it to improve.” Exactamundo!
A common confusion to clarify is that MoDOT actually controls several local thoroughfares, like Providence, College, and even legacy sections of West Broadway and Scott Boulevard. Gosh, don’t those seem like local boulevards?
Same goes for the alphabet soup of lettered highways which are mostly used for local journeys in rural/exurban areas. ere ain’t no cross-state tra c on Route K from Rock Bridge Elementary School down to McBaine in the river valley.
Delegated decision making is great, unless quality is slipping or you need broader coordination. Centralized scale sounds awesome, until you hit what frequently comes along with a big package deal: miserable bureaucracy and hamstrung in exibility. CBT
Steve Spellman is a lifelong Columbia-area resident and political observer.
How Are You Educating Yourself as a Leader?
BY JANINE STICHTER
HAVE YOU EVER PAUSED TO CONSIDER how you’re expanding your knowledge and skills beyond your current trade? Are you actively seeking new challenges that push you to grow as a leader?
THE IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING EDUCATION FOR LEADERS
e importance of ongoing education for leaders cannot be overstated. Research consistently shows that continuous learning enhances leadership e ectiveness and organizational performance. According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, leaders who engage in regular learning activities are more adaptable, better at problem-solving, and more innovative.
PUSHING BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Stepping outside your comfort zone is crucial for growth. When leaders push themselves to become a “little sh in a big pond” they expose themselves to new challenges and perspectives. According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, stepping out of one’s comfort zone enhances personal development, resilience, and problem-solving skills. is discomfort forces the brain to adapt and grow, fostering creativity and innovation.
Additionally, being surrounded by peers who are more knowledgeable or experienced can drive self-improvement and motivation. Business research by Stanford University indicates that leaders who place themselves in challenging environments are more likely to achieve higher performance levels and develop a broader skill set.
EXPANDING BEYOND YOUR TRADE
Focusing solely on your trade can lead to stagnation. Leaders must diversify their learning to include areas such as management, leadership, and behavioral economics. Here’s why:
1. Management Skills: E ective leadership requires more than just technical expertise. Understanding
management principles such as project management, team dynamics, and performance evaluation can signi cantly enhance your ability to lead teams and drive results. Courses in management theory or workshops on team building can be highly bene cial.
2. Leadership Development: Leadership is not a static skill. It involves continuous improvement in areas like emotional intelligence, communication, and decisionmaking. Books, seminars, and mentorship programs focused on leadership development can provide valuable insights and practical strategies.
3. Behavioral Economics: Understanding the psychological factors that in uence decision-making can be a game-changer for leaders. Behavioral economics combines insights from psychology and economics to explain why people make irrational decisions. Learning about these principles can help leaders design better incentive structures, improve employee motivation, and enhance customer engagement.
DIVERSE LEARNING METHODS
Leaders can pursue continuous education through:
1. Formal Education: Advanced degree programs and executive education courses o er structured learning and networking opportunities.
2. Online Learning: Platforms like Coursera and LinkedIn Learning provide exibility to learn at your own pace.
3. Reading and Research: Books, articles, and research papers keep you informed about the latest trends and theories.
4. Mentorship and Coaching: Mentors and coaches o er personalized guidance and feedback.
5. Workshops and Conferences: ese events allow collaborative learning from experts and peers.
6. Podcasts: Listening to industry leaders and experts on podcasts o ers convenient, on-the-go learning opportunities.
As a leader, your growth should never stop. Embrace ongoing education and expand your knowledge beyond your trade to position yourself and your organization for success. Stay curious, open-minded, and committed to personal and professional development to enhance your leadership skills and inspire those around you. CBT
Affordable Child Care is a Cornerstone of Workforce Development
BY MATT M C CORMICK
AS MISSOURI CONTINUES TO STRIVE for economic growth and enhanced workforce development, one crucial aspect often overlooked is the signi cance of accessible, quality child care. Child care is not merely a support service; it is a foundational element that underpins the entire structure of a thriving workforce. e availability of reliable child care in uences various facets of workforce development, from employee productivity to economic stability, and even to long-term societal bene ts.
ECONOMIC STABILITY AND GROWTH
e economic stability of families is directly tied to the availability of child care. When parents have access to a ordable, quality child care, they can participate more fully in the workforce. is participation leads to increased household incomes, which in turn boosts consumer spending and stimulates economic growth. In Missouri, where agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare are major industries, the contributions of working parents are vital. e U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation notes that lack of child care options can lead to signi cant economic losses due to reduced workforce participation.
For instance, a study by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed that inadequate child care options result in substantial absenteeism and turnover, costing businesses millions annually. Employers across the state recognize that when employees are assured of their children’s safety and well-being, they are more productive, focused, and engaged in their work.
WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Accessible child care directly in uences workforce participation rates, especially among women. According to the National Women’s Law Center, the availability of child care is one of the primary factors that enable women to enter and remain in the workforce. In Missouri, this dynamic is particularly critical as women make up nearly half of the state’s workforce. By ensuring that child care is a ordable and high-quality, the state can increase the labor force participation rate and reduce gender disparities in employment.
Moreover, child care facilities themselves contribute to workforce development by creating jobs. ese jobs are essential not only for the individuals who hold them but also for the communities they serve, fostering local economic development and stability.
LONG-TERM SOCIETAL BENEFITS
Quality child care does more than just support parents; it also fosters early childhood development, setting the foundation for lifelong learning and success. Research consistently shows that children who attend high-quality child care programs are better prepared for school, have higher academic achievement, and exhibit improved social skills. ese early educational bene ts translate into long-term societal gains, including higher graduation rates, reduced crime, and greater economic productivity.
By investing in early childhood education and ensuring that child care providers meet high standards, the state can cultivate a more skilled and educated future workforce.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Given the profound impact of child care on workforce development, it is imperative for policymakers in Missouri to prioritize and invest in this sector. Several policy recommendations can help achieve this goal:
• Increase Funding for Child Care Programs: Allocate state and federal funds to expand access to a ordable, high-quality child care. is includes supporting subsidies for low-income families and investing in the professional development of child care providers.
• Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage collaboration between businesses and government to develop innovative child care solutions. Employers can o er on-site child care or provide subsidies and exible spending accounts to help employees manage child care costs.
• Enhance Quality Standards: Continue to support and expand initiatives like QRIS to ensure that child care facilities meet rigorous quality standards.
• Promote Awareness and Access: Simplifying the application process for subsidies and support services can also help more families access the care they need.
Childcare is a vital component of Missouri’s workforce development strategy. By recognizing and addressing the interconnectedness of childcare availability, economic stability, and long-term societal bene ts, Missouri can foster a more inclusive and productive workforce. Investing in childcare is not just an investment in the present but a commitment to the future prosperity of the state and its residents CBT
Matt McCormick is the president and CEO of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
The Critical Role of Early Reading Success in Schools
BY ANDREW GRABAU
Reading is the foundation of learning. From the moment children step into a classroom, their ability to read in uences their success not only in academics but in life. Research has consistently shown that children who read pro ciently by the end of third grade are more likely to graduate from high school and pursue higher education or vocational training. In contrast, those who struggle with reading at this crucial stage often face challenges that can last a lifetime.
In Boone County, the importance of early reading pro ciency is underscored by data collected on third grade reading levels. According to the Boone Indicators Dashboard, in the most recent data available (2022), ve out of six of the largest school districts in Boone County saw signi cant decreases in the number of third graders who scored pro cient or above on the Language Arts section of the state MAP test. is means coming out of the pandemic, Boone County’s young students are struggling to grasp the basic skills they need to succeed in later grades. ese statistics are alarming and call for immediate community-wide attention and action.
THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON READING LEVELS
e pandemic exacerbated existing educational disparities, particularly in reading pro ciency. Most of us are familiar with what occurred. e overall disruption to daily routines created an environment where many students fell behind. For some, the lack of in-person instruction meant missing out on crucial reading interventions that are provided by teachers
who can identify and address reading difculties early on. e challenges inside the classroom are receiving the full attention of our teachers; now let’s also address this challenge outside of the classroom.
HEART OF MISSOURI UNITED WAY’S READ ACROSS COLUMBIA PROGRAM
In response to the urgent need to support early literacy, the Heart of Missouri United Way and many partners have added more resources to the community. Nonpro ts like Grade A+, Boys and Girls Club, United Community Builders, among others are focusing on how to bridge this gap. In addition, Boone County’s Upward Mobility project has a cohort devoted to convening teachers and education stakeholders around e orts to advance early grade literacy.
At Heart of Missouri United Way, we are continuing our Read Across Columbia program. is program provides books to rst and second grade students in Title One schools with the lowest third grade English Language Arts MAP scores. Our goal is to foster a love of literacy in these young grades to ensure that every child in Columbia can succeed in reading.
rough partnerships with local schools and organizations such as the COMO Business Times 20 Under 40 Class of 2024, Downtown Optimist Club, Downtown Rotary, the Rotary Foundation, MU Health Care, and MU men’s and women’s basketball teams, Read Across Columbia does more than distribute books to children. It also encourages daily reading habits and provides tools for parents to support their children’s literacy development at home and encourages young students to patronize the Daniel Boone Regional Library.
READING: A COMMUNITY EFFORT
I want to challenge everyone in the community to read for at least 20 minutes a day. Whether it’s reading to a child, reading with them, or setting an example by reading yourself, these small actions can make a big di erence. And opportunities are everywhere.
As we look toward the future, we must prioritize a collective commitment from the community to advance literacy. Reading is not just a skill to be developed in schools — it is a lifelong habit that should be nurtured and celebrated. e future of our children and our community depends on it. CBT
Andrew Grabau is the President and CEO at Heart of Missouri United Way.
WHAT THE PROS KNOW BUSINESS
10 CYBERSECURITY
TIPS TO HELP YOU PROTECT YOUR DATA
By Andrew Gilstrap agilstrap@gfidigital.com
In an era where digital connectivity is woven into every facet of our lives, the importance of protecting personal and organizational data is more critical than ever before. With the rise of sophisticated cyber threats and data breaches, understanding how to shield sensitive information from unauthorized access is crucial.
Protecting personal and organizational data from cyber threats involves a combination of proactive measures, best practices, and tools. Here are 10 Cybersecurity Tips to get you started:
1. Use Strong, Unique Passwords
• Length: Use passwords that are at least 12-16 characters long — the longer the better.
• Create Complex Passwords: A mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters (!, @, #, $).
• Avoid Common Passwords: Don’t use the same password, or easily guessable passwords like “password123” or personal information.
• Uniqueness: Use a different password for each account to prevent a breach on one site from compromising others.
2. Increase Security with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• MFA requires a second form of verification (like a code sent to your phone) in addition to your password.
• Use Authenticator Apps to provide secure codes.
3. Regularly Update Software and Systems
• Ensure operating systems, software, and applications are up-to-date with the latest security patches.
• Where possible, set your devices and applications to update automatically.
ANDREW GILSTRAP Vice President
Andrew graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Prior to joining the GFI Digital team, Andrew was Director of Operations for Sangita Capital Partners. Andrew came to GFI Digital in the summer of 2016 with over eight years of sales and management experience. He spent three years as a sales manager in St. Louis, 5 years as Managing Director in Kansas City, and and now serves as Vice President.
• Use well-regarded antivirus and anti-malware programs to detect and remove threats.
• Ensure virus definitions are regularly updated to protect against new threats.
5. Backup Data Regularly
• Store backups both on external drives and in the cloud.
• Set up regular, automatic backups to minimize data loss.
6. Secure Your Network
• Install and configure a firewall to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.
• Use strong passwords and WPA3 (or WPA2 if WPA3 is not available) for Wi-Fi networks. Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) if possible.
• Keep an eye on unusual activity or unauthorized access attempts.
7. Educate and Train Users
• Implement a robust threat detection system to recognize phishing emails and avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.
• Regularly educate staff and family members about safe online practices and security awareness.
8. Implement Access Controls
• Grant the least amount of access necessary for users to perform their jobs.
• Implement role-based access control (RBAC) to manage permissions based on job roles.
9. Secure Physical Devices
• Use screen locks and encryption to protect data on mobile devices and laptops.
• Be mindful of physical security in public places and consider using security cables or locks.
10. Monitor and Respond to Security Incidents
• Use security information and event management (SIEM) tools to detect and respond to threats.
• Develop and regularly update a plan for responding to security breaches and other incidents.
BONUS TIP: Maintain Compliance
• Ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and industry standards.
• Perform security audits and assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.
By implementing these tips, you can significantly enhance your ability to protect personal and organizational data from cyber threats.
If your IT Team needs assistance implementing these precautionary, security protocols, contact GFI Digital today to learn more about cybersecurity best practices.
TIPS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BUSINESS
By Brad Roling broling@midambk.com
F
inancial literacy classes are required in most high schools today, but this is often a high-level overview of financial concepts. While these classes are great for your personal finances, a deeper understanding of finance is needed when you go into business. Let’s talk about some tips to strengthen your business and how you can become financially savvy.
When it comes to business, financially savvy people understand the impact their actions have on their business. From daily responsibilities to high-level decisions, everything impacts your bottom line. Knowing how decisions impact your business will help you make informed decisions as well. Looking into the factors that most impact your bottom dollar will ultimately help you see the big picture of your finances and beyond. Another tip to be financially savvy and help your business is to ensure you understand the numbers. Understanding the numbers such as return on investment, or your cash flow can help make your business more efficient. If you’re not sure where to start, seek out a professional to help you understand what the important numbers mean for you and your business.
Financially savvy people protect themselves from scams and fraud. Educating yourself on the current deceptive practices will be your first line of defense against a scam.
Brad Roling is the Columbia Market President for Mid America Bank. Brad has more than 10 years of banking experience that he uses to help businesses in and around Columbia thrive. When he is not helping your business with its financial needs, Brad is serving the community in a variety of capacities. He is proud to serve on the Ronald McDonald House Mid-Missouri Board of Directors as Treasurer, the Columbia Chamber Foundation Board as Treasurer, Heart of Missouri United Way Board of Directors and Beta Theta Pi Advisory Board. Brad is a proud Mizzou grad and loves cheering on the Tigers!
Knowing what your day-to-day business finances look like will also help you to catch potential scams or fraud. With this knowledge, you will be able to spot a transaction that looks out of the ordinary or a payment made to a name you don’t recognize. Your business can also use fraud protection services such as Check Positive Pay or ACH Positive Pay to help identify fraudulent transactions.
Finally, financially savvy people have a host of experts ready when they need support. Whether it’s your loan officer, an attorney, accountant or other professional, have these contacts ready in case a big financial decision comes on the horizon. If you don’t have a trusted loan officer in your corner, I’d love to talk with you and help you and your business. Being financially savvy will strengthen your business now and into the future.
WHY HYPER-TARGETED DIGITAL MARKETING IS A GAME-CHANGER FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
By Erica Pefferman erica@comomarketing.co
F or small businesses, marketing often feels like a balancing act. With limited budgets and resources, every dollar counts, and making sure your efforts reach the right audience can make all the difference. That’s where hyper-targeted digital marketing comes in—a strategy that’s helping small businesses connect with their ideal customers more effectively than ever before.
What is Hyper-Targeted Marketing?
Hyper-targeted marketing is all about getting your message in front of the people who are most likely to be interested in what you offer. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping to catch a few leads, this approach uses data to focus on specific groups of people based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics.
Imagine you own a local coffee shop. With hyper-targeting, you could focus your online ads on people who live nearby, love coffee, and follow popular coffee-related hashtags on social media. This means your marketing dollars are spent reaching people who are already inclined to visit a place like yours, rather than wasting money on a broader audience that might not be interested.
Why It’s Perfect for Small Businesses
1. Maximizing Your Budget: Let’s face it—small businesses don’t always have big marketing budgets. With hypertargeting, you can make the most of what you have by ensuring your ads and messages are seen by the right people. This leads to better results without needing to spend a fortune.
2. Personalized Customer Experience: People love when businesses understand their needs. By using hyper-targeted
ERICA PEFFERMAN
President & Owner
marketing, you can tailor your content to specific customer segments. For example, if you run a boutique and know that a portion of your customers love sustainable fashion, you can create ads and social posts that highlight your ecofriendly products just for them.
3. Building Loyalty: When customers see that your business “gets” them, they’re more likely to stick around. Hypertargeting helps you build that connection by showing your customers that you’re paying attention to what they like and need. Over time, this can turn first-time buyers into loyal fans.
4. Standing Out from the Competition: The business world is crowded, and it can be hard to stand out. Hyper-targeted marketing gives you an edge by allowing you to reach your ideal customers more efficiently than your competitors. By delivering personalized, relevant content, you can make a stronger impression than a generic ad ever could.
Easy Ways to Get Started
Getting started with hyper-targeted marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few simple steps:
• Use Social Media Ads: Platforms like
Erica Pefferman is the owner and president of COMO Companies, which owns and operates COMO Magazine, COMO Business Times, COMO Marketing, and COMO Tickets. In 2017, Erica was named Outstanding Business Woman of the year and her team was named the Columbia Chamber Of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year.
573.499.1830 | comomarketing.co
Facebook and Instagram offer powerful targeting options. You can narrow down your audience by location, interests, age, and more, ensuring that your ads are seen by people who are likely to be interested in your business.
• Segment Your Email List: If you’ve got an email list, start segmenting it based on customer behavior or preferences. This way, you can send more relevant content to different groups, increasing the chances of engagement.
• Leverage Google Ads: Google Ads allows you to target people based on their search habits. For example, if someone’s been searching for “best yoga classes near me,” and you offer yoga sessions, your ad can pop up right when they’re looking for what you offer.
Hyper-targeted digital marketing is a powerful tool for small businesses looking to make the most of their marketing efforts. By focusing on the right audience, you can spend less while achieving more, creating personalized experiences that keep customers coming back. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your current strategy, hyper-targeting can help you connect with the people who matter most to your business.
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF LEGACY, PRIDE & EXCELLENCE
By Vaughn Prost info@prostbuilders.com
Prost Builders, Inc is celebrating their 75th year in the Construction Industry in 2024. Construction is built into the DNA of the Prost Family members for 8 generations when Paul R. Prost continued that legacy by opening the Handley-Prost Construction company with Roy Handley to build St. Joseph’s Retirement (Old Folks) Home in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1947. After a couple years, Paul started his own company, Paul R. Prost Builder, in 1949 and welcomed his younger brother, Jay Prost, to join him in his dream of building quality projects with skilled workers to construct facilities that produced satisfied clients.
This year, Prost Builders is officially 75+ years strong with our long list of construction projects, as well as restorations and renovations of Missouri’s beloved historic properties. The list of achievements ranges from the State Capitol in Jefferson City to the Everlast Manufacturing Corporation in Moberly, to the Country Club Office Condos in Kansas City, to the Loft Apartments in St. Louis, to the Palace Office building in Neosho, to Mark Twain’s home in Hannibal, to the Marquette Tower Office Building in Cape Girardeau, and to the brand new EquipmentShare Technology Development Center in Columbia. Prost Builders has left an indelible imprint on buildings throughout Missouri for three quarters of a century for restoration, new construction, and designbuild projects. Various buildings have a historic development plaque on it with the President of Prost Builders, Vaughn X. Prost, as a statement to his saving and
VAUGHN
PROST
Owner & President
Vaughn Prost is the owner and president of Prost Builders lnc., a design/build and construction services firm located in Columbia. Vaughn has over forty years of domestic and international design and construction experience as a cost and scheduling engineer, structural engineer, owner’s construction representative, and general contractor.
(573) 635-0211 | prostbuilders.com 3305 Crawford Street Columbia, MO 65203
restoring historical structures to preserve our Missouri history for our children and visitors to our state.
As an engineering and construction company, Prost Builders has offered a wide range of services in Central Missouri. Our expertise spans ecclesiastical, multifamily, commercial, industrial, governmental, educational, healthcare, and design-build projects that are a testament to our strong
work ethic and commitment to quality construction. Prost Builders is now moving forward with a new logo that will promote our company for the next 75 years of our commitment to constructing new facilities that will help new businesses grow and thrive. At Prost Builders-we utilize the latest technology, latest construction machinery, and highly qualified craftsmen to earn the tagline: Legacy, Pride, Excellence.
Continuing Connection and Community
Partners in Education creates unique opportunities for businesses to participate in local schools in a way that benefi ts both.
BY EMMI WEINER
WHEN JOLENE SCHULZ STARTED the Partners in Education program, she had no idea she was piloting a program that would span decades, build community, and impact thousands of students yearly.
“It’s a very warm and wonderful feeling,” Schulz said, re ecting on the popular Columbia Public Schools (CPS) program. “ e most exciting thing is that students and businesses are continuing to bene t. I don’t think there’s another program quite like it. We have done something magni cent.”
Starting the 2024-2025 school year, there are now more than 300 businesses in the program. Some of those 300-plus businesses have been working with Columbia Public Schools for multiple decades — evidence that the program has deep connections to the school and community.
“Jolene had this vision of what this program could be in 1984, and she put her heart and soul into it,” said Molly Delgado, a CPS community relations manager at Columbia Public Schools who took over the program from Schulz twenty years ago. “She was able to celebrate the fortieth anniversary with us back in May 2024 and we had over 400 people attend.”
WHAT IS PARTNERS IN EDUCATION?
Partners in Education is designed to be a mutually bene cial partnership between businesses in the community and Columbia public schools.
“We talk about the importance of forming a PIE steering committee and how often we should meet. We de ne a mission objective and then pair them with a school’s objective, then we de ne success and measurable goals,” Delga-
do explained, “We review these annually to make sure the partnership is working and make adjustments as needed.” e overarching goal of the partnership is building long-term relationships between the business and the school.
“We build these bridges between businesses and schools with these partnerships. It is amazing to see the things that come out of them,” Delgado continued. “It builds connections and connection is what we need.”
Columbia Public Schools starts its Partners In Education program with 11 partners.
Ameren Ridgeway Elementary School
ere are even some partners who have been involved since the beginning of the program.
is year, more than fty partners will celebrate milestone anniversaries, which are considered to be forty, thirty, or twenty- ve year partnerships.
AMEREN
Ameren is one of the rst partnerships set up by Schulz in 1985. e company is partnered with Ridgeway Elementary school and one of the programs focuses on natural gas safety, with “Snifasaurus,” and it’s tailored to each grade level to be age appropriate.
“One year we hosted the students at Ameren for what we called ‘wheels day’ where we had all the heavy equipment out, like backhoes, and we invited community members, like remen and their trucks,” said Holly Wip er, an Ameren
regional account executive who has been leading that partnership all forty years.
ACCESS ARTS
O cially, Access Arts has been a partner of Benton Elementary for twenty- ve years. However, Access Arts has been involved with Benton since the early 80s. e most recent project is Benton Art Camp, a weekly free after school art program complete with adult supervision and nutritious snacks. Benton Art Camp has the capacity to serve sixty students per year.
“A disproportionate number of our Art Camp students are struggling on a number of levels — academically, socially, economically — and they come here and nd this whole sta of cheerleaders who care about them and want to see them succeed,” Executive Director Sarah Catlin explained. “It's a game changer.”
MISSOURI EMPLOYERS MUTUAL
Missouri Employers Mutual is celebrating its thirtieth year of partnership with Gentry Middle School. MEM used to be located closer to Gentry but decided to maintain the partnership even when its o ces moved. MEM comes into classes to talk about safety and career planning. Employees volunteer at school events and contribute to the principal’s discretionary fund to help meet nancial needs.
“ e energy and curiosity of these students inspire our employees, reminding us of the importance of giving back,” said Laura Gerding, MEM corporate communications strategist. MEM has been a PIE partner for six years. Gerding added, “Our own employees have had children at Gentry over the years, and they make great PIE volunteers. We are committed to building healthier, safer communities.”
MEM focuses its giving in three areas: developing a skilled workforce, a ecting health outcomes, and creating safety and stability by addressing basic needs. In some ways, the PIE program touches all those needs.
GETTING INVOLVED
To get involved with the program, businesses contact Delgado.
“ e program provides a fun atmosphere to give back, build relationships, and grow community,” said Mizzou Assistant Athletics Director Cody Hendrickson. Mizzou Athletics is entering its twenty-sixth year of partnership this school year; Hendrickson has been involved for two years.
“If you are looking for ways to get involved and give back to our local youth,” he said, “you couldn't ask for a better initiative to invest in.” CBT
Central Bank of Boone County Grant Elementary School
The CPS PIE now has 150 partner businesses and organizations. 2024
MERS Goodwill Excel Center
Discover one of COMO’s best kept secrets: Columbia’s adult high school.
BY LORI GALASKE
LIFE HAPPENS SOMETIMES IN A WAY that cuts o a young person’s educational journey — and their potential career path — in one blow. Coming back from such a derailment isn’t easy. Until recently, options for individuals in that situation were limited, with scant opportunities for a successful future.
With the advent of adult high schools, another road opened. Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services (MERS) Goodwill Excel Centers are accredited high schools where learning takes place in a physical classroom with other students. e students form relationships and friendships with each other and their teachers; and the teachers are committed to their students’ success.
Columbia’s MERS Goodwill Excel Center opened in October 2019 in the former Columbia Daily Tribune building at 101 N. Fourth St. It’s just three blocks from the University of Missouri campus, anchoring the west side of downtown Columbia.
“Unfortunately, we’re the best kept secret in Columbia,” said Mike Reynolds, Excel Center director. And that is the center’s biggest challenge — getting the word out to those who need what it o ers. e goal is to have 200 students year-round. e most it has had to date is 160.
Goodwill thrift stores are common to the American landscape, with forty-four stores between Columbia and Illinois, Reynolds said. He also pointed out that Goodwill is more than thrift stores. e organization’s “hand-up” philosophy is also focused on education.
An adult high school di ers from general education development, or GED, diploma studies in the learning environment, the class requirements, and the certication received. Typically, an individual studies for the GED online or in night
classes. At the Excel Center, students learn in an environment like that of a small college. To qualify for GED certi cation, an individual takes an all-day test. To qualify for graduation from the Excel Center, the student must complete the units of study that the state of Missouri sets forth for all high schoolers. And when students complete those units of study, they walk across the stage in cap and gown and accept their diploma. As Reynolds notes, “It’s not just a diploma, it’s a career.”
e Rev. Edgar J. Helms established Goodwill Industries more than 120 years ago when he collected used donations from the wealthier citizens of Boston. He then hired people from the poorer neighborhoods to repair and refresh the used items, which they then sold or brought home for their own use. us, the Goodwill motto of “a hand up, not a handout” was born.
Statistically, 100 percent of the students at the Excel Center dropped out of high school. e reasons for not completing high school as teens are as varied as the individuals themselves, and the reasons that compel them to go back and nish their education are equally as varied. One man promised his wife and children that he would nish high school (he is now in the armed services with a promising future). A young mother plans to go into nursing after earning her diploma. A middle-aged woman decided it was time to get a career instead of working a job she hated; and a former refugee wanted to get his pilot’s license (which he did).
Due to state education funding requirements in Missouri, twenty-one is the youngest that a student can enroll at the Excel Center. Currently, a seventy-nine-year-old woman is the oldest student, bringing up the average student age to forty.
Reynolds retired as a school administrator on the last day of June in 2019. e next day, he began his “retirement” as the director of the yet-to-be MERS Goodwill Excel Center in Columbia.
“Class is free; daycare is free; coff ee is free; parking is free. Time commitment is not. You have to really want to be here.”
MIKE REYNOLDS
by
Photo
Sadie Thibodeaux
“On July 1 of 2019, I had no school. I had no sta ,” he recalled. “I had no students, and our CEO of MERS Goodwill in St. Louis told me, ‘You’re going to open your doors on October 19.’” And he did — with a full sta and more than 100 students. When its doors opened, the Columbia Excel Center had three classrooms in the basement at its location on Fourth Street, and two classrooms and a daycare center in a separate building. By January of 2020, renovations of the main oor on Fourth Street were completed. Eight weeks later, COVID hit; and just like everything else, classes went virtual. ese days students rush through the halls, greeting each other on their way to class, to meet with a teacher or life coach, or study in the cafeteria where free hot co ee is always available.
“Class is free; daycare is free; co ee is free; parking is free,” Reynolds explained. “Time commitment is not. You have to really want to be here.” Once an individual is enrolled, he said, the faculty and sta do everything in their power to ensure the student’s success.
e typical individual who enrolls in classes at the Excel Center comes with fourteen high school credit hours. e state of Missouri requires twenty-four credit hours for graduation. e Center will get a student’s high school transcript and work with them to determine the courses they need.
e Center o ers morning, afternoon, and evening classes, so whether a student works a day job, a night job, or has school-age children — or no time constraints — there are class times that will work with all schedules. Class sizes are small and run for eight weeks, year-round.
Earning a high school diploma, while a milestone, isn’t the only goal set for students at the Excel Center. e diploma opens doors to career paths that remain shut without it. Workforce development is a high priority, and included in the education is access to a college and careers readiness specialist. She’s there to help students build resumes, learn job interview skills, and even connect students with apprenticeships.
In addition to the “best kept secret” status that Reynolds described, he added that the biggest challenge that students face is the cost of transportation. Reynolds steps in to do what he can, driving the school “bus” — a Honda Pilot — from 100 to 120 miles each day, picking up students across central Missouri and dropping them back home at the end of the day.
For the nearly half a million adult Missourians without a high school diploma, the Excel Center exists to provide a tuition-free second chance and an open door to a new future.
MERS GOODWILL EXCEL CENTER
101 North Fourth Street, Columbia, MO 65201
excel.mersgoodwill.org | 573.499.1220
Facebook: The Excel Center Columbia
Youtube: mersmissourigoodwill2489
SUZETTE WATERS
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF EDUCATION, COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: My paying job is being a dental hygienist. I’ve been at CoMo Dental for 25 years.
HOMETOWN: Right here.
YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA: 40+
FAVORITE VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY ACTIVITY: Being on the school board!
FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT: e district just completed an attendancearea change and, while that is never anyone’s favorite project, I was happy with how transparent the process was, and the e orts made to gather and incorporate feedback.
WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB: Public education is the single most important investment our society makes in its citizenry. Every child deserves a quality, free education and there is no better mechanism to deliver that than our public schools. My job is to advocate for public education and to support the thousands of people doing that work. e passion comes easily because I fundamentally believe in the mission.
HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE COMPETING PRIORITIES? I would love to say I have mastered balancing my personal life and my school board life, but I haven’t. When I’m at work, I leave my phone on silent in my locker and don’t look at it until I’m done seeing patients. e same thing applies when I need to focus on my family — especially my kids. I put my phone in a drawer or turn it o .
BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED IN BUSINESS: Be mindful of every interaction. Even if someone has wronged
you or made a mistake that you feel you have every right to point out, take a breath and ask yourself if you can let it go. Because this is Columbia, there is a 100 percent chance you will cross paths with that person at some point and you’ll be glad you didn’t burn a bridge. And always, always tell the truth.
THERE’S A NARRATIVE, ESPECIALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION RUBBERSTAMPS ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS. I’d say anyone who has come to or watched a board meeting in the last couple of years would see regular, thoughtful engagement on the part of the board. It’s important to know that the bulk of what the board is asked to approve is operational and has therefore been vetted by multiple departments.
It is not the role of the board to manage the daily operations of the district, but rather to keep an eye on the big picture and make sure procedures adhere to policy. I’ll also say that there is always time after the meeting agenda has been nalized for board members to ask questions of the superintendent and to have discussions with other board members (within the parameters of the Sunshine Law) and sta . A vote is a yes/no question but the path there is anything but binary.
THE NEXT BIG CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY OR CPS: Decreasing tax revenue. A majority of the operating budget for CPS is funded by local tax dollars. e personal property tax freeze for seniors will have a detrimental e ect on revenue starting in scal year ’25. And then there’s Senate Bill 727, which was unfortunately signed by the governor this year. is bill allows for charter schools in Boone County (and only Boone County) that are funded by both state and local taxpayer dollars.
It is worth pointing out that charter schools in other parts of the state are only funded with state dollars and they are only authorized in districts that are unaccredited, have been provisionally accredited for three years, or have been approved by their locally elected boards. is means Boone County taxpayers — who were not given the opportunity to vote on how their tax dollars should be spent — will have to pay more for charters than any other county in the state despite the fact that CPS is and has always been accredited. Obviously, the concern for CPS is that the same tax dollars will have to support multiple systems. It’s not sustainable.
WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN: I hoard collect vintage holiday ornaments and trinkets and craft them into wreaths and tabletop decorations. I never met a dusty box of someone’s grandma’s junk that I wasn’t excited to dig through.
WHO MAKES UP YOUR FAMILY: Andy, husband of almost 25 years and our two college-aged kids Nate, 19, and Anna, 21. Yes, we are empty-nest newbies!
FAVORITE PLACE IN COMO:
Downtown on a weekday, my screened-in porch in the evening, and anywhere my family is together.
ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST
PROUD OF: I’ve done two meaningful things in my life so far. One is raising my kids to be independent, kind humans. e other is serving on the school board as president. e rst I always wanted to do and although I wouldn’t say it was easy, it came naturally. e second has placed me in situations to do things I didn’t know I could do, which has been both scary and hugely rewarding.
MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT YOU: Hate bananas. e smell, the taste, the texture — blech. CBT
The $tate of Tea¢her Pay
School districts in Boone County want to pay their teachers better. The trick is figuring out how to make it happen.
BY MICHELLE TERHUNE
In May 2024, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed Senate Bill 727. Among its provisions is the increase of base teacher salaries in all Missouri public schools from $25,000 to $40,000. Salaries must rise annually to reach $48,000 during the 2027-2028 academic year.
Hallsville R-IV
Sturgeon R-V
Centralia R-VI
On its face, that seems a signi cant improvement for elementary and secondary education. After all, the state consistently ranks ftieth — dead last — in the nation for starting teacher pay and nearly as low for average teacher salaries.
According to the National Education Association’s 2024 Educator Pay Data, the national average starting teacher salary is $44,530 and the national average teacher salary is $69,544. In Missouri, those gures are $36,829 and $53,999, respectively. Few would deny that public school teachers need and deserve higher salaries. But many school districts are already struggling to make ends meet.
THE STATE DEMANDS A RAISE
In Missouri’s scal year 2023 budget, a line item established a Teacher Baseline Salary Grant to help districts with base salaries under $38,000 to raise the amount. e $38,000 wasn’t a mandate but a pointed suggestion to pull Missouri up in nationwide rankings. Districts under the target can apply for grants totaling up to 70 percent of the targeted baseline salary shortfall. e other 30 percent must be raised locally, such as through a foundation or other revenue source.
ere are six school districts in Boone County, including Columbia Public Schools, Centralia, Hallsville, Harrisburg, Southern Boone, and Sturgeon. Southern Boone, Hallsville, and Sturgeon applied for grant funding to meet the $40,000 requirement. For example, Sturgeon’s base is $35,500, so it needed assistance to fund the shortfall.
Among the districts that don’t qualify for a grant is Harrisburg, whose base teacher salary is one of the highest in the state at $44,000 this year — edging out the $43,000 base salary for Columbia Public Schools. Centralia is right on the money at $40,000.
It’s a mistake to assume that out-county school districts have little in uence on Columbia’s workforce and economy. e truth is striking: Scores of teachers throughout Boone County live in Columbia or have a Columbia address.
When it comes to applying the new pay standards, district size doesn’t necessarily matter. Harrisburg’s total enrollment is by far the smallest of the Boone County districts at just 613. While that means it receives substantially fewer dollars from Missouri’s funding formula, it’s nonetheless paying its teachers better. Harrisburg Superintendent Steve Combs said it’s about commitment from everyone.
“It’s a combination of the commitment of our community, our school board, administration, and teachers,” he said. “Our teachers are our frontline workers. Salaries recognize their value.”
Combs said that when the district asked voters to increase the tax levy, they obliged. e school board recognizes that teachers are the district’s most valuable assets. And teachers go the extra mile by wearing more than one hat for their students, as coaches or bus drivers.
SO, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
ere are a couple of key issues with the minimum base salary mandate. e rst involves each district’s salary schedule.
Columbia 93 Southern Boone Co. R-I
Harrisburg R-VIII
Sturgeon R-V Centralia R-VI
Hallsville R-IV
Boone County
Columbia 93
Harrisburg R-VIII
Southern Boone County R-I
Teachers aren’t paid like corporate o ce workers who might earn an individual raise or bonus. ey are paid according to a schedule of “steps” that factor in years of experience and advanced degrees and certi cations. If you change that rst step — the minimum salary for a full-time rst-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree — everything else shifts. In other words, salaries rise for everyone. e second issue is the grant funding itself. Although the $40,000 minimum is mandated in SB 727, the funding is not. at means school districts must rely on the legislature to approve funding for the grant program each year. Of course, that begs the question: What happens if they don’t?
Salaries and bene ts constitute the lion’s share of a district’s budget. For CPS, for example, those accounted for nearly 52 percent of expenditures in 2023-2024. If a district like Sturgeon can’t get the grant because it’s unavailable, its students would pay the price.
“Sturgeon R-V is committed to improving salaries for our sta and believes all teachers deserve better compensation,” Superintendent Dustin Fanning said, spelling out the potential bleak side of the “what if they don’t” question.
“We appreciate the heart of the decision to improve educator salaries and the commitment of the grant to help us meet the minimum base salary requirements,” Fanning added. “Without the grant funding, in years to come, we may be required to make di cult nancial decisions and possibly cut sta and programs, increase student teacher ratios, or compress the salary schedule to meet the requirements. ese cuts could limit opportunities for our students.”
Fewer sta , larger class sizes, and reduced programs and resources would be the result of the lack of funding. at’s a blow to students, teachers, and communities.
In a letter opposing SB 727, the Missouri American Federation of Teachers, Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals, Missouri Association of School Administrators, Missouri National Education Association, Missouri School Boards Association, and Missouri Parent Teachers Association stated:
“As educators and parents, we oppose SB 727 because we are deeply committed to the well-being and future success of all students.
e bill’s unfunded mandates risk placing local school districts in di cult positions, possibly forcing them to increase taxes or cut critical services. Such measures would undermine the comprehensive quality of education and the supportive learning environments crucial for student growth and achievement.”
To understand that concern, it’s important to understand how public schools are funded.
“It’s a combination of the commitment of our community, our school board, administration, and teachers. Our teachers are our frontline workers. Salaries recognize their value.”
– STEVE COMBS Harrisburg Superintendent
“Without the grant funding, in years to come, we may be required to make difficult financial decisions and possibly cut staff and programs, increase student teacher ratios, or compress the salary schedule to meet the requirements. These cuts could limit opportunities for our students.”
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Boone County’s school districts are all funded similarly, by a mix of local, state, and federal monies. To use CPS’s 2023-2024 operating budget as an example, 1 percent of revenue is categorized as “intermediate.” at’s generated by such sources as taxes on utilities, nes, and money paid by local companies to the County Stock Insurance Fund. Federal dollars comprise 6 percent of the operating budget, 29 percent is from the state, and a whopping 64 percent of revenue is generated locally.
Property and sales taxes are what generate that local revenue. Tax levies are approved by voters in the individual school districts. Among the Boone County schools, levies range from roughly $4.32 per every $100 of assessed valuation in Centralia to about $5.79 per every $100 of assessed valuation in Southern Boone. And while local voters are typically strong supporters of their schools, they have their limits. at could make it challenging to make up for budget shortfalls if districts can’t meet the minimum teacher pay. ere can be other roadblocks to local revenue. In March 2021, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, delivered a ruling in Blankenship v. Franklin County Collector (619 S.W. 3d491) that reduced the levy for CPS by 32 cents, which resulted in an annual loss of roughly $4.5 million.
Federal funding has fallen as pandemic-related distributions have ceased. And the controversial Missouri School Funding Formula has brought in increasingly fewer dollars, year after year. All the while, the cost of sta salaries and bene ts have continued to rise, even without a mandate.
THE VALUE OF TEACHERS
It’s obvious that school districts want to pay their teachers better across the board. at strategy should attract the best and brightest to the profession. It also helps smaller school districts compete for talent with larger ones. Every district wants to deliver the best education possible for its students.
“My vision is to be a district of choice and that has to begin with our sta so they can make it a district of choice for our students,” Sturgeon’s Fanning said. “We value our sta and appreciate their work and dedication and want to celebrate the small accomplishments for sta and students alike.”
– DUSTIN FANNING Sturgeon Superintendent
But when the revenue schools need to operate continues to decline, it’s di cult for districts to compete with salaries in the corporate sector. Some need a little more help than others and gladly accept it for the bene t of their teachers and their students. But that’s only for as long as it’s there.
CBT
RECORD ENROLLMENT OVERSHADOWS THE C L IFF' ' OVERSHADOWS
Mizzou, higher education prepares for recruitment challenges.
BY JODIE JACKSON JR
Even before the Missouri Tigers beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on December 29, putting a bow on a remarkable 2023 season, college ocials were already seeing a surge in freshmen applications for the next school year. And by the end of January 2024, Mizzou’s freshmen application total set a record of nearly 22,400.
Due to that vibrant interest — and the lingering impact of the Flutie E ect — a record 6,243 freshmen began classes at Mizzou on August 19.
e Flutie E ect describes the phenomenon where a college’s athletic success, especially in higher pro le sports like football or basketball, prompts a surge in popularity and an increase in applications. e phenomenon got its name from one of the most remarkable plays in college football history. In November 1984, Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie’s last-second, Hail Mary pass to receiver Gerard Phelan gave the Eagles a 47-45 win over defending national champion Miami. What would become a record number of freshmen applications turned into a nearly 17 percent increase in enrollment at Boston College for the following school year.
A GREAT TIME TO BE A TIGER
With the backdrop of last season’s 11-2 record, the 2024 Tigers are poised to be a Top 10 team and a likely contender for college football’s expanded playo format — with one, if not two, Heisman Trophy contenders in wide receiver Luther Burden III and quarterback Brady Cook. Avoiding missteps against overmatched nonconference opponents and successfully navigating the mine eld that is the SEC conference schedule could result in a season for the ages.
But whether the Flutie E ect can repeat six or even twelve months from now is questionable, regardless of the Tigers’ success on the gridiron. Just as o cials forecast record enrollment in late 2023, another forecast has been on the horizon for some years now as the number of high school graduates
sharply declines. e generational population shift could lead to what higher education analysts have called the “Enrollment Cli .”
To combat the anticipated decline in enrollment numbers, University of Missouri admissions o cials noted in an email to COMO Business Times that they have heeded the “enrollment cli ” warnings and have already taken steps to meet that challenge. e approach involves “personalized touchpoints” in the enrollment cycle in an era of increasingly popular arti cial intelligence (AI) and, perhaps, not-so-personalized methods of recruitment.
“ e university has increased its focus on personalizing the recruitment process,” admissions o cials said, noting that they work closely with families in person, hosting events in cities across the U.S., and bringing high school counselors to campus. e process includes handwritten letters and cards, phone outreach, and one-on-one interactions at high schools.
“ is more personalized approach helps students understand exactly where Mizzou’s strengths match their own — ensuring a good t that supports both recruitment and retention,” the admissions statement added.
HIGHER ED MUSTERS ITS FORCES
CollegeVine, a national AI platform and network of students and data aimed to assist student recruitment, has some of the more recent enrollment cli forecasts, citing lower birth rates leading to naturally lower high school graduation rates, a decline in the number of high school graduates choosing to attend college whether due to cost or opting for a technical or trade school, or students leaving their state for college farther from home where the weather, school, or economy are more attractive.
Meanwhile, Mizzou is also bee ng up its recruitment of socalled nontraditional students, which may be older students or transfer students. Online courses are also on the recruitment and enrollment protection menu. Transfer students have di erent needs and expectations throughout the enrollment process, MU admissions o cials said, noting that degree requirements and articulation of course credit are typically at the forefront of conversations with transfer students.
In 2019, Mizzou established the Transfer Center to serve that population and support transfers through the application and enrollment process.
“As a joint partnership between Admissions and Undergraduate Studies, we have developed robust plans for the recruitment and retention of these students,” o cials said in an email response. “Some of these include the Finish Line program for
“THE UNIVERSITY HAS INCREASED ITS FOCUS ON PERSONALIZING THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
THIS MORE PERSONALIZED APPROACH HELPS STUDENTS UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE MIZZOU'S STRENGTHS MATCH THEIR OWN — ENSURING A GOOD FIT THAT SUPPORTS BOTH RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.”
— UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ADMISSIONS
students that left Mizzou but are close to graduation, and building community college partnerships and travel to community colleges to meet with students interested in Mizzou.”
HOW TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE?
Combatting the “sky is falling” public narrative about higher education is also sending Mizzou o cials back to the basics to reframe the story.
“A college education is still a good investment — both for individuals and their careers — and for local, state and national economies,” the statement explained. “It is no secret that there is a signi cant decline in the number of students graduating from high school in the upcoming years. e enrollment cli is widely publicized, especially in the Midwest.”
According to e Chronicle of Higher Education, “the consensus view is that America will hit a peak of around 3.5 million high school graduates sometime near 2025. After that, the college-age population is expected to shrink across the next ve to ten years by as much as 15 percent.” To combat that decline, Mizzou will continue to recruit heavily across Missouri, “and we have taken an aggressive approach to recruitment outside of Missouri and the surrounding states. We are also using data to support our personalization e orts in recruitment,” o cials said.
e Chronicle also reported that colleges won’t equally bear the burden of fewer 18-year-olds, noting, “Less selective institutions and those with leaner operating margins are likely to feel the pinch more acutely than highly selective colleges with huge cash reserves, whose waiting lists might just simply become a fewer-pages shorter.”
Meanwhile, a shrinking, more competitive environment for traditional college freshmen is likely to ratchet up the pressure on colleges to package, nance, and sell themselves at an a ordable price to consumers — no longer just “students” — who are no longer willing to pay higher tuition prices every year. And as age demographics continue to shift,
legislators will have to balance the demands of older Americans on xed incomes and with greater medical needs against the preferences of educational institutions. ose economic and political pressures, already occurring across the country, are likely to intensify.
‘A SIGNAL OF PROFOUND CHANGES’
e higher education resource, EducationDynamics, which is a marketing and enrollment growth solutions company, says it has observed that the student population “is undergoing a transformation that goes beyond mere demographic numbers.” A growing contingent of potential students is bypassing the traditional college experience in favor of immediate entry into the workforce.
Addressing the needs of “modern learners” — those who desire more exible and accessible pathways to nish their education — must be accommodated with online courses, night classes, and accelerated programs “that t into the busy lives of working adults,” according to EducationDynamics. e company sums up the recruitment and enrollment challange thusly:
“ e 2025 enrollment cli is more than a demographic blip; it’s a signal of profound changes in the higher education landscape ... By focusing on exibility, career alignment, and accessibility, higher education institutions can not only weather the challenges ahead but also emerge stronger, more relevant, and more responsive to the needs of a changing student population. e task ahead is substantial, but with strategic adjustments and a focus on value and outcomes, the future of higher education can be reshaped to meet the demands of the 21st century.”
BRING ON BOSTON COLLEGE.
For Mizzou, some factors that may have contributed to the increase in applications may also help the university avoid a precipitous drop in enrollment. ose factors include the Mizzou football Tigers gaining and maintaining national attention; ranking by TIME magazine as the thirteenth best public school in the country; and increased spending on reaching students outside Missouri.
But can the Flutie E ect remain in e ect? As fate or coincidence would have it, Missouri hosts Boston College at Faurot Field in the third game of the season at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, September 14. e game comes 39 years and 10 months after long-retired and all-time Canadian Football League star Doug Flutie threw that magical pass that eventually spawned a term that continues to reverberate across college landscapes. CBT
Street Talk
Police talk up video system, City Council okays water rate hike, new pie shop.
BY JODIE JACKSON JR
ABOUT EIGHTEEN MONTHS after the City Council nixed the Columbia Police Department’s request to add the Fusus video sharing system to the department’s crime ghting resources, residents are being asked to weigh in on the possible use of Flock Safety technology. CPD hosted a series of public forums on August 14 and August 15 to explain the technology and to get feedback from the public.
Much of the early feedback focuses on privacy concerns and how to ensure police won’t store video or use it for other purposes. In short, the Flock cameras would read license plate numbers and alert police when a stolen car or a vehicle owned by a person with an arrest warrant is on the city’s streets. e most important distinction between Flock and Fusus is that the Flock system records only license plate numbers. e Fusus system allows law enforcement o cials to basically connect with video systems that monitor local businesses so that investigators can view suspicious activity in real time or as recordings.
COMO’s city council nixed the Fusus request in late 2023. Police Chief Jill Schlude has proposed adding the Flock
system for Columbia. Roger Johnson, Boone County’s prosecuting attorney, has said that MU police use similar technology for parking enforcement without stirring privacy issues. Residents have a chance to leave comments about the proposed system at BeHeard. CoMo.gov through September 10.
WATER BILLS WILL GO UP 4 PERCENT STARTING OCTOBER 1
e City Council gave a unanimous thumbs-up to a 4 percent hike in base fees for water utilities beginning October 1. e rate increase is expected to generate some $1.6 million for Columbia Water and Light’s budget in scal year 2025, which also begins on that date. How much will 4 percent add to monthly business and residential water bills? Based on an average monthly water usage of around 8,500 gallons, that amounts to an extra $2.58 per monthly bill, sta has said.
e Water and Light Advisory Board designed the proposed rates to implement a revenue increase to maintain adequate cash reserves and to meet the utility’s debt coverage requirements. COMO’s water utility serves more than 51,000 customers.
SPEAKING OF THE BUDGET AND FY 2025 ...
ere’s still time to weigh-in on the city’s proposed $550 million budget, which is on track for council approval on September 16. City Manager De’Carlon Seewood presented the budget on July 25. e budget especially emphasizes infrastructure, public safety, and a ordable housing. e proposed budget calls for spending that exceeds revenue by some $20 million.
RAPID FIRE RECAP
• Brian Schae er was sworn in as the city’s new re chief and Valerie Carroll was sworn in as
the city council’s First Ward rep on August 19.
• Residents and business owners can give feedback on the city’s proposed ve-year Sewer and Stormwater Integrated Management Plan. e plan will outline funding priorities for wastewater and stormwater work in Columbia. Visit CoMo.gov/ IMPsurvey to learn more.
• e city of Columbia and Boone County are partnering to host a housing summit from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ursday, October 24, at Memorial Baptist Church, 1634 Paris Road. e summit is intended to bring the community together to learn about local housing-related plans and determine next steps to address a ordable housing. To learn more, visit tinyurl.com/4xezhpww.
AND
FINALLY:
SOME SWEET NEWS
Broadway Diner now has a pie chart. But not a chart with numbers and lines. It’s an actual pie chart: Apple, cherry, pumpkin, peach, pecan ... you get the picture. e iconic downtown eatery has added a pie shop featuring creations that are sweet and delicious with scratch-made crust. Pies must be ordered online at least four days ahead. Drop by the diner to learn more or visit the shop at broadwaydinercomo.com/pies. CBT
What’s Going Up?
Kinney Point public housing complex is nearing first phase.
BY JODIE JACKSON JR
THE THIRTY-FOUR-UNIT KINNEY
POINT apartment and housing complex in central Columbia is o cially under development. E.M. Harris Construction Company of St. Louis is the general contractor for the ambitious project that represents Columbia’s rst public housing additions since the 1970s.
Permits for the $14 million project were among the 130 building permits issued in July by the city of Columbia’s Building and Site Development o ce. ose permits totaled $37.56 million in valuation. Boone County’s O ce of Resource Management issued 89 building permits with a combined valuation of $11.41 million. Together, the city and county issued 219 permits with a valuation of $48.97 million.
e Kinney Point buildings are listed among permits for duplexes, townhouses, and apartments. Columbia Housing Authority o cials worked with neighborhood residents to develop structures that resembled
other homes and the character of the neighborhood. e buildings are being built at the northeast corner of Garth Avenue and Sexton Road, and o Grand Avenue. e area is across the street west of Oak Towers.
e housing will be comprised of ten one-bedroom apartments, eight two-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom apartments, and ten four-bedroom apartments.
Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA) is getting a new Head Start building at 1312 W. Worley St. Septagon
Construction is the general contractor. The project building permit, which lists a valuation of just over $530,000, was issued on July 14.
• Single family detached: 39 permits, $16.27 million.
• Residential solar system: 2 permits, $69,872.
e commercial alteration projects granted permits in July include:
Partial replacement of the HVAC system and related mechanical systems at OAKLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, 3405 Oakland Place. e permit listed a valuation of $2 million. e general contractor is Harold G. Butzer Inc.
A new ACE HARDWARE store will replace the now-vacant Big Lots at 505 E. Nifong Blvd., Suite 112. e permit outlines a $550,000 project that encompasses just under 30,000 square feet of “tenant in ll” for the new store. e contractor is Allied Retail Concepts LLC of Lenexa, Kansas.
e downtown nightclub MY HOUSE at 119 S. Seventh St. is undertaking a $300,000 improvement project. Professional Contractors and Engineers is
the builder. e project entails removing the existing interior stage and adjacent seating and building a new bar with equipment in its place.
BREEZE BRIDAL store at 3200 Penn Terrace is expanding into Suite 113. e 8,916-square-foot project has a valuation of $790,314. Reinhardt Construction LLC is the contractor.
Among the notable new construction projects permitted in July are:
Discovery Development LLC is building a four-story, forty-eightunit APARTMENT BUILDING at 4900 Artemis Drive, just northeast of Father Tolton Catholic High School. e planned development has a valuation of $7.22 million and encompasses 46,760 square feet.
CENTRAL MISSOURI
COMMUNITY ACTION (CMCA) HEAD START is constructing a new building at 1312 W. Worley St. e 2,734-square-foot structure is part of the permit’s valuation of $530,231. e general contractor is Septagon Construction.
FRESH KARMA a is a Kansas City-area dispensary expanding to Columbia at 1407 Cinnamon Hill Lane. Little Dixie Construction is the contractor for the $607,275 project. e new building and site improvements will cover 4,500 square feet.
Among new single family homes getting permits, the TOP-DOLLAR HOME has a valuation of $1.23 million. e 8,547 square foot home is under construction o Lightpost Drive in e Gates development at
Old Hawthorne. Anderson Homes is the builder.
Boone County’s Resource Management O ce building permit breakdown includes:
• Single family residential: 16 permits, $6.5 million.
• Two family buildings: 1 permit, $300,000.
• Other nonresidential: 7 permits, $229,000.
• Other structures: 9 permits, $2.1 million.
e county’s permit total for July 2024, with a valuation of $11.41 million for 89 permits, is almost identical to the July 2023 permit report that showed 98 permits with a valuation of $11.41 million.
Top-dollar projects on the county’s list includes:
A $1.22 million solar installation by CDL ELECTRIC o North Howard Burton Drive in Centralia.
A two-story home with a construction permit valuation of $989,151 o S. Cabot Links Dr. Just east of Rock Bridge Elementary School in south Columbia.
TOMPKINS HOMES is the builder.
ALLEN FRAZIER is the builder listed on the permit for an $800,000 home with a nished basement at 850 S. Lagos Ct., west of Pierpont.
REINHARDT CONSTRUCTION
LLC is the builder for a home remodeling project at 1800 N. Route Z in east Columbia. e permit listed a project valuation of $718,500. CBT
Edibles, Elevated
Chef takes comfort food to a higher plane — pun definitely intended — with his High Eats concept.
BY CAROLINE DOHACK
Cannabis and food go together. They just do. Who amongst us — those of us who partake, anyway — hasn’t meandered giggly and red-eyed to the microwave to nuke a bag of Totino’s pizza rolls?
But Chad Jones-Hicks thinks we can do better than that. With his new High Eats concept, the Columbia native brings elevated comfort food with a 420 twist: Any menu item can be infused with CBD or federally legal hemp-derived THC.
A LIFETIME IN THE KITCHEN
Jones-Hicks has been fascinated by food since he was a little boy.
“I would always be in the kitchen with my mom or my grandma, learning different things about cooking,” he says.
As a high school student, Jones-Hicks took culinary classes through Columbia Public Schools’ Columbia Area Career Center. Commitments to the basketball teams at Moberly Area Community College and, later, Lindenwood University, kept him busy during his college years, but after graduation he was back at it.
Jones-Hicks is constantly on the lookout for something new to try, whether it’s an ingredient, a technique, or a gadget. He finds inspiration everywhere.
He’s a big fan of Food Network, especially “Beat Bobby Flay.” He learned a lot from his Jamaican stepfather, Winston Osbourne,
who can sometimes be found serving up something spicy at the Jamaican Jerk Hut food truck. He also enjoys experimenting with Asian flavors like fish sauce and gochujang. Lately he’s been intrigued by Italian traditions and trying to make his own pastas from scratch.
When it comes down to it, Jones-Hicks is all about comfort food. Think hot wings, brisket, coleslaw, and baked beans.
“Comfort food is good food. It makes you feel good,” he says. “And if you infuse it, it makes it even better.”
A VISION TAKES SHAPE
It all started with a trip to Los Angeles, where Jones-Hicks and a cousin visited a cannabis lounge.
“It’s something I’d never experienced before,” he says.
These are upscale spaces, sometimes connected to a dispensary, where people can relax, smoke, and enjoy meals ordered from nearby restaurants. JonesHicks was blown away by the experience and dreamed of replicating it back home. He adds, “My end goal is to open a lounge eventually. That’s my five-year goal: to turn High Eats into a lounge.”
But, you know, baby steps.
Jones-Hicks decided to test the concept with something he called Cannabis Dinner Club: privately hosted dinner parties featuring tasting menus of four to five infused dishes. In April, he posted to some of the Columbia Facebook community pages to get the word out.
Alas, a “concerned citizen” reported Jones-Hicks to the city, and he received an email from the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health telling him to cease operations immediately.
Firstly, cottage law declares only certain foods meant for public consumption can be made in home kitchens. These include baked goods, canned jams and jellies, and dried herbs and herb mixes. Everything else must be prepared in a commercial kitchen. Secondly, he would need to obtain a Food Operating Permit.
So he did. These days, Jones-Hicks cooks at the CoMo Cooks Shared Kitchen, a commercial kitchen and food business incubator located on the Business
Loop and has crossed all the Ts as far as permits go.
“I thank the person who turned me in because it made me go legit,” he says.
High Eats made its debut at a private event, where Jones-Hicks sold out of his chicken wings, nuggets, and tenders.
“All we had left was some shrimp and some guacamole,” he says. “We did $3,000 in sales that day. It was pretty crazy.”
HERBAL ESSENCES
Let’s get a few things out of the way.
Jones-Hicks is not cooking with mari juana. Any THC he uses is federally legal hemp-derived Delta-8 or Delta-9. Some times referred to as “diet weed,” these cannabinoids offer a milder high than marijuana.
Currently, foods containing CBD are A-OK to sell to anyone 18 and older. Foods containing THC, meanwhile, can be sold to people 21 and older. (Yes, Jones-Hicks checks IDs.)
And don’t worry: You’re not going to get hungrier the more you eat.
“You’re full,” Jones-Hicks says. “You’re not going, ‘OK, I’ve got the munchies.’”
And despite the name High Eats, JonesHicks says his purpose isn’t to get people stoned out of their gourds.
He uses a Levo herbal infusion machine to add botanicals to base liquids such as butter, honey, whipping cream, or sauce. From there, Jones-Hicks can calculate the amount of CBD or THC per tablespoon of liquid, which allows him to control dosage per serving. Customers can spec ify their preferred dosage up to 50 milligrams of THC.
And no, there’s none of that afterschool-special-style peer pressure to try something you don’t want to try.
“All my food comes infused or non-infused,” Jones-Hicks says. “When I cook, I make two buffalo sauces, two butters. I want to make sure everyone has the same opportunity to eat my food.”
THE EATS
For now, Jones-Hicks will hold monthly pop-ups at CoMo Cooks. So far he’s developed three signature items: Bud Bites, or chicken nuggets; Blazed Wings, hot
So obviously, I had to take them for a spin. Don’t worry. Things aren’t going to get Maureen-Dowd-eating-a-cannabis-chocolate-bar weird.
The Blazed Wings are great. JonesHicks seasons them with his proprietary eight-spice blend before soaking in buffalo sauce and buttermilk, then frying naked so they come out perfectly crispy.
The Bud Bites are more like popcorn chicken than the big flat coins you might associate with chicken nuggets. These are tender white meat that’s been seasoned, breaded, and baked to have a nice crunch. No, not that kind of baked, but you could get there with some infused sauce. I am
was perfectly cooked — fork-tender, but not mushy — and the CBD-infused sauce had a nice kick.
The first High Eats pop-up was held July 27, at CoMo Cooks Shared Kitchen. In addition to pop-ups, Jones-Hicks says he is “going to grind and get out there” by being available for catering and community events. CBT
This story originally appeared July 24, 2024, at comomag.com.
Deeds of Trust
Worth more than $1,000,000
$6,818,815
Kinney Point Housing Development Group LP
UMB Bank
Kinney Point Plat No 1
$6,428,000
HPI Four Winds LLC
Walker & Dunlop LLC
Lt 1504 Timber Creek Plat No 2
$5,775,271
Springbrook Crossing LLC
e Central Trust Bank
Str 36-48-13 //NE Sur Bk/Pg:
5746/130 Ac 21.87 Ff Tr 2b W/ Excep
$3,000,000
Kinney Point Housing Development Group LP
Columbia Community
Housing Trust
Kinney Point Plat No 1
$2,300,000
e Baptist Home
First State Community Bank
Lt 1 e Baptist Home of Ashland
$2,000,000
Kinney Point Housing Development Group LP
City of Columbia, Missouri
Kinney Point Plat No 1
$1,680,000
Moss Creek Apartments LLC
e Bank of Missouri
Lt 56 Pt Ingleside Add
$1,586,790
Vb-S1 Assets LLC
Deutsche Bank Trust
Company Americas
Str 29-48-12 //NW Sur Bk/Pg: 297/476 Ac 1.72 Ff W/ Excep
$1,542,000
THD-REB Properties LLC
First State Community Bank Lt 910 e Vineyards Plat No 9
$1,300,000
Kinney Point Housing Development Group LP
Housing Authority of the city of Columbia Missouri
Kinney Point Plat No 1
$1,300,000
Bedrock Enterprises LLC
Simmons Bank Lt 404 Spring Creek Plat 4
$1,210,000
e Kevin L & Tamara L Kormeier
Family Trust
Hawthorn Bank Str 28-51-12 /W/SE
$1,150,000
James Wright Commercial Trust Company of Fayette Str 8-49-14 E/E/SW
$1,150,000
Michael Rantiolu Aro
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc Lt 10 Heritage Woods Plat No 1
$1,000,000
Dennis Joseph Wolf
e Bank of Missouri Lt 102 Clear Creek Estates Plat No 1 CBT
Report for July 2024 from the Boone County Recorder of Deeds Office
COLUMBIA’S LEADING EMPLOYERS (BY
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