City Council discusses new museum, same-sex partnerships

The museum would be built on a property near campus.

By Ryan Schmitz

Published March 17, 2009

At its meeting Monday night, City Council heard a report about the possible acquisition of land by the city to build a museum near the MU campus.

The city has considered purchasing land on Fifth Street between Cherry and Locust streets, the site of a university-owned parking lot, Bengal's Bar and Grill, a private residence and a laundromat. City officials have discussed using eminent domain to acquire the property from its owners.

The area would house the Missouri State Historical Society, which has outgrown its home in Ellis Library.

City Manger Bill Watkins said the city should acquire the land for the museum quickly or risk losing the museum to Jefferson City.

"We will negotiate between our appraisal of the land's value and the state's and try to reach a compromise," Watkins said.

Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser acknowledged the importance of the SHS to Columbia, but voiced concerns about the strict timetable and the way federal stimulus money would be spent.

"While I agree the SHS is integral to our community, I don't know if I agree with the way this stimulus money is being spent," Nauser said. "I just feel there's too much pressure for us to accommodate this timeframe."

Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala criticized the use of eminent domain, which he said would complicate the proceedings and make the transfer of land more difficult.

"I thought this was to get the ideas out to the public," he said. "I'm sorry someone invited the 900-pound eminent domain gorilla to the party, and didn't tell him to keep his mouth shut. Nobody likes to see that."

The council made no decision during the meeting, but authorized Watkins to prepare more extensive research before the next meeting.

In other business, the council authorized the use of federal stimulus funds for the Columbia Terminal Railroad overpass on Old 63, which is expected to be a $9 million project and has been considered a high priority project by the city.

On Monday, the city announced it would receive $1.6 million from a federal appropriations bill that was signed into law last week for the construction of the overpass.

The council also had the first reading of a bill that would allow two individuals to jointly declare, for a $25 fee, a domestic partnership by certifying they have lived together for at least six months, are 18 years of age or older, are not married to anyone other then their partners and have no other partners.

"In general, this ordinance would protect the rights of same-sex couples so they are not mistreated in certain situations," said Mark Thomas, vice chairman of the Columbia Human Rights Commission. "For example, some same-sex partners in other areas of the country have been denied visitation rights in hospitals because they weren't officially recognized as family."

Having a domestic partnership enables same-sex couples and their families to access city facilities, employee benefits, health care visits and nursing homes.

In a meeting of the Human Rights Commission on March 3, the commission recommended that the council pass the proposed ordinance, similar to an existing policy in Kansas City.

"This is indicative of the high quality of life we have in Columbia," he said. "We want to promote acceptance and tolerance, and we look for Columbia to be a leader in these areas."

Columbia would join at least 73 other cities and counties in maintaining a domestic partnership registry, including St. Louis; Kansas City; Lawrence, Kan.; Iowa City, Iowa; Boulder, Colo. and Urbana, Ill. The council will discuss the bill in greater detail and vote on it at a later meeting.