The city Columbia can become!
What kind of 21st century city will our Columbia become? This is one of the central questions I raised during our recent campaign.
April 17, 2008 | Read More
Neighborhoods power Gergel to big win
Belinda Gergel was elected to Columbia City Council on Tuesday, offering a resounding victory to neighborhood leaders concerned about developers' influence in downtown growth.
April 2, 2008 | Read More
View WLTX's Interview with Belinda
Belinda discusses the election results and future goals on WLTX.
April 2, 2008 | Read More
Belinda's Interview on WIS TV
Belinda discusses the election, future, and issues facing the city with WIS TV.
April 2, 2008 | Read More
Final Columbia City Council election results
Here are the final results from the Columbia City Council election, held April 1. A city-wide referendum was also on the ballot to allow alcohol sales in Columbia on Sundays.
April 1, 2008 | Read More
We need your help!
We need volunteers on Election Day - Tuesday, April 1. Our volunteers will fill a variety of roles - including poll greeters, runners, providing rides to the polls, and more.
March 25, 2008 | Read More
The State Paper Endorses Belinda Gergel
Gergel better choice for Columbia City Council District 3
March 22, 2008 | Read More
10 Days Remaining - Election Excitement Builds!
Some of you may have seen my recent campaign ad on television. While I regret that the race for the District 3 City Council seat has resulted in the need for this expense, there has been a lovely, unintended consequence of the ad that I want to share with you...
March 21, 2008 | Read More
Brad Warthen's Blog features Belinda Gergel
When Belinda Gergel was an 18-year-old freshman at Columbia College, she first saw a house that she decided she must live in one day. Now, retired from chairing the history and political science departments at that college, she does.
March 13, 2008 | Read More
Early Voting with my Mother
On Monday, my 85-year-old Mother called to tell me that she felt it was a good day for her to vote - the weather was beautiful and she felt up to the ride to Harden Street - and off we went.
March 12, 2008 | Read More
What a Weekend!
Wasn't it the perfect weekend to put out campaign yard signs? On Saturday morning a group of volunteers gathered at my home on Pendleton Street for coffee and then headed out to deliver 500 yard signs throughout the beautiful neighborhoods of District 3.
March 3, 2008 | Read More
Gergel Calls on All Council Candidates to Post Donors
All candidates for District 3 of Columbia City Council have called for greater financial transparency. I believe we should all practice what we preach by placing on line immediately information regarding all of our donors, the amount of each donation and the occupation of each donor. I have called upon my opponents to immediately post all donor information on their campaign websites and to update this information regularly until election day. I have already posted my donor information and ...
February 7, 2008 | Read More
City Council campaign - Hopefuls raise record war chests
Running for a City Council district seat wasn't always this expensive.
January 30, 2008 | Read More
Statement of Candidacy of Belinda Gergel
Standing in front of a crowd of friends and supporters on Pendleton Street, Belinda Gergel formally announced her candidacy for Columbia City Council District 3.
January 29, 2008 | Read More
Gergel announces run for City Council
Surrounded by supporters and friends, Belinda Gergel formally announced her candidacy for Columbia City Council from District 3.
January 29, 2008 | Read More
Columbia City Council candidates campaigning for April
With the presidential primaries out of the way, candidates for Columbia City Council are rolling out their campaigns for the April election.
January 29, 2008 | Read More
City kills change in 'McMansion' proposal
Columbia City Council on Wednesday unanimously turned back a push by home builders and real estate agents to weaken the city's proposed "neighborhood character protection" ordinance.
January 24, 2008 | Read More
A Win for Our Neighborhoods and Our City
City Council rejected the efforts of the Homebuilders' Association to gut the ordinance after what today's State newspaper described as the most "intense" lobbying campaign in the recent history of the city.
January 24, 2008 | Read More
Home site limits opposed
Amendment sought to proposal to restrict 'McMansions'
January 18, 2008 | Read More
Don't deter older communities from getting protections
If the city is serious about preserving communities, it must adopt effective rules. That said, the new rules should strike a balance, giving developers and property owners a clear understanding of what is allowed. The idea shouldn’t be to stifle progress.
January 18, 2008 | Read More
Protect Our Neighborhoods!
Only days before City Council begins its final stages in adopting the ordinance at a public hearing next Wednesday, the Columbia Homebuilders Association is distributing a slick mailing, reported on in today's State newspaper, that is designed to frighten and confuse city homeowners.
January 18, 2008 | Read More
It's Official: Belinda Files for the City Council Race
Filing for City Council races opened yesterday, and I went to City Hall and officially filed the necessary paperwork for the District 3 seat that will be vacated by longtime councilwoman Anne Sinclair.
January 4, 2008 | Read More
Embracing the Season in Pinehurst
District 3 contains the great prism of neighborhoods in Columbia, ranging from the city’s most affluent to its most needy. One neighborhood that faces numerous challenges is Pinehurst, located between Forest Dive and Two Notch Road near Providence Hospital and Middleborough Mall Office complex.
December 15, 2007 | Read More
Addressing Deficiencies in Financial Management
I attended the City Council meeting today and heard the auditor’s report on the 2005-2006 year end audit, now at least a year overdue.
December 12, 2007 | Read More
Columbia: A City of Choice, Not Chance
What kind of 21st century city will Columbia become? As I pen this mail, I am attending the 25th International Waterfront Conference in Boston sponsored by The Waterfront Center, a nonprofit organization focused on the responsible development of urban waterfronts. I have come to Boston to learn more about how cities across this country have embraced rivers and waterfront areas to provide new living, work, and recreation spaces that enhance quality of life and fuel economic development.
December 12, 2007 | Read More
Change City Board
As you may have seen on the front page of yesterday's State newspaper, City Council met Wednesday to discuss appointments to various boards and commissions. I attended this meeting and am concerned about the process for these appointments, especially for our land use regulatory boards, including the Planning Commission and the Design Development Review Commission (DDRC).
October 5, 2007 | Read More
Columbia plans to clean house on land-use boards: New appointees will determine how city is developed
The people who decide how Columbia grows are being forced off land-use boards in a sweeping change that could affect the way the city looks for decades.
October 4, 2007 | Read More
City areas must ask for restrictions
Columbia residents, you've got a new tool to help control how your neighborhood develops.
September 20, 2007 | Read More
Boyer-Gergel Race High Dollar, Big Stakes: Match-Up May Shake Up Balance of Power
The first campaign contribution filings for Columbia City Council candidates are in and the numbers are enough to make the much talked about 2000 totals look like peanuts.
September 4, 2007 | Read More
Election could tip council- Win by Boyer would give conservative councilmen a stronger voting bloc
The upcoming Columbia City Council race between candidates Belinda Gergel and Brian Boyer isn't just about issues. It's about control.
August 13, 2007 | Read More
News Conference: Statement of Belinda Gergel on Columbia's in-town neighborhoods
This news conference is called to address the serious problems facing our in-town neighborhoods as a result of aggressive and inadequately regulated development activities, which threaten the very character of these neighborhoods.
August 8, 2007 | Read More
City wrestles with growth
Columbia tries to lure new residents while preserving old neighborhoods
August 8, 2007 | Read More
Columbia City Council candidate pushing for historic preservation
A Columbia City Council candidate says there should be a moratorium on demolition and building in some Columbia neighborhoods.
August 8, 2007 | Read More
Statement
This news conference is called to address the serious problems facing our in-town neighborhoods as a result of aggressive and inadequately regulated development activities, which threaten the very character of these neighborhoods. I am encouraged by City Council's action in identifying this issue as a matter of important concern and its apparent willingness to consider proposals to protect and preserve our in-town neighborhoods. I propose today a five-point plan as a blue print for the ...
August 7, 2007 | Read More
City to fine-tune development rules
Council says new process is needed to address concerns
August 2, 2007 | Read More
Historic - or just plain old?
Backlog of 'historic' requests deepens tension over what can be built, torn down
August 1, 2007 | Read More