COLUMBIA — With a special election less than two months away, the Boone County Muleskinners hosted a public forum Friday featuring candidates for the open Second Ward seat on the Columbia City Council.

Ken Rice and Vera Elwood met with the Muleskinners over Zoom. The special election will be held Aug. 5 to fill the seat left vacant by former council member Lisa Meyer, who resigned in May.

Each of the candidates described their connection to Columbia while emphasizing areas of the city that need improvement. Elwood and Rice not only shared their plans for the Second Ward, but also answered questions regarding what their plans look like. Both candidates addressed public infrastructure.

Elwood said she is focusing on streets, sidewalks, utilities and public distrust.

"In Ward 2, public transit, we only receive one of the bus routes only going to the most southern tip of Ward 2," Elwood said. "The more northern parts of Ward 2 do not have bus routes at all."

Both candidates addressed public safety and said there is lack of action on important issues.

Rice also said some city bus riders told him they felt unsafe around some riders who were homeless.

"A lady on the bus said to me, 'I'm worried about going on with the kids, because they yell, they are scary, and I am intimidated,'" Rice said. "Whether that's true or not, her perception is reality."

After both candidates spoke and answered questions, the Boone County Democratic Central Committee decided to endorse Elwood.