Columbia City Council met Monday night and approved ordinances that resulted in higher parking meter fees for Columbia residents. The council also gave the green light to rezoning for a downtown apartment complex and investigated $200,000 in insurance negligence.

Parking meter fines will increase from $5 to $10, adding an estimated $100,000 to city revenue.

In defense of the fine increases, supporting documentation listed cities such as Manhattan, Austin and Boulder, all with parking meter fines between $10-25.

Jefferson City’s parking meter fines were listed at $5-$12 depending on the severity of the time violation.

“Comparison’s were very helpful,” Third Ward Councilman Gary Kespohl said.

The change was approved 6-1 with Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser voting against the increase.

The new fees will go into effect March 1.

During the pre-council meeting City Manager Bill Watkins presented a report on an insurance oversight resulting in at least $198,500 in wrongful benefit payouts.

Watkins said the previous employee who handled the employee benefits sent e-mails to the insurance provider to remove 401 employees from coverage, but they were incorrectly filled out and refused by the insurance company. The employee failed to follow up on the issue and 18 employees continued to use benefits they were not entitled to.

New policies were implemented and there have been no further problems with overlapping or terminating benefits.

“The investigation would indicate no fraud,” Watkins said. “It appears it is negligence.”

Fourth Ward Councilman Daryl Dudley asked if charges of negligence could be filed against the city employee responsible for signing off on the claims.

Watkins said the investigation is still active, so he wasn’t sure.

During the council meeting several members of the community stood up to speak for and against the rezoning of an area on East Walnut Street and College Avenue.

The rezoning request came from Craig Van Matre representing Brookside Apartments owner Nathan Odle. The plan is to build a new multi-family, 100-unit apartment building.

It is zoned as R-3 or medium family dwellings. If changed to C-2, the building would be available for any commercial building, not just an apartment complex.

Parking space and traffic congestion took center stage during the debate. Homeowner and MU employee Nina Wilson-Keenan spoke on behalf of her neighborhood against the project.

“I used to live at the Jefferson Commons, I guess you call it the Reserve now,” she said. “Believe me that students have cars, and all of their friends have cars, and they play music and throw beer cans.”

Homeowner David Owens was in favor of the complex, but expressed concerns over drivers and the roadways. Ash Street is a bicycle boulevard.

“The thing that disturbs me is cars,” he said. “East Ash is two blocks long and very narrow.”

The rezoning was approved unanimously. The complex is set to be available for leasing August 2012.