Effective public policy that positively impacts people's lives is often the result of a diverse set of stakeholders coming together to find solutions to problems facing our community.

Nearly two years ago, I started talks on the prevalent issue of wage theft and payroll fraud in Columbus. Wage theft and payroll fraud occur when an employer fails to compensate a worker as the law requires. This abuse takes many forms, and we know it impacts women, people of color, and low-wage workers the most.

My team and Council colleagues took on this challenge and passed the City's first wage theft prevention law on September 21, 2020. It set new standards for vendors and developers that want to do business with Columbus. Simply put, our law protects workers and employers that follow the rules. We will no longer do business with those that don't.

Public policy's journey does not end when the votes are counted, and it becomes law. Implementing new policy requires the same type of interaction with a diverse set of stakeholders to ensure we get things right. I heard from workers, organized labor, private developers, and attorneys representing everyone in-between. During these discussions, it became clear that we needed to make some key amendments to help provide additional clarity to those subject to the law.

I strongly believe these amendments enhance what we originally set out to do, and there is still more work to do before we can start fully enforcing our Wage Theft Prevention ordinances. The City has already hired a new Wage Theft Prevention Coordinator, and we hope to have a full Wage Theft Prevention Commission seated next month.

I am proud that Columbus City Council has worked to make sure that we will use our contracting power to set an example that workers should not be defrauded and employers that follow the law are not hurt by those that don't.

Yours in Service,
Rob Dorans
Councilmember

Council President Shannon G. Hardin sponsored resolution 0080X-2021, urging the U.S. Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The bill seeks to increase accountability for law enforcement misconduct. It restricts the use of certain police practices, enhances transparency and data collection, establishes best practices and training requirements. It also asks existing enforcement programs to remedy violations conducted by police.

The legislation includes lowering the criminal intent standard, limiting qualified immunity, granting administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice and creates a national registry to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. City Council expressed its support for H.R. 1280 and urged the U.S. Senate to pass the legislation.

Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown, chair of the Finance Committee sponsored ordinance 0968-2021 to enter into an $875,000 agreement with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to install new public restroom facilities downtown. The addition of these facilities will help make the area cleaner and more welcoming while supporting vulnerable residents in need of clean and secure amenities. The City will complete an environmental review and community planning process before determining the locations of the new restrooms.

Councilmember Priscilla Tyson sponsored ordinance 1029-2021 to adjust the City of Columbus Zoning Code to allow for the on-site sale and/or pickup of produce grown by small-scale producers in neighborhoods zoned residential. These provisions implement shared goals and recommendations within the 2016 Columbus and Franklin County Local Food Action Plan and 2017 Green Business and Urban Agriculture Strategic Plan. Both plans aim to enable, support, and grow a more robust and more efficient local food system.

Councilmember Mitchell J. Brown, chair of the Public Safety Committee sponsored ordinance 1207-2021 to purchase 1,500 cable gun locks for the Division of Fire. The devices to be distributed to Columbus residents from fire stations across the City. This $8,475 expenditure will be aimed at reducing accidental shootings through unsecured guns in homes. 

Councilmember Shayla Favor, chair of the Housing Committee sponsored ordinance 1064-2021, authorizes $90,000 from the 2020 HOME funds to the Franklinton Development Association’s Town Square Station project. Town Square Station is a 10-unit, new construction, rental development that will support households at or below 50% of the area median income. Other major project funding is also coming from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and the Affordable House Trust.

The City of Columbus is working to develop a new Creative Campus in Olde Towne East!

We are excited to build a space where the community can come together and create. This campus will include indoor and outdoor spaces with a variety of creative programming and wellness activities.

To learn more and provide your input, visit www.cbuscreativecampus.com/