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A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT SHANNON G. HARDIN
As 2021 draws to a close, we have much to celebrate, but even more work to do in making our City more equitable and just for all. Everything we’ve faced begins and ends with taking a look at what the coronavirus has done to our City, and what we can do in the face of its challenges. This pandemic has spared nobody and has laid bare the inequities faced by residents of this city each day, from ensuring our bellies are full, to having a good-paying job, to the most basic necessity -- a roof over our heads. We continue to listen and work on solutions to these ever-evolving issues.
That’s why City Council made targeted investments to make childcare more affordable for families and to recruit new teachers. In partnership with our shelter system, Council worked to create covid-safe spaces for unhoused residents and hire folks with the training to deescalate tense situations internally, without needing to pull officers away from their work. The City, Franklin County, and the State of Ohio have together distributed more than $50 million in utility and rental assistance to more than 25,000 central Ohio tenants.
We also made great strides this year to create unique solutions to complex problems. We launched The Columbus Promise, an initiative that makes Columbus State Community College free for new Columbus City Schools graduates. This is a launching point, and I’m excited about the possibilities to connect the Columbus Promise to high-paying jobs and expand this effort to more students.
As we close the year, we also wish a happy retirement to two of our members on Council, Priscilla Tyson and Mitchell J. Brown. Their tenures on Council have been exemplary, and their commitment to service has been beyond admirable. We know they’ll still be involved in our city because their desire to serve runs deep.
As we look toward 2022, we welcome two new colleagues in Nick Bankston and Lourdes Barroso de Padilla. With these new members, Council will continue listening, working, and doing everything we can to make our City more equitable for all.
Have a happy holiday season, and a joyous New Year, Columbus! `
In Service,
Shannon G. Hardin
Council President
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On Monday, December 13, 2021, Council approved the official district map for the newly-created nine residential districts for the City of Columbus.
After months of public meetings and public input, the Council Residential Districting Commission (CRDC) presented their final three proposals to Council and a map was approved. The CRDC’s robust, public-facing process was conducted throughout the course of 2021, with over two dozen public working sessions, including six regional information-gathering sessions which provided more than 500 comments from residents on draft maps, and an online survey that garnered thousands of results.
The nine districts created by the map approved by Council on December 13th will be in place for the 2023 elections, when all nine Council seats will be up for election.
In November Council and other civic leaders announced phase one of the Columbus Promise program: tuition-free education at Columbus State Community College for Columbus City Schools graduating seniors.
The City of Columbus, Columbus State Community College, I Know I Can, and Columbus City Schools developed the Columbus Promise based on a national model used in other cities and states. Students who graduate from Columbus City Schools during phase one of the program (classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024) complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and an application to Columbus State can attend Columbus State full-time or part-time for up to six semesters to complete a two-year degree or shorter certificate program.
Residents who are involved in the lives of Columbus City Schools students should encourage them to fill out the FAFSA to ensure they remain eligible for the program.
To learn more about the Columbus Promise, visit cbuspromise.com.
In January 2022, Council is set to convene two commissions, as required by the City Charter, to review the City Charter itself, and address elected official pay.
On January 10th, Columbus City Council and Mayor Andrew J. Ginther will seat a Charter Review Commission, per the requirements of the Columbus City Charter that require a commission be seated in 2022, and once every ten years thereafter, for the purpose of reviewing the Charter and making recommendations for potential revisions.
Last convened in 2018, the Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation reviews and recommends the salary for each elective officer of the city, increasing citizen engagement and accountability in the process of setting future pay rates for elected officials in Columbus. This process is mandated by the City Charter to occur every four years, and this commission will be made up of residents of Columbus and seated in January.
The process to appoint members of both commissions is now open, and residents can find information on applying for the Charter Review Commission here, and the Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation here.
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President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown sponsored ordinance 2901-2021 to enter into a non-profit service contract with Action For Children to utilize up to $3.9 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to provide affordability scholarships for families and to recruit new childcare teachers including providing signing bonuses. These investments will help support access for all families to a high-quality, affordable, and equitable early learning landscape, a critical need for working parents and the entire economy.
Councilmember Mitchell J. Brown, chair of the Public Safety Committee sponsored ordinance 3059-2021 to set aside $4,000,000 to upgrade body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, and interview room cameras for the Division of Police.
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Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy sponsored ordinance 2820-2021, creating the Afghan Neighbors Rental Assistance Fund (ANRAF). Through Columbus resettlement agencies, Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS) and Us Together, Afghan Nationals are greeted and provided welcome to the city of Columbus followed by assistance with securing employment and housing. Being new to the U.S. and many unemployed upon arrival, getting approved for housing has become a barrier for Afghan Nationals. The ANRAF will serve as reassurance to local landlords that rental assistance will be provided to Afghan Nationals in the event they are unable to secure employment and emergency funds through the resettlement agencies are unavailable.
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Councilmember Shayla Favor sponsored ordinance 2693-2021 by authorizing the Director of Public Service to enter into contract with HNTB Ohio, INC. in an amount of $1.2 million to inspect and improve Columbus’ Traffic Signal System. Underground conduit is an important component of our traffic signal network infrastructure. The conduit houses cables that allow our traffic signal network to function and communicate effectively. The conduit repairs will improve maintenance operations by making repairs more efficient when operations teams need to respond.
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Councilmember Rob Dorans sponsored ordinance 2572-2021 to expand the Enhanced Meter Project within the Division of Water. As the older water and electrical meters are replaced, new meters will improve service, decrease burden on maintenance operations, reduce water loss, improve revenue, and improve customer access to billing and consumption history. The $750,000 project will install new meters that allow moving from quarterly to monthly billing in the future, which can make bills more manageable in both cost and time for customers.
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