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| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: April 12, 2010 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
HELPING COMPLETE THE OHIO TO ERIE TRAIL: In December 2009, Columbus City Council approved an ordinance for the development of a one mile section of the Ohio to Erie trail along the west side of Hoover Reservoir. The mile-long dedicated trail will directly connect Columbus to the regional trail network of Delaware County, and complete a key segment of the Ohio to Erie trail. Utilities Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is introducing ordinance 0542-2010, which authorize the city to grant Delaware County a perpetual bikeway/walkway easement unto certain city property. The project will provide unique access for visitors to the west side of Hoover Reservoir and increase safety for cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. The pathway is part of a network that will join Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland.
FUNDING SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES: The City of Columbus partners with a number of highly dedicated social service agencies that help thousands of Columbus residents. Health and Human Development Committee Chair Charleta B. Tavares is sponsoring legislation that will provide funding for 42 organizations as they work to meet the needs of their clients. Ordinance 0549-2010 authorizes the Department of Development to enter into contracts worth $2,906,100.00. The legislation targets social service agencies that provide help to families and households through access to day care, substance abuse prevention programs, refugee and resettlement programs, senior care, mediation services, services for the disabled, material assistance and food programs, workforce development, and youth programs. The legislation authorizes the expenditure of $789,872.00 from the Emergency Human Services Fund and $2,116,228,00 from the General Fund for a total of $2,906,100.00.
CRAIG SUPPORTING IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE NORTH MARKET: City Council will vote to adopt the 2010 Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) during tonight’s meeting. Minority and Business Development Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is supporting a line item in the budget to allocate $500,000 for infrastructure improvements to the North Market. The North Market is Columbus’ only public market and houses dozens of unique, independent merchants and farmers. The former Advanced Thresher warehouse was last renovated in 1992 and is in need of improvements to the HVAC ventilation system and roof, as well as painting and masonry work.
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT IN COLUMBUS: Brownfield revitalization, which transforms vacant and abandoned properties into job-creating projects, continues to be a top priority for City Council’s economic development strategy. Finance and Economic Development Committee Chair Andrew J. Ginther is sponsoring ordinance 0544-2010, which authorizes the acceptance of a $300,000 grant from the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund for site assessment activities at the former 3M site in the Weinland Park neighborhood. The former 3M site was used for metal refinishing operations from 1920 to 2000 when the factory closed. The structure has remained vacant and has been a blighting influence in the area. The Columbus Department of Development recently withdrew the original application for a $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization fund grant until further assessment of the site could be done. The city plans to resubmit the $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund application upon completion of the additional environmental assessment of the site.
PROVIDING NUTRITION FOR COLUMBUS SENIORS: The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program allows low income seniors in Central Ohio to obtain locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Participants receive vouchers which can be redeemed at local organized markets including the North Market. Recreation and Parks Committee Chair Priscilla R. Tyson is sponsoring ordinance 0495-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $202,150.00 from the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund to collaborate with LifeCare Alliance for the 2010 Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. The program runs from May through October and will help provide approximately 3,860 individuals with vouchers.
MAINTAINING CITY COMPUTER SYSTEMS: Councilmember A. Troy Miller, chair of the Administration Committee, is sponsoring ordinance 0511-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $426,846.29 from the Department of Technology’s information services fund for Cisco SmartNet maintenance services to support the city’s metronet hardware. The metronet is a critical component of the computing infrastructure citywide. SmartNet will support data transfer needs for imaging projects and other city applications such as e-mail, water billing, purchasing/procurement and accounting, VOIP, and geographic information systems (GIS). The Cisco SmartNet hardware maintenance support will provide services to the city’s metronet through March 31, 2011.
PRESIDENT MENTEL SUPPORTING sTATE iSSUE 2: City Council President Michael C. Mentel is sponsoring resolution 0039X-2010 to support the passage of State Issue 2, which authorizes a change in the location of the Columbus casino project from 18 acres in the Arena District downtown to the 123-acre site at the abandoned General Motors/Delphi automotive plant on Georgesville Road. Last November, Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing casinos to be built at four specific sites in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo. Following discussions with Columbus neighborhood, civic, business and government leaders, Penn National Gaming agreed to move the casino to the city’s West Side to help spur economic revitalization in a community hard hit by the economic downturn. The passage of State Issue 2 would bring much-needed economic revitalization to the West Side community and help transform it into a vibrant destination location. The Columbus casino project is expected to create 3,500 new construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs and generate $64.1 million in new annual revenue for Columbus, Franklin County, and local school districts.
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