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| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: May 24, 2010 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
ASSISTING IN THE APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS: The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded a 2010 Byrne Assistance (JAG) Grant jointly to the city of Columbus and Franklin County. Public Safety Committee Chair Andrew J. Ginther is sponsoring ordinance 0766-2010 to accept a memorandum of understanding and interlocal agreement between Columbus and Franklin County for the allocation of grant funds. The agreement is required by the U.S. department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance prior to receiving the JAG funds. The city of Columbus will receive $250,000 in grant funding which will be used for the annual maintenance of the Columbus Division of Police’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The AFIS system assists law enforcement agencies worldwide in the apprehension and conviction of thousands of criminals.
IMPROVING COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS: The Neighborhood Design Center has provided design services, planning activities, and financial alternatives to commercial property owners and tenants in Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization (NCR) districts since 1982. The Design Center has assisted hundreds of businesses, property owners, and community groups develop neighborhood improvement plans, parks, storefront designs, parking facilities, and streetscape improvements. Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Development Committee, is sponsoring ordinance 0680-2010, which authorizes the expenditure of $40,000 from the General Government Grant Fund for the Neighborhood Design Center to provide services and assist the Land Redevelopment Office in evaluating properties acquired under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The Design Center will help evaluate properties held in the Columbus Land Bank and make recommendations to stabilize and renovate the structures.
PROVIDING ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO MUNICIPAL COURT DOCUMENTS: The Franklin County Municipal Clerk of Court’s Office is responsible for maintaining, safeguarding, and storing all court documents for the Franklin County Municipal Court. Currently, the storage space in the Clerk’s Office is inadequate to house the volume of documents produced. An electronic system is desperately needed. Judiciary & Court Administration Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring two ordinances that will enable court documents to be converted into electronic images. Ordinance 0717-2010 authorizes the expenditure of $466,756.47 from the Municipal Court Clerk Improvement Fund for the purchase of imaging, software, maintenance, and services for the conversion of existing court documents into electronic images and the implementation of a day-forward document conversion system. Ordinance 0734-2010 authorizes the expenditure of $102,776.15 for the purchase of work stations needed to support the imaging software. The imaging services and conversion system will optimize storage space, reduce future storage costs and provide efficient access to court document information.
CONTINUING EFFORTS TO END HOMELESSNESS: The city of Columbus is committed to helping the homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless find stabilized housing. Housing Committee Chair Charleta B. Tavares is sponsoring ordinance 0716-2010, which will authorize the expenditure of $150,000 from the 2010 Capital Improvements Fund for the acquisition and development of the Commons at Livingston permanent supportive housing project. The Commons at Livingston is being developed as part of the Rebuilding Lives initiative to provide permanent supportive housing for homeless persons and those at risk of being homeless. The Commons at Livingston is the first project under Columbus' new commitment to provide $6 million in funding over a five year period for the development of additional units under this program. It is anticipated that $3 million of the $6 million commitment will be provided from bond funds with the remaining funds to come from the city's allocation of HOME Investment Partnership Funds and/or Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds.
ENSURING THE AVAILABILITY OF VITAL RECORDS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY: Columbus Public Health Vital Statistics Office issues certified copies of certificates for births and deaths occurring from 1908 to the present in Franklin County. Councilmember A. Troy Miller, chair of the Administration Committee, is sponsoring ordinance 0626-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $67,824.00 from the Department of Technology's Internal Services Fund for the continued services of an automated vital records management system. The vital statistics record management system enables Columbus Public Health to electronically provide full end-to-end processing of birth and death records. The electronic system fully supports the future of federally legislated electronic verification of vital events and statewide central issuance. The legislation also authorizes year three of a five year service fee agreement which includes software, license, maintenance, and support services to Columbus Public Health from June 24, 2010 through June 23, 2011.
IMPROVING HAYDEN RUN ROAD: Public Service Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is sponsoring ordinance 0657-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $2,412,825.78 from the Street & Highways Governmental Obligation Bonds Fund, the Northwest Corridor Pay As We Grow Fund and the Build America Bonds Fund for the Hayden Run Road - Leppert Road Improvement project. The project will add left-turn lanes in all directions to relieve traffic congestion. The project extends from the intersection approximately 1,100 feet to the north/west and 600 feet to the south/east on Hayden Run Road, and approximately 1000 feet to the south on Leppert Road. The work will include the construction of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, new storm sewerage, lighting, signalization components, and 10 ADA wheelchair ramps.
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