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| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: June 21, 2010 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS MEALS FOR COLUMBUS CHILDREN: Each year, the Recreation and Parks Department sponsors the summer food program to ensure that Columbus children receive nutritionally balanced meals throughout the summer. Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Recreation and Parks Committee, is sponsoring ordinance 0831-2010 to authorize the acceptance of a $50,000 grant received through the National Recreation and Parks Association for the expansion of the 2010 summer food program. Meals are served to anyone between the ages of 1-18 years at over 175 sites throughout the city. Last summer over 300,000 children were served.
FUNDING ADDICTION SERVICES: The Columbus Health Department offers a wide range of services to help individuals who are battling drug and alcohol addiction. Ordinance 0828-2010, sponsored by Health and Human Development Committee Chair Charleta B. Tavares, will direct the Board of Health to accept a grant service contract from the Franklin County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board in the amount of $878,750 and to authorize a total appropriation of $1,200,500. The grant will be used to fund the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Outpatient Program, Adult Prevention Services, Women’s Project, Children & Adolescent Prevention and the Alcohol Other Drug/HIV Prevention programs.
ACCESSING MUNICIPAL COURT DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY: Franklin County Municipal Clerk of Court Lori Tyack’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 large volume of paper documents produced in the court system. Judiciary & Court Administration Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring ordinance 0832-2010 to authorize the use of the Municipal Court Clerk Improvement Fund to purchase a scanner for the conversion of court documents into electronic images. The conversion system will optimize storage space, reduce future storage costs and provide efficient access to court document information.
MAINTAINING CRIME FIGHTING TOOLS FOR COLUMBUS POLICE: In 2006, the Columbus Division of Police received a grant in the amount of $484,705 through the Columbus Urban Area Homeland Security Advisory Committee for the acquisition of F.L.I.R (Forward Looking Infrared) Systems for the Police Helicopter Unit. The infrared camera system provides better detection through thermal and visible light imaging in all weather conditions, day or night. Public Safety Committee Chair Andrew J. Ginther is sponsoring ordinance 0850-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $49,106.00 from the Law Enforcement Drug Seizure Fund for a maintenance agreement for the helicopter infrared system with FLIR Systems, Inc., the sole manufacturer and distributor of the equipment.
MILLER HOLDING PUBLIC BRIEFING TO DISCUSS ZONING PROCESS: Columbus City Councilmember A. Troy Miller, chair of the Zoning Committee, will hold a public briefing on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers to educate the public on the zoning process. The meeting will be broadcast live on city government television channel C-TV.
CREATING CENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM: The city is currently engaged in creating a new central traffic signal system in Columbus. Public Service and Transportation Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is sponsoring ordinance 0815-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $6,072,248.42 from the Federal-State Highway Engineering Fund for Phase A of the Columbus Traffic Signal System (CTSS). The project includes the installation of conduit, pull-boxes, fiber optic cable, and communication cabinets for the system’s communication network, which will provide system connectivity and interoperability for a centralized control system of all Columbus traffic signals. Phase A will also allow for an inter-agency data exchange for the Departments of Public Service and Technology, as part of the citywide connectivity goal.
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