| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: January 31, 2011 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
WEAR RED DAY: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death among women over the age of twenty in the United States. Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson is sponsoring resolution 0007X-2011 to declare February 4, 2011 as “Wear Red Day” in the city of Columbus. The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement encourages women to pay attention to their hearts and take preventative measures to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease to live longer, healthier lives. City Council hopes that many lives can be saved by helping increase the awareness of the risk factors associated with this devastating disease and encouraging actions to reduce them.
Helping create a NEW Bikepath along the olentangy river road corridor: Public Service and Transportation Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is sponsoring ordinance 0041-2011 which authorizes the Director of Public Service to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation and the expenditure of $4,539.70 for a safety study of the Olentangy River Road corridor. The expenditure represents a 10% local match of the $45,397.00 total cost of the study. Results will enable ODOT to justify funding the construction of a shared-use path on Olentangy River Road through the Highway Safety Program. The addition of the shared-use path would comply with the recommendation of The Bicentennial Bikeways Plan (BBP). The current city bike trail system was developed primarily along north-south river corridors and the shared-use path would help complete a connected bikeway system in the city.
PROVIDING RESIDENTS SAFE DRINKING WATER: Columbus provides more than one million people with clean, safe drinking water. Public Utilities Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring ordinance 1809-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $300,000 from the Water Systems Operating Fund for the City’s participation in the Lead-Safe Columbus Program. This program is part of an effort to work with the EPA on strategies to protect the environment and public health. In 1991, the EPA enacted the Lead and Copper Rule, which requires tap water testing and the replacement of lead service lines at residences that exceed the action level, under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
CONGRATULATING CHAMPIONS: Councilmember Zachary M. Klein is introducing resolution 0012X-2011 to honor the Bishop Watterson Football Team for winning the 2010 Division III State Football Championship. The Eagles defeated the Akron Buchtel Griffins 13-12 in Paul Brown Stadium on December 4th.
SUPPLYING NATURAL GAS FOR CITY VEHICLES: In an effort to help reduce emissions, part of the city’s fleet is being replaced with compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. Council President and Finance & Economic Development Chair Andrew J. Ginther is sponsoring ordinance 0113--2011 to authorize the expenditure of $978,000.00 for the installation of compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station equipment at 4211 Groves Road. The fueling station will provide a rapid and reliable dispensing of compressed natural gas (CNG) to the 23 CNG heavy-duty vehicles the city will receive this year as it begins to grow a fleet of energy efficient CNG fueled vehicles. CNG vehicles produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and toxic and carcinogenic pollutants. Natural gas is readily available, clean-burning and costs less than gasoline or diesel fuel.
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