| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: April 4, 2011 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
IMPROVING CITY STREETS: Columbus residents will soon see improvements to streets throughout the city. Public Service Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring ordinance 0439-2011 to authorize the expenditure of $5,602,138.28 from the Governmental Build America Bonds Fund for Resurfacing 2011 – Zone 2 street resurfacing project. The project involves the reconstruction and resurfacing of 30 city streets and the construction of 394 wheelchair ramps. The work consists of milling the existing pavement, overlaying with new asphalt concrete, the replacement of curb and sidewalks associated with the installation of ADA wheelchair ramps and partial depth pavement repair where warranted. Click here for a complete list of streets included in the project.
KEEPING CITY VEHICLES OPERATING EFFICIENTLY: City vehicles are used every day to provide essential city services to area residents. Fire engines, police cruisers, EMS vehicles and refuse collection trucks often need repairs due to high usage. Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Finance Committee, is sponsoring legislation that will ensure the city’s award winning Fleet Management Division has the parts and supplies they need to keep a variety of city-owned vehicles in the best possible working condition. Ordinance 0309-2011 will authorize the expenditure of $222,976.21 from the Fleet Management Services Fund for automotive parts, supplies, and services needed to repair the city’s fleet in a minimal amount of time to keep the equipment operational and ready to respond.
PROVIDING INTERPRETATION SERVICES AT COLUMBUS PUBLIC HEALTH: Thousands of Columbus residents speaking various languages utilize the services offered by Columbus Public Health each year. Administration Committee Chair A. Troy Miller is sponsoring legislation that will provide language interpretation services for persons with limited English proficiency receiving those services at health department clinics. Ordinance 0128-2011 will authorize the expenditure of $20,002.50 from the Department of Technology’s internal services fund to renew a contract with Language Access Network, LLC., for streaming video and phone-based interpretation services at the Health Department’s facility located at 240 Parsons Avenue. This contract will be for the fourth year of a five year agreement and will cover services through March 31, 2012.
PARTNERING TO PREVENT TRUANCY IN COLUMBUS: Truancy is often times a gateway activity to more serious criminal behavior and can negatively affect a student’s future by keeping them from getting a good education. Public Safety Committee Chair Michelle M. Mills is sponsoring ordinance 0334-2011 which will authorize the expenditure of $100,000 for the operation of a truancy center under the direction of the YMCA in cooperation with and Columbus Public Schools and Columbus Police. The program will allow police officers to transport youth that are truant from school during the day to the YMCA of Central Ohio who will supervise them until their parent or guardian can pick them up. Staff members at the YMCA will work with the family when they arrive to help identify and resolve any issues that may be present and review the truancy law and its implications to both youth and parents. During the 2009-10 school year, over 1400 students were truant.
Klein supporting after-school programming: The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department works with various community organizations to provide after school programming to Columbus City School students from low and moderate income families. The programs are designed to instill a sense of self-worth, academic ability and community responsibility in Columbus youth. Recreation and Parks Committee Chair Zachary M. Klein is sponsoring ordinance 0365-2011 and ordinance 0435-2011 which will authorize the expenditure of $354,000 to continue funding the after school programs. The youth programming will provide academic assistance, enrichment activities, prevention units, recreation and socialization, strong family involvement as well as nutritious food services through December 31, 2011.
CRAIG working to increase hiv testing accessibility: The Columbus Health Department provides HIV/AIDS testing for patients at the STD Clinic and HIV Counseling and Testing Site. Health, Housing & Human Services Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is sponsoring ordinance 0393-2011, to authorize the expenditure of $10,000 for rapid HIV antibody detection test kits. This test is highly accurate and provides results in 10 minutes. The CDC recommends that the rapid HIV test be used to better ensure that patients receive their results in a timely manner.
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