| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: November 7, 2011 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
NEW police crime lab: The Columbus Division of Police Crime Lab analyzes thousands of pieces of evidence through forensic science each year. Although the lab accepts requests for analysis from any Central Ohio law enforcement agency, 95 percent of analyses are performed for Columbus Police cases. Public Safety Committee Chair Michelle M. Mills is sponsoring ordinance 1635-2011 to authorize the expenditure of $2 million from the Department of Public Safety’s Voted Bond fund for the planning and design of a new, larger facility on Woodrow Avenue. Currently, the lab has 14 Forensic Scientists performing analysis for drug identification, firearms, forensic biology/DNA, latent fingerprint development and questioned documents. In 2010, the lab received 10,800 requests for analysis and 9,850 requests so far this year. The new facility will be 30,000 sq ft and replace the current 6,300 sq ft facility on King Avenue.
ENSURING CITY RECORDS AND DATA REMAIN SECURE: The City of Columbus utilizes technology equipment each day to ensure the efficiency of daily city operations. As the City updates this equipment or disposes of obsolete or worn out equipment, the secure removal and destruction of this equipment is necessary. Administration Committee Chair A. Troy Miller is sponsoring ordinance 1772-2011 to authorize the Finance and Management Director to enter into a contract with Round2, an electronics recycler, for the secure removal and destruction of, or testing, sanitizing and return of used technology equipment as needed. The contract will provide for the secure handling and tracking of equipment that may contain sensitive information, testing, sanitizing and return of equipment if desired, certification of wiping and/or destruction of equipment and the assurance that all items are 100% recycled with no waste going to landfills.
HELPING WORKING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS: Instituted by Congress in 1975, The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. The Franklin County EITC Coalition is a group of nonprofit, business, community, labor, immigrant, and religious organizations and was created in 2002 to encourage qualified working families to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit and to provide free tax preparation services to those with a household income up to $50,000 per year.
Health, Housing and Human Services Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is sponsoring ordinance 1759-2011 to authorize the expenditure of $10,000 from the Emergency Human Services Fund for a grant agreement with the United Way of Central Ohio for the coordination of the 2011 tax season Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program. Since 2007, The Coalition helped income-eligible households complete and file 12,363 tax returns. These taxpayers have claimed over $14.8 million in refunds and benefited from an estimated $3 million in savings on tax preparation fees and loans.
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. Development Committee Chair Zachary M. Klein is sponsoring ordinance 00957-2011, which authorizes the expenditure of $68,300 for a grant agreement with Heapy Engineering for sustainable construction of office facilities at Heapy Engineering, 1800 Watermark Drive. The grant award is pursuant to the Green Columbus Fund which was established in 2010. The fund represents the City’s commitment to foster sustainable building through LEED certification and to foster sustainable Brownfield assessment and redevelopment. The program will produce economic, environmental and social benefits for Columbus and its residents.
IMPROVING CITY BUILDINGS: Finance Committee Chair Priscilla R. Tyson is sponsoring ordinance 1794-2011 to authorize the expenditure of $201,000 for the replacement of the cooling tower at the city’s Carolyn Avenue facility. The current cooling tower is leaking water and chemicals, leading to additional maintenance costs. Failure to replace this unit in a timely manner could lead to the total failure of the unit and uncomfortable building temperatures for employees and visitors. The facility houses the city’s Department of Building and Zoning Services and Citywide Training and Development Center for employees.
MAKING CITY STREETS SAFER: In an effort to promote pedestrian safety and expedite vehicular traffic flow, the City of Columbus is responsible for roadway pavement marking along the City’s roadway system. Public Service Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring ordinance 1731-2011 to authorize the expenditure of $405,941.00 from the Street and Highway Improvement Fund for the purchase of pavement marking materials and reflective glass spheres. The marking materials will be used for lines to mark traffic lanes, turn arrows, and wording to describe the pattern of traffic for a specific lane such as ONLY (as in right turn only). The reflective glass spheres are used on top of the pavement markings to make them reflective to be seen at night.
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