| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS For Immediate Release: January 30, 2012 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
CITY Fleet Division to provide services to neighboring jurisdictions: In 2011, the city’s Fleet Division was ranked 3rd by “100 Best Fleets in North America” and received the 2011 Government Green Fleet Award. The Division provides state-of-the-art total fleet management and general maintenance repairs for all city vehicles and equipment. Finance Chair Priscilla R. Tyson is sponsoring ordinance 0029-2012 to authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to enter into an intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with various neighboring jurisdictions for the purpose of in-sourcing fleet management services. Under the terms of the MOU, any participating entity may engage another entity to provide or receive fleet management services for minor or major repairs, preventive maintenance and related services. The agreement will allow the City of Columbus to generate additional revenue for services performed on non-city vehicles. The city’s Fleet Division received the Clean Fuels Ohio “Champions Award” for 2011 for its innovative thinking and progressive practices toward greening the city’s overall fleet.
HELPING COMPLETE THE ALUM CREEK TRAIL-I-670 TO INNIS PARK PROJECT: The city of Columbus is committed to providing residents with alternative means of non-motorized transportation through cycling and walking. Recreation & Parks Committee Chair Zachary M. Klein is sponsoring two pieces of legislation that will help complete the Alum Creek Trail. Ordinance 0074-2012 will authorize the expenditure of $49,500.00 from the Recreation & Parks Bond Fund to modify a contract for engineering services for additional permits and construction review services related to the construction of two sections of the trail and two alignment studies. Ordinance 0081-2012 will authorize the expenditure of $343,643.62 from the Recreation & Parks Bond Fund for the Alum Creek Trail Extension Innis Park Project. The work will consist of asphalt, concrete, carpentry, earthwork, landscaping, masonry, and other such work as may be necessary to complete the project. The trail is a regional project which extends from Westerville to Three Creeks Park. The project will provide trail connectivity from Innis Park to I-670 at Ohio Dominican University and connect two major city parks and three neighborhoods to the regional trail network.
PROVIDING YARD WASTE COLLECTION AND CURBSIDE RECYCLING FOR CITY RESIDENTS: Columbus City Council continues to support the city’s efforts to be environmentally friendly and a “Green” community. Public Service Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring ordinance 0088-2012 to authorize the expenditure of $5.8 million for the first year of a five year contract with Rumpke of Ohio for yard waste and curbside recycling collection services for Columbus residents. The city currently provides single family households with weekly yard waste collection and will expand collection services to include curbside recycling pickup. Street-side yard-waste collection service will be provided on a bi-weekly basis and recyclables collection will occur on alternating weeks at the same location where trash pickup occurs for more than 227,000 households.
HELPING LOCAL MERCHANTS RECOVER MONEY due to bad checks: The City Attorney’s Office has helped thousands of area merchants recover money owed to them as the result of the passing of bad checks. The Check Resolution Program provides facilitators who work directly with the merchant and the check writer to resolve the matter before it enters the court system. Public Safety & Judiciary Committee Chair Michelle M. Mills is sponsoring ordinance 2245-2011 to authorize the appropriation of $88,000 from the Check Resolution Fund. The fund is generated by fees collected by the program and used to fund to salaries of the program coordinator and facilitators. In 2011, the program diverted approximately 6, 373 cases from the court system and recovered close to $300,000 for area merchants.
Offering hope to those in need: The HOPWA program provides for the implementation of long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of low income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. Ordinance 0052-2012, sponsored by Health, Housing & Human Services Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig authorizes the appropriation of $630,000.00 from the General Government Grant Fund to fund the 2012 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program. Eligible activities include providing housing information services; resource identification; acquisition, rehabilitation, conversion, lease, and repair of facilities to provide housing and services; new construction of housing units; project or tenant-based rental assistance; short-term rent, mortgage and utility payments; supportive services; technical assistance and administrative support. This program is entirely funded by HUD and will run through December 31, 2012.
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